Reverend captain
russ rowlands
Hi folks, I’m Reverend Captain Russ Rowlands. I’m a provincially recognized wedding officiant, able to perform legal wedding ceremonies on land and on water within Ontario. I endeavour to bring a calm, fun, and personable approach to every ceremony, and I will help keep you organized and on track before and during the biggest day of your life.
While searching for the right person to preside over your wedding, I always give couples one piece of advice: consider the vibe. Your officiant does 90% of the talking up there (so you don’t have to!), so the tone of their voice, their delivery, their demeanour, and their comfort level will influence the vibe of your ceremony, regardless of the setting or what words are written.
Choose an officiant who suits your vibe as a couple, and for what you’re looking for on your big day.
My vibe is easy-going, relaxed, calm, and a bit humorous. I won’t make a comedy show of your ceremony, but I will add some levity and a bit of laughter to the day. I will make you feel calm and comfortable, and I will make your audience think we’ve known each other for years. I might make your mom cry once, but it will be with a huge smile on her face, I promise.
“Captain Russ is kind, funny, and light-hearted, and if you’re looking for a relaxed ceremony I couldn’t recommend anyone better. ”
A good wedding officiant acts as your aide and planner for the hour or so between everyone finding their seats, and when they all rise to celebrate you as a new couple. A service I provide to every couple is to write out a full screenplay of your ceremony, including stage directions (who enters when and where, where people are standing, how the rings are handed off, etc.), music cues, and of course all the speaking parts (mine, yours, and anyone else who might be contributing to your ceremony). You’ll have that screenplay well in advance of the day, and can share it with your wedding party, your planner, your DJ, your photographer, your mom, the venue… anyone who might find it useful to have a precise understanding of how the ceremony is supposed to go. You can trust me to keep things organized and on track for that hour, freeing you both up to live in the moment together.
“Russ was the perfect officiant from the first time we met all the way through the wedding process. He walked us through every step of our ceremony planning, while also making the process fun and personalized. Everyone who attended our wedding spoke so highly of how personal and engaging he was. We cannot recommend Russ enough!”
If this all sounds good to you, please reach out so we can schedule a first meeting (in person or by video call). That meeting is free, and you’re not obliged to go with me once we’ve chatted. I want to be the right officiant for the right couple and, if you’ve read this far, you’ve already heard my sales pitch.
I look forward to hearing from you, and I wish you all the best with planning for your amazing wedding.
