Honeybreak Officiants are a team of modern officiants who’s goal is to bring modern energy to your wedding day. With customized ceremonies designed to represent your unique relationship they have perfected the modern ceremony. The NK Bride Team got in contact with Mirelle Eid to ask some questions about planning a ceremony in 2020.

Q: How did you decide you were interested in becoming an officiant? 

A: The passion really found me. I’ve always been interested in learning about how people met and fell in love and I’ve always been fascinated by fate -- how two people can end up together despite obstacles like distance and time. I started officiating and helping couples write their vows as a side hustle in 2012. At the time I was working as a teacher in the Bronx.  I absolutely fell in love with the experience--from getting to know couples, to writing and performing their ceremonies. It’s the most joyful moments to get to be a part of, and it’s truly so special to play a role in a couples wedding celebration. 

Q: What is most special about being a part of so many couples' big day? 

A: My favorite part about my experiences as an officiant are the relationships I’ve built with so many special people. I often become great friends with the couples I work with. I’ve been fortunate to develop friendships in Australia, London, Germany, and more. It’s great being able to help couples from all around the world, and to form connections. I also enjoy being able to meet and talk with the couple’s friends and family on the wedding day. It’s great to see everyone in a good mood, and it becomes a great environment for connecting with people. 

Q: How do you develop a relationship with your couples? How important is that relationship to the success of the ceremony? 

A: My relationships with my clients starts from the type of couples our brand attracts. We are transparent on social media that we are inclusive, modern, and fun. That brings some really great people our way. With our modern vibe we attract the ideal audience, making it easier to form connections. We start building relationships from the initial meeting, or interview. It’s important for us that our couples feel heard. We also like to create a unique ceremony for them, -customizing each aspect to the couple, and their story. This requires being authentic, responsive, prioritizing communication, and building trust.

We love when our clients tell us that it feels more like a friend is officiating for them, who also happens to be a professional! 

Q: What does your experience with writing bring to your success as an officiant? 

A: I’ve always loved to write.  For me, it is important to incorporate the couple’s voice into the story and keep the ceremony aligned to their style. I pay close attention to how couples share their story, and the way they respond to our survey questions. When couples share humorous stories with me, then I know we’re looking at a more light hearted ceremony. Other couples share extremely romantic moments with me, while others are more reserved and prefer to not have too many personal details shared. Writing a good ceremony really begins with being able to read our couples and what they want. 

Q: In your opinion, what are the qualities it takes to be a great wedding officiant? 

A: It’s very important that you’re very comfortable with public speaking--being open, joyful, and engaging guests. It goes beyond clearly delivering the message, and also matching the energy of the room and lifting any nerves that the couple might be feeling. It is also important to be a good writer. You can often determine someone’s writing skills through their website copy and social media. Along with good writing skills, it is important that your officiant can share an authentic voice in their writing and speaking. Finally, a good wedding officiant has to be comfortable under pressure. A big part of our job is to make sure the ceremony runs smoothly, and that takes the ability to prepare, anticipate, and adapt.

Q: Inclusivity is important to Honeybreak Officiants, how can we all help to spread love and inclusivity? 

A: Choosing vendors who are visibly inclusive is a great place to start! This means choosing brands that go beyond the words they say, to promote inclusivity. You can often tell this by looking at their social media, and seeing if they really represent all kinds of couples. We think it’s important that actions match advertisements. You can also look for vendors who give back to charities and nonprofits that make a difference. It’s important that couples feel comfortable with us and know that their love is valid and that they matter. Our hope is that one day no one will feel the need to validate their love to anyone. 

Q: What elements make for a modern wedding ceremony? 

A: Everyone has attended the traditional 45 minute long, boring ceremony. We don’t ever want our couples, or our guests wondering “how much longer?”. It’s important to strike the balance between ceremony time, engaging guests, and telling the highlights of the couple’s story. We also feel modern means authentic. It is important that a modern wedding ceremony is relatable. Finding unseen ways to share modern love stories is what we love to do. It can be fun to find unique twists - like adding a coin toss to determine who says their vows first. These small, new ideas are intended to make your day fun, and memorable for guests too. 

Q: Do you have a favorite wedding tradition? Either a widely accepted one, or a family tradition you’ve encountered? 

A: The Arras and Lasso Ceremony is one that I really enjoy. It’s a cultural tradition with Hispanic roots - the coins (or arras) symbolize prosperity and abundance, while the lasso symbolically unites the couple together.  Last September I worked with a couple that incorporated this tradition into their wedding ceremony with a modern twist. Their lasso was handmade by their florist, Indy Faso, of vines and flowers, and it was draped around their shoulders during their vows and ring exchange. It not only was an amazing modern twist on Hispanic tradition, the couple ended up with the most stunning photos. 

Q: What advice would you give newly engaged couples who are looking for an officiant? 

A: Tell me something I wouldn’t know about you! It’s a good ice breaker, and it helps to build a better relationship. Also when choosing an officiant, look at the whole brand. Make sure they share your values, and have experience. If you want a family member to officiate your day, we can help with that as well. We offer family and friend officiant support. This means we can share all the tips and details your chosen family member may not know. This helps to make the day run smoothly. 

Q: What is the full experience of working with Honeybreak Officiants like? 

A: The experience depends on the couple, some choose to have a more hands on experience, while others prefer to have more of a surprise. Either way, we make the process as easy and straightforward as possible. Starting with a call, or an in person meeting we can discuss some questions, and put together your love story, and the vibe for your event. After this, the draft is created, and if the couple wants to see, we exchange drafts through email leading up to the wedding. We also send reminders leading up to the date such as license reminders, and check-ins with the wedding planner. 

Q: What services can you offer for writing vows? How can you assist or inspire couples to express their feelings? 

A: Sometimes it's helpful to provide couples with prompts and ideas. For example I will encourage them to write down what they love most about their partner, or what promises they would like to make. Sometimes couples will choose to decide to make their promises funny, or quirky. Helping couples decide  on expectations for their vows can help them feel more comfortable when writing them on their own. I also offer to revise and edit the vows, and help them make their vows similar in tone and length without ruining the surprise. I also offer a library of pre-written vows for couples that range from traditional to modern. 

Q: Do your services assist couples in obtaining marriage licenses, or understanding the legal needs for a marriage? 

A: Of course! We give our couples tips on the best time to visit the City Clerk to avoid long lines, and other helpful tricks we’ve learned through the years. We also offer to file the license, and take it after the ceremony for couples who may be headed off to their honeymoon after the wedding day, or for those who are only visiting NYