
What They Are Saying About
Joan Bogwill, Officiant Services at Heartfelt Custom Ceremonies, LLC
"When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece."--John Ruskin
Often a couple requests a simple ceremony. Whether celebrating a large or micro wedding, a custom ceremony adds meaning while keeping the ceremony's planning and "feel" simple. My favorite part of my work is getting to know my client and their love story. Without their love, I am simply a writer and storyteller. But together, we can design a masterpiece ceremony that will create lifelong memories for you and your guests.
Five-Star Reviews
Celebrating Love Ceremonies
Click above link to learn more about my wedding and vow renewal ceremonies.

Joan created a personalized wedding ceremony that felt very special to us. In the months leading up to your wedding its easy to get side-tracked with all the other details. I'll admit we had not given a lot of thought to the actual content of our ceremony. Joan showed great leadership guiding us through the process and learning our preferences, but in a way that never felt burdensome or interfered with all our other responsibilities. She was a pleasure to work with. All of our guests went out of their way to tell us how beautiful and special our wedding ceremony was. Were grateful we found her!

We feel so blessed to have had Joan as our wedding officiant! From our first meeting, her warm personality put us at ease. As a couple with mixed faith backgrounds—one Christian and one Jewish—finding someone to honor both traditions was essential, and Joan exceeded our expectations.
She took the time to understand our beliefs and got to know us and our love story, passionately sharing it with our wedding guests. She seamlessly incorporated elements like the breaking of the glass and unity candles into a beautiful, inclusive ceremony. Her explanations resonated with our guests, making the experience even more meaningful. On our wedding day Joan guided us gracefully through each step. Her calming presence eased our jitters, and her heartfelt words brought tears to our eyes. We received countless compliments about how engaging and meaningful Joan made our ceremony.
Joan also guided us through the marriage license process and she took care of filing it afterward, allowing us to enjoy our mini moon stress-free.
If you're looking for an officiant who truly cares about making your day special, we wholeheartedly recommend Joan. She’s amazing! Thank you for making our wedding unforgettable!

Joan did such a wonderful job creating our ceremony. She included everything we asked for and more! Joan is a good speaker and beautifully told our love story. She filed our marriage license for us and helped us throughout the process. She took the time to get to know us and make our ceremony personal to us. All guests loved it! We highly recommend her.

Joan was a dream wedding officiant!! From the moment we had our first call to handing us our completed marriage licenses (in person) the week after our wedding, Joan did not disappoint. She is truly a joy to work with, and she cares about each one of her couples and their love story. Joan made sure to ask the right questions and even the questions that we hadn’t thought of! She offered advice on rituals and new ceremony “fads.” At the end of the wedding weekend, we had heard so many praises about our ceremony being meaningful and something people hadn’t seen in a while, but we couldn’t have had that without Joan! She is truly great at what she does. Thank you for everything Joan ❤️

We are beyond grateful for our wedding officiant, Joan! From the very first meeting, she took the time to understand exactly what we wanted for our ceremony and worked closely with us to make it truly personal. Joan crafted a beautiful, meaningful ceremony that perfectly reflected our love and values. Highly recommend Joan to anyone looking for a truly special ceremony!

Our wedding day was truly magical thanks to Joan & Heartfelt Custom Ceremonies. From the very beginning, Joan made us feel comfortable and cared for, taking the time to understand our unique love story and our vision for the ceremony.
She guided us through every step of the process, ensuring that everything ran smoothly on the big day. Her presence was calming and reassuring, helping us manage our nerves and truly be present during our ceremony. My favorite part of the whole day though was the ring-warming ceremony that Joan recommended we integrate into our ceremony.
In the end, Joan didn't just officiate our wedding; she became an integral part of our cherished memories. If you're searching for a wedding officiant who will make your special day truly unique and memorable, Joan is the perfect choice.

