The Wedding Where...
Join me, Amanda, owner of Officiating by Amanda, as I share stories of weddings I've officiated and lessons I've learned, advice for the dating, engaged or married, reactions to wedding ceremonies in movies and TV shows, special guests from the wedding industry sharing their stories, behind the scenes interviews with some of my couples, and the answers to your questions. With 10 years under my belt, I've got many, many tales to tell!
Episodes
62 episodes
Bonus: Officiant FAQ
You can plan the most personal ceremony in the world and still get tripped up by one simple question: when should we book the officiant? I’m Amanda, and I’m answering the real FAQs I hear from couples all the time, including the ones people for...
What's The Process?
Most couples think hiring a wedding officiant is simple: send a message, sign a contract, done. The truth is the process matters, and when you understand it, you avoid date confusion, last-minute stress, and that uneasy feeling of not knowing w...
It was a Wedding but Not a Marriage
A wedding can be a life-changing promise without being a legal contract, and that difference matters less to love than most people think. I’m Amanda, an officiant for 12 years, and I’m pulling back the curtain on commitment ceremonies: the wedd...
We got Back into the Swing of Things
Coming back after a break feels weirdly like walking into school mid-year. You’re excited, you’re rusty, and you’re not totally sure where your rhythm went. That’s where I’m at right now, stepping back into podcasting while stepping into a pack...
I Almost Quit
A fever, a delayed start, and a flying pair of slippers push Amanda to the edge, then sharpen her standards. We share the red flags, the chaos, and the exact boundaries that turned a near-quit into better work and clearer contracts.• th...
They Had Been Together Forever
The love story you rarely see on TV is often the one that endures: two people who build a life first, then choose the moment that truly fits to say I do. We open up about couples who didn’t rush—some waited through degrees and residencies, some...
One Year Of Wedding Stories
A year ago I hit record with one simple goal: save the wedding stories I’d been telling in kitchens, cars, and green rooms for years. Twelve months later, we’re celebrating a wild first season filled with real ceremony chaos, heartfelt wins, an...
We Chased Waterfalls
Waterfall ceremonies surged for us this year, from hidden Poconos drops to popular park spillways, and each one taught us how to balance beauty with access, rules, and sound. We share real venues, what worked, what failed, and the simple choice...
I Had to be a Bartender
A creekside ceremony. A missing bartender. A bar cart staffed by two kind owners who had never poured a drink. I walked into a spiraling setup and turned it around with calm, clarity, and a stripped-down playbook that kept the couple smiling an...
84 Weddings, 13,587 Miles, And A Growing Officiant Network
Numbers don’t tell the whole story, but they make a great map. We just wrapped a year that stretched every muscle: 84 weddings booked from 98 quotes, 13,587 miles on the road, and a growing network of trusted officiants to keep quality high wit...
We Learned "Don't Do Drugs, Kids" featuring Jocelyn, Owner of Danie Mae Photography
We bring back Jocelyn of Danny Mae Photography for a candid look at vendor chemistry, safety, pricing realities, and the art of keeping a wedding day calm. From an out-of-control bridesmaid to Pinterest expectations, we break down boundaries th...
Interview with Jocelyn, Owner of Danie Mae Photography
The best wedding photos don’t happen by accident—they come from preparation, clear boundaries, and a team that reads the room. We sat down with Jocelyn of Danny May Photography to trace her journey from high school photo staff to 30+ weddings a...
We Froze to Death
Weather doesn’t ask permission to crash a wedding, and that’s exactly why we’re talking about it. From a four-degree ceremony on Mount Penn to a triple-digit barn field with no shade, I’m sharing the real stories and the hard-won strategies tha...
It Felt Like a Funeral
A wedding can hold more than one truth at once. We walk through a ceremony where grief didn’t just peek in—it shaped the room. From an opening moment of silence and an in‑memory candle to vows that named loss and a unity ritual layered with tok...
They Said it Wasn't a Wedding
We share the story of a couple who wanted a full wedding while telling most vendors it was a “family brunch,” and how that choice created confusion, stress, and last-minute improvising. Practical advice follows on budgeting ethically, setting p...
The Bride's Dress almost Caught on Fire
One breathtaking candlelit aisle almost turned into a crisis, and that single moment changed how we think about ceremony safety without sacrificing style. We walk through the real story behind a near-miss with a billowy dress and open flames, t...
Bonus: A Thousand Thank-Yous
A thousand listens later, we’re clinking an imaginary glass and sharing the real secret that makes a ceremony feel like yours: a thoughtful consult call. Before timelines tighten and group chats explode, that first conversation gives us a clear...
They are Divorced
Love feels invincible at the altar, but real life has a way of testing vows. After officiating around 250 weddings over more than a decade, I’ve seen both the glow and the grit—how small patterns at a rehearsal can foreshadow big challenges, an...
I Filled in for Another Officiant
We share the untold realities of backup officiating, from inclusive ceremonies to last‑minute saves that keep couples on track to say “I do.” The throughline is simple: presence beats perfection, and a real backup plan protects the day....
Interview with Emily and Bobby - The Sequel
What if the best way to plan a meaningful wedding is to slow it down, laugh on purpose, and design rituals people can feel? That’s the heart of Emily and Bobby’s story: a small, dog-forward elopement followed by a family-packed “sequel” ceremon...
Interview with Emily and Bobby part 1
The best wedding stories aren’t polished—they’re true. Emily and Bobby take us from OKCupid chaos to a tractor-stalled first date, then straight into two ceremonies that honored both practicality and heart: a tiny elopement with dogs and koi po...
They Tied the Knot
Ever wonder why we still say “tie the knot” and what it actually means? We pull the thread from ancient handfasting to today’s ceremonies and show how a simple cord can turn your vows into something tangible, visual, and deeply personal. From C...
Friends are Family
What if the most important choice you make for your wedding isn’t the venue or the vows, but who gets a seat in the room? We dig into the real work behind guest lists—why they’re emotional, political, and surprisingly revealing—and how to choos...
Back to the Aisle: Officiant reacts to Frank and Monica's wedding on Shameless
A vow can land like a lightning bolt—simple words that suddenly feel heavier than the room they’re spoken in. Thank you for joining me back from my break - a whirlwind stretch of 29 fall weddings, a new nine-to-five, and a house mov...
Vows Mini Series - Custom Words from the Heart
Love speaks in many languages, and personalized wedding vows might be the most beautiful dialect of all. As we wrap up our six-week exploration of wedding promises, this final episode celebrates the magic that happens when couples put their aut...
