The Marriage Minister

•Ratings include Zola and Google reviews

Pricing

Prices start at $300

About The Marriage Minister

The Marriage Minister

Owner Officiant

James (Jim) SpaltenThe Marriage Minister is an award winning officiant service that serves all of Arizona. With the help of my wife and assistant Kathy we write and officiate ceremonies tailored to your vision. Whether you want a religious, non-religious, or an interfaith service we can craft a ceremony that you, family and friends will remember for a lifetime. We are versed on many unity ceremonies, handfasting, candle, lasso and arras and many interfaith traditions. Check out our feature in VoyagePhoenix magazine.

It's the little things that make the biggest difference. Listening goes along way. Like rewriting a ceremony until it's what you want. Answering a question that you may think is silly. There is no such thing as a silly question. This is a day you may have dreamed of growing up. You have met the person you want to grow old with, to make memories with. Here you are. It has to be nothing short of perfect. Kathy and I are here to make that day a reality. If you ask us what has kept us together for almost 40 years we'll tell you what has worked for us We love sharing our philosophy. Finding the right officiant is as important as the right venue.

In three words: Creative, Flexible, Honest

Services

Ceremony types

  • Civil Union
  • Commitment Ceremony
  • Elopement
  • Interfaith Ceremony
  • Legal License Signing
  • Multicultural Weddings
  • Non-religious Ceremony
  • Other
  • Religious
  • Vow Renewal Ceremony

Religious affiliations

  • Catholic
  • Christian
  • Interfaith
  • Other
  • Spiritual
  • Wiccan

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 5.0

5.0 out of 5

5 reviews

  • CE

    Chienna & E.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Jun 9, 2026

    Great service!

    We found James Spalten on Zola, and from our very first conversation, he impressed us with his warm personality and professionalism. He is an excellent communicator, speaks well, and has a natural ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Communication throughout the process was seamless. James and his wife were organized, responsive, and easy to work with. They took the time to collaborate with us and understand exactly how we wanted our ceremony to be. We especially appreciated that they offered different ceremony styles—non-religious, semi-religious, or fully religious—allowing us to choose the option that best reflected our preferences. On our wedding day, James delivered a beautiful ceremony. He spoke eloquently, made everyone feel comfortable, and created a meaningful experience for us and our guests. He was friendly, personable, and truly a pleasure to work with. We were also honored to be their 101st wedding ceremony! We are so grateful to have had James officiate our special day and highly recommend him to any couple looking for a thoughtful, professional, and engaging wedding officiant.

    James Spalten•Jun 9, 2026

    Chienna and Edwin, we can't thank you enough. Not only for your kind words but for letting us be part of this new and exciting part of your lives. This honor is never taken for granted. We are grateful to for leading us into our next 100. I truly loved listening to your heartfelt vows, that's why I always keep tissues handy, not only for you but for me as well. May God bless and keep you both, your family and friends. Jim and Kathy

  • RS

    Rashanda S.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Nov 20, 2025

    Bride

    From the moment we first spoke with The Marriage Minister, we knew we had found the perfect officiant for our wedding. Their communication style was consistently considerate and respectful, putting us at ease throughout the entire process. The quality of their work was simply incredible - the ceremony they crafted for us was truly memorable and incredibly special. Our son was included in a meaningful way, and the words they spoke reflected our love story in such a personal way that had our friends and family feeling truly connected to our commitment. We have made lifelong friends with The Marriage Minister, and their care and professionalism was bar none. Our day would not have been the same with any other minister. We are forever grateful for the time they took to get to know us and our love, making the ceremony feel so intimate and meaningful for all who attended.

  • J

    Joy

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Aug 28, 2025

    Professional and pleasant!

    Jim is great officiant! He is prompt at showing up at the time requested in attire appropriate for each occasion. Jim listens and executes your requests. He keeps the ceremony moving along in a calm and peaceful manner that’ll make your special day pleasant!

  • TR

    Tony Romano

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Jan 10, 2026

    My wife and I called Jim up on Wednesday asking if he could wed us on Friday at Saguaro National Park. The words he and his wife prepared on such short notice were perfect. Jim communicated quickly and he communicated well. A very smooth and wonderful experience overall.

    The Marriage Minister•Jan 12, 2026

    Tony and Emma, thank you for your review and showing me what I've missed all these years at the monument. Years ago I used to ride the loop daily but never really looked at the beauty. Kathy and I wish you the best in your future.

  • MW

    Marshall Wilmot

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Dec 28, 2025

    Jim was the perfect marriage minister for our wedding at Tucson Botanical Garden. From our first conversation through the ceremony itself, he was kind, calm, and wonderfully easy to work with—exactly what you want on such an important day. The ceremony felt personal, thoughtful, and genuinely reflective of who we are as a couple. Jim struck a beautiful balance between warmth and professionalism, putting us (and our guests) completely at ease. Several people commented afterward on how meaningful and heartfelt the service was. He handled everything smoothly and gracefully, allowing us to be fully present in the moment and enjoy the beauty of the setting and the significance of the day. We couldn’t have asked for a better officiant and are so grateful to Jim for helping make our wedding so special. Highly recommend him to anyone looking for a marriage minister who truly cares and delivers a memorable, sincere ceremony.

Preferred vendors of The Marriage Minister

Photographer
Patrick Grimes
We are now well over 100 weddings. On May 29th. 2026 we officially hit 100. We celebrated with the couple giving a certificate and a $100 gift card to Amazon.
The Marriage Minister has been serving couples throughout Arizona for over 3 years. James has been officiating ceremonies for about 5 years.
Absolutely. My wife Kathy has been instrumental in writing ceremonies loved by all of our couples. All of our ceremonies are written around the responses we get from our couples questionnaire.
We love rehearsals. It is included in our Tucson ceremonies if we are available. I think there was one time we couldn't accommodate a rehearsal. We do charge for travel in the Phoenix area ($50.00).
That could be called a Vow Renewal ceremony or a re-commitment ceremony. Either way yes, of course.
We don't require premarital counseling, that is truly an individual thing. It is important to know who you want to spend the rest of your life with by the time you have contacted me. I do counsel. However I am not a licensed therapist. I can offer to you what has kept Kathy and I together for almost 40 years. We often get asked "How do you do it?" We're happy to share our success.
Since each couple is unique, we use our couples questionnaire to get the "ball rolling." This questionnaire helps us write your preliminary ceremony. From there, you will have plenty of time to make any changes all the way up to the day before. This really does make the ceremony truly and uniquely yours.
Absolutely. We embrace the LGBTQ+ community and have done many ceremonies over the years.
Should that happen we have one or two backup officiants that can step in. They will deliver to you the same ceremony script that you approved. If we weren't confident in them, they would not be part of our team. Their delivery may be a little different than mine, but you will receive the same enthusiasm that I would have provided.
Unity ceremonies are a great addition to any wedding celebration. We are very familiar with handfasting, lasso and arras, sand, candle, jumping the broom and many others.
Yes of course, Kathy, my wife and script writer has put together a catalog of special vow ideas along with poems and writings to help you every step of the way.

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