I am a MOB and my daughter found Joan to officiate her wedding. Well if you are looking for more than someone to just marry you then Joan is the woman! Joan worked with bride and groom for sometime on how the ceremony would be. So I have to say most weddings now are 5 minutes top and all the effort and preparation is over that fast. But somehow Joan was able to incorporate what was most important to the couple and family. She incorporated God, love and their beautiful love story of the couple! I don’t know how she did it but it was amazing!!! The wedding was beautiful and was the perfect time frame, not to fast and not to long. She showed up early and handled everything! She made it so simple and just perfect. Not a dry eye in sight! It was so beyond anything a MOB could have asked for. Thank you Joan, and you will always be remembered for being apart of such a special day to our family. A 10 star doesn’t say enough for Joan.

We planned a destination wedding vacation to Cape Coral, FL and found out the day before our ceremony that we did not have any one to officiate or marriage. We contacted Joan the evening before our ceremony and she stepped up to save our day. She took the time to get to know myself and my now husband and made our ceremony very personal to us. It was absolutely perfect. She is so kind and warm and really shows compassion. We really couldn't have found any one better to make our special day as special as it truly was. Thank you again Joan! You are truly an Angel!!

Joan created a personalized wedding ceremony that felt very special to us. In the months leading up to your wedding its easy to get side-tracked with all the other details. I'll admit we had not given a lot of thought to the actual content of our ceremony. Joan showed great leadersip guiding us through the process and learning our preferences, but in a way that never felt burdensome or interfered with all our other responsibilities. She was a pleasure to work with. All of our guests went out of their way to tell us how beautiful and special our wedding ceremony was. Were grateful we found her!

Joan was a wonderful officiant and lovely person! She perfectly captured our love story, was easy to work with, had great communication, and meshed so well with us and our family! She helped make our day so special and unique!! We got so many compliments about the ceremony and it allowed us to share a piece of our story with our guests! We cannot wait to get the pictures & videos back so that we can relive the moments. We truly appreciate all that Joan did for us!

Our experience working with Joan was fantastic! She was professional and a great communicator who quickly responded to our questions. Joan created the ceremony exactly the way we had hoped for--we laughed, and we cried and made memories. Joan is caring and knowledgeable, and we are so glad we chose her to officiate our ceremony.

Simply perfect! Joan at Heartfelt Custom Ceremonies orchestrated a wedding ceremony that was beyond our wildest dreams. From the moment we met Joan, we knew we were in good hands, but what she crafted for Joe and me was truly exceptional.
First and foremost, Joan understood our desire to make our wedding a true celebration of not just our love for each other, but also our love for our children. She seamlessly incorporated our kids into the ceremony, making them feel like an integral part of our union. It was a touching and heartwarming moment that we will cherish forever.
Joan's ability to take our love for the beach and weave it into the ceremony was nothing short of magical. The beach has always been a special place for us, and Joan's thoughtful incorporation of it into our ceremony made the day even more meaningful.
Furthermore, Joan's words resonated with us deeply. She beautifully wove the story of our excitement for the adventures that lie ahead. Her words filled the air with a sense of hope, love, and the promise of a bright future.
Throughout the ceremony, Joan's warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail shone brightly. She made the entire process stress-free, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the moment and savor every second of our wedding day.
In the end, Joan at Heartfelt Custom Ceremonies created a wedding ceremony that will forever hold a special place in our hearts. She made our day not only memorable but truly magical. Our life together as a family is just beginning, and we are so grateful to Joan for setting the tone for this incredible journey. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect ceremony, and we are eternally grateful for her remarkable skills and heartfelt dedication to making our wedding day one we will never forget. Joan, thank you for making our dreams come true!
Honoring Life Ceremonies
Click above link to learn more about my funeral ceremonies.
Saying goodbye to a loved one is difficult, regardless of age or circumstance. However, a series of personal losses made me realize how ceremonies honor and celebrate a loved one's life and helps with the grief process. So, using compassionate communication skills, I will:
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Learn about your loved one during our 90-minute to a two-hour in-person or Zoom meeting.
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Trained in ceremonial design, I identify readings, songs, rituals, symbolism, and storytelling that reflect your loved one's personality.
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Design, write and perform a ceremony that honors your loved one's life and legacy.

"Joan speaks with such strength and groundedness. She is confident but in a gentle and calming way."