Rev David Hamilton
vendor review: officiant
how we found him
Jas was actually in charge of finding our minister and he found the Reverend on Weddingwire. he had great reviews and his prices were very reasonable. after looking around, Jas came back to Reverend Hamilton and contacted him through the site. he responded quickly and set up our appointment.
first meeting
we arranged to meet him at a Panera close by and met early one weekend. he was there before us and after we grabbed coffee and pastries we sat down. after initial introductions he asked about our history, how we met, how long we had been engaged and why we loved each other. it was actually really fun retelling about how we started dating. after we shared our story, he explained his background and why he loved his job. then he walked us through some of his sample ceremonies and pictures. he explained that he had a large number of predefined ceremonies, but also told us that we could customize as needed. that was perfect!
the entire experience was very relaxed and there wasn’t any pressure to choose him if we weren’t comfortable. i think that is what made us like him even more. when we walked away, Jas knew this was the guy we wanted and the search came to an end.
communication
his communication was great; always quick to respond, very professional and ever encouraging. He even included funnies every couple of emails.
we explained that we wanted a more traditional Christian ceremony, but didn’t like the “thee’s” and “thou’s”; he sent us a 7-8 sample ceremonies to help us start the customization process. when we finally decided on a combined ceremony he went right to work to make sure it all went into one reading. He also help recommended scripture verses, since we were stuck.
he went above and beyond, printing out or vows for us when we sent them over to him last minute. i can’t say thank you enough for not making me read my own shaky handwriting.
in person, we was incredibly kind and humorous; you could feel how much he did love what he does.
rehearsal/ceremony
we initially had all decided that Revered Hamilton was not going to be apart of the rehearsal, but after a conversation with our day-of coordinator he came to the rehearsal last minute. he was incredibly kind to do that.
at both the ceremony and rehearsal he was jovial, prompt and helped calm nerves. he was well prepared and spoke clearly and calmly, emphasizing the true commitment we were making. he did not stay after the ceremony, explaining people often don’t let loose in front of a minister and didn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.
final thoughts
we can’t say enough nice things about him. he always had a smile on his face, was wonderfully kind and did an excellent job. if you a need an officiant, he is the man for you! he will make you feel at ease and ensure your ceremony goes smoothly. thank you so much Reverend Hamilton for making our day so special.
ps - he does christenings too.
photographer: Johnny Cheng Photography
i think wedding venue shopping was the hardest for me in the process of wedding planning. there were so many options, especially within Atlanta. once we chose our venue, everything else fell into place.
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