Today
Planned Event
All Because Two People Fell in Love...
Welcome to the home of Rev. Connie A. Anast
I am happy your search has lead you here!
I specialize in Custom and Personalized Wedding ceremonies, which include:
♥ Non-Denominational
♥ Spiritual/Religious ceremonies
♥ Commitment Ceremonies
♥ Holy Unions
♥ Celtic Handfastings
♥ Ceremonies including Children
I also perform Baby Blessings, House Blessings & Funerals.
Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, I am also willing to travel from Ogden to Provo and up to Sundance, Park City or Midway to officiate your Special Day!
Prices are negotiable based on traveling distance. Local packages start as low as $175. All bookings will also include a customized ceremony and a beautiful embossed, full-color commemorative Wedding Certificate. Rehearsals are on an as-needed basis and do require an additional charge.
A percentage of all wedding ceremony officiant fees are donated to the charitable organization of your choice, including Primary Children's Medical Center, Best Friend's Animal Sanctuary, Ronald McDonald House, Best Buddies Utah and many others. Giving back to the community is a beautiful way to start your new life together.
I also do not require a deposit for my services. This tends to aleviate the stress of the couple. We can meet, get a feel for your wedding and your needs and you can decide if I am right for you - always free of charge.
If you are Active in Military Service or a member of a Veteran's Organization, you will also receive Priority Consideration on booking as well as a discount on services!
Please hit the Contact button and let's get started on
Your Perfect Moment!
Rev. Connie is thrilled to welcome
Rev. Lorene L. Newsome
as her new Assistant Minister. Welcome, Lorene!
Why Choose a Non-Denominational Wedding Officiant?
Many couples ask why they should choose a Non-Denominational Wedding Officiant for their special day. There are many reasons, and here are some of the most important ones.
What about my Bishop?
Faith-based ceremonies are among the most beautiful services you can have. I encourage couples who have a shared faith to speak with their clergy and find out the requirements to be married in their faith, if they so choose.
However, clergypersons are bound by the tenants and requirements of their faith and are directed to perform only certain kinds of ceremonies. I am only bound by the creed Do that Which Is Right.
For me, doing what is right is serving the couple, and the community, in the best possible way on their most memorable day. This could include a Rose ceremony, a Water ceremony, traditional Celtic Hand-fastings - even Jumping the Broom!
My personal experience is that a non-Temple LDS ceremony is very short and sweet, which is great for some couples. Usually Bishops do not write custom ceremonies and do not include things such as ring ceremonies, rose ceremonies, or anything like that.
Keep in mind, your clergyperson may not perform your ceremony if both of you are not members and your families are not active, in good standing and fully tithed.
This is why a non-denominational Wedding Officiant is a great place to turn. We can blend faiths into a single ceremony that honors the traditions of both families and the couples themselves.
Why are the Rates so different?
Wedding Officiants will charge anywhere from $300-$700 for their services because, for most of us, we write each ceremony to custom fit each couple and work closely with the couple to make the ceremony unique and beautiful. I may meet with the couple multiple times to ensure your ceremony is perfect in every way. Many of us are professional public speakers, some with decades of experience. This experience is very important when you consider that the Officiant is the one doing most of the talking during your ceremony!
In addition, I also personally provide a donation to the Charity of your choice as well as a fully colored or embossed keepsake Wedding Certificate - neither of which are provided by other Wedding officiants in the area. I am also relatively inexpensive compared to other officiants, of which I am very proud. I perform ceremonies to celebrate Love and all that it brings to the world, certianly not for the money.
What does the Date have to do with it?
Are you asking for an Officiant on a Holiday? Just like hotels and caterers, Holiday rates are increased for a lot of Wedding Officiants. Are you requesting services during the week or in the early afternoon? Some Officiants have daytime commitments and would need to make arrangements to perform your wedding, which we are happy to do, but this is also taken into consideration when your rate is quoted.
Are you getting married in the middle of a forest or way out in the desert? Distance and drive-time is also a consideration when quoting a rate for services. How about Park City in the middle of Winter? Safety is always of concern to those who travel and sometimes officiants would rather stay local, while others will plan lodging to ensure they are not driving in hazardous conditions in bad weather. An overnight stay may require a higher quote.
Regardless if your wedding is next door, across town, or an hour away, I strive to create intimate, memorable and unique ceremonies for each and every couple I meet. I want you to not only remember your first dance, your cake cutting and the band, but remember the moment you took your vows as one of the greatest memories of your life.
