At the heart of every wedding ceremony is the story of two individuals joining their lives, their dreams, their hopes, and their love; and it is the ceremony celebrating whatever your story may be – Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, South Asian, Chinese, Gay or Straight – that communicates that union to the world. As a Civil Celebrant and Interfaith Minister, I cherish the vision each couple has for their ceremony. Without imposing my choices, I help to bring your stories and traditions to life in a ceremony that is reflective of the future you imagine together.
Gerald Fierst has officiated at hundreds of weddings in the NJ, NY, and NYC region. His unique understanding of story at the heart of wedding and ritual has taken him to lecture and officiate at ceremonies across America and around the world. He was a Just Stories Fellow of Angels Studio, Chicago, IL, commissioned to write and perform a storytelling installation on faith and the Abrahamic Tradition and was the Kathleen Hurley Memorial Lecturer, International College of Celebrancy, Queens College, Melbourne, Australia. He is an acclaimed storyteller and has been featured at the National Storytelling Festival, as well as universities and cultural centers across the United States. His recordings of world folklore and Jewish stories of Tikun Olam have won Parent Choice awards.
To check my availability and to learn more about how I can create a unique ceremony incorporating your stories, needs, and traditions, please contact me to set up a no-obligation consultation.
When Lionel Murphey, the Attorney General of Australia, created the concept of Civil Celebrant in 1973, he wanted every citizen, without having to subscribe to any religion, belief, or life style, to be able to have a wedding ceremony filled with meaning and moment. Civil Celebrants now perform the majority of weddings in Australia and New Zealand. When the concept of Civil Celebrants was brought to the US in 2001, Dally Messenger, a prominent Australian Celebrant, met me, a prominent American writer and storyteller. He saw that I understood ritual as an expression of our personal, family, and community story. Words have power. They unite us in the moment and permit us to achieve our dreams and discover our deepest hopes and desires.
When I write your ceremony, I will make the words you say and hear reflect your hearts and souls. I have written a book to describe how I do this, but I invite you to meet with me without obligation and hear for yourself how I can make your ceremony The Heart of the Wedding.