All in all, a Non-Denominational Wedding Officiant is a great resource for a couple who are blending faiths, or who wish not to incorporate any faith into their service. I am only bound by my ethics - and the couple's imagination!
Alexa and Ben Garvis
July 30, 2009
Western Gardens
Sandy, Utah
The first time my husband and I met Rev. Anast we were immediately comfortable. She was always easy to talk to, warm and welcoming.
I love the fact that Rev. Anast writes a custom ceremony specifically for the couple. No ceremony is the same as another. I was sent emails of rough drafts and asked what I did and did not like, if there were any special versus I wanted to personally add into the ceremony, etc. Rev. Anast also came to the rescue when my husbands ring did not arrive in time for the wedding by letting us borrow one she had. It was nice because it was one less thing I had to stress about!
My husband and I decided to have a non-denominational wedding and a sand ceremony to unite us as a couple. We wrote our own vows and Rev. Anast sent me about 20 different sand ceremonies that we could possibly use during the wedding.
Before I left the reception hall my grandfather pulled me aside and said, "This is different from any wedding I've ever been to and it was beautiful."
I love the fact that Rev. Anast writes a custom ceremony specifically for the couple. No ceremony is the same as another. I was sent emails of rough drafts and asked what I did and did not like, if there were any special versus I wanted to personally add into the ceremony, etc. Rev. Anast also came to the rescue when my husbands ring did not arrive in time for the wedding by letting us borrow one she had. It was nice because it was one less thing I had to stress about!
My husband and I decided to have a non-denominational wedding and a sand ceremony to unite us as a couple. We wrote our own vows and Rev. Anast sent me about 20 different sand ceremonies that we could possibly use during the wedding.
Before I left the reception hall my grandfather pulled me aside and said, "This is different from any wedding I've ever been to and it was beautiful."
Caitlin and Matthew Sanchez
August 30, 2009
Sundance Resort
August 30, 2009
Sundance Resort
Sundance, Utah
From the Bride's Mother: Reverend Connie went out of her way to make not just the bride and groom, but myself as mother of the bride and all of the family included throughout the planning, the ceremony, and party afterwards. She is so naturally warm and welcoming, she had a 'calming' effect during those crucial moments just before the ceremony.
Reverend Connie reached out to all of us, making everyone feel included, listening carefully to our ideas and thoughts and adding her experience and insight as needed. She came to the event early, stayed throughout the afternoon, spent some extra time looking over the venue, helping us to organize some last minute details and then, when everything was ready, she was very much, the 'officiant', by the way she carries herself, speaks, and prepares, she let everyone know that it was now time to quiet down, focus on the couple and help make this 'their' moment. She also acknowledged my new son-in-laws service to his country, recognizing that he had just returned from active duty and offering a discount in honor of his service! No one else offered this, and she did so in such a generous and genuine way.
Reverend Connie met with the bride and groom and spent two hours talking to them, getting to know them, learning about the courtship, the uniquiness of how their relationship had developed and what they were interested in, not just for the wedding, but for their lives together going forward. She is very interested in making the ceremony personalized, special, and meaningful, and ultimately that is exactly what she did. I really appreciated how she began the ceremony as she acknowledged the presence of those loved ones who were present and those who were not, and most importantly, those who were with us in spirit only. It was a tender moment. She drew everyone into the moment, with her words and with her presence.
There were many comments on the ceremony, particularly the way in which it was performed, Rev. Connie's professionalism, preparation, and creativity were all commented on. The way she brought a lightness and humor at moments was something I heard about several times. Making the nervousness of the Groom and the shaking voice of the Bride something not to be ignored or embarrassed about, but something warm, real, spontaneous and a good place for a little giggle shared by everyone there became something that will always be a happy memory. Perfect timing, great speaking voice, so very kind and professional.
Reverend Connie reached out to all of us, making everyone feel included, listening carefully to our ideas and thoughts and adding her experience and insight as needed. She came to the event early, stayed throughout the afternoon, spent some extra time looking over the venue, helping us to organize some last minute details and then, when everything was ready, she was very much, the 'officiant', by the way she carries herself, speaks, and prepares, she let everyone know that it was now time to quiet down, focus on the couple and help make this 'their' moment. She also acknowledged my new son-in-laws service to his country, recognizing that he had just returned from active duty and offering a discount in honor of his service! No one else offered this, and she did so in such a generous and genuine way.
Reverend Connie met with the bride and groom and spent two hours talking to them, getting to know them, learning about the courtship, the uniquiness of how their relationship had developed and what they were interested in, not just for the wedding, but for their lives together going forward. She is very interested in making the ceremony personalized, special, and meaningful, and ultimately that is exactly what she did. I really appreciated how she began the ceremony as she acknowledged the presence of those loved ones who were present and those who were not, and most importantly, those who were with us in spirit only. It was a tender moment. She drew everyone into the moment, with her words and with her presence.
There were many comments on the ceremony, particularly the way in which it was performed, Rev. Connie's professionalism, preparation, and creativity were all commented on. The way she brought a lightness and humor at moments was something I heard about several times. Making the nervousness of the Groom and the shaking voice of the Bride something not to be ignored or embarrassed about, but something warm, real, spontaneous and a good place for a little giggle shared by everyone there became something that will always be a happy memory. Perfect timing, great speaking voice, so very kind and professional.
Sharla and Jason Lee Chase
September 6, 2009
Magnolia Grove
South Jordan, Utah
My fiance (now husband) and I are from out of town, but I grew up in Utah, so I wanted to have the ceremony there. I put off finding a wedding officiant for the last thing because I wasn't really sure how to go about doing it, and that's when I stumbled across Connie's listing. I'm very glad I did. She was so accommodating to our needs! We were able to do absolutely everything over the internet, which was a big help to me.
She wrote the most beautiful ceremony for us and then emailed a copy of it to me for my fiance and I to review. I thought that was such a great idea, because it listed everything for the ceremony out in detail, and also gave us a chance to make any little tweeks or changes, to help the ceremony fit us as a couple. She also gave us a lovely "keepsake" wedding license to display in our home.
Connie asked us a variety of questions about us as a couple, and she wrote up a beautiful ceremony around the responses we had given. But then, about a week before the wedding, after she had already finalized the ceremony, I found a poem that really touched both my fiance and me, and we really wanted to include in the ceremony. I emailed it to Connie and she was able to change the ceremony for us, to make room for it. We were so happy!
Everyone who commented to me thought the ceremony was amazing! By the end, both our parents (even our dads) were having a hard time keeping from crying. Her words touched all of us.
South Jordan, Utah
My fiance (now husband) and I are from out of town, but I grew up in Utah, so I wanted to have the ceremony there. I put off finding a wedding officiant for the last thing because I wasn't really sure how to go about doing it, and that's when I stumbled across Connie's listing. I'm very glad I did. She was so accommodating to our needs! We were able to do absolutely everything over the internet, which was a big help to me.
She wrote the most beautiful ceremony for us and then emailed a copy of it to me for my fiance and I to review. I thought that was such a great idea, because it listed everything for the ceremony out in detail, and also gave us a chance to make any little tweeks or changes, to help the ceremony fit us as a couple. She also gave us a lovely "keepsake" wedding license to display in our home.
Connie asked us a variety of questions about us as a couple, and she wrote up a beautiful ceremony around the responses we had given. But then, about a week before the wedding, after she had already finalized the ceremony, I found a poem that really touched both my fiance and me, and we really wanted to include in the ceremony. I emailed it to Connie and she was able to change the ceremony for us, to make room for it. We were so happy!
Everyone who commented to me thought the ceremony was amazing! By the end, both our parents (even our dads) were having a hard time keeping from crying. Her words touched all of us.
Hillary and Derek Gallegos
September 19, 2009
Log Haven Restaurant
Millcreek Canyon, Utah
Log Haven Restaurant
Millcreek Canyon, Utah
Claudia and Grace Smith
September 26, 2009
Dogwood Camp Site
Dogwood Camp Site
Big Cottonwood Canyon
I have known Connie for a long time, she is a very outgoing person, with good attitute and personality. Everyone was very comfortable at the wedding. She actually cried with us and the vows. Which is something I liked, since it showed she cared about the wedding and its guests. We said our own vows. Some of our guests were asking her for services in the future.
Meagan and Joshua Nattress
October 4, 2009
Cottonwood Country Club
Cottonwood, Utah
Cottonwood Country Club
Cottonwood, Utah
Connie, Thank you so much for all you did for our wedding! You did an amazing job we were more then happy with everything you did. We just wanted you to know that we really appreciated all your ideas and the great work you did. So many people commented on how wonderful the ceremony was so thank you once again.
We attached a photo from our wedding hope you enjoy it!
Thank you, your friends, Josh & Meagan Nattress
Member of Onewed.com: Wedding Planning . Wedding Dresses . Wedding Website . Wedding Shoes . Hair Styles . Cake Pictures . Photographers . Disc Jockey . Bridal Shops . Wedding Forum . Wedding Flowers
Rev. Connie A. Anast ~ crimsondove@gmail.com ~ 801.604.0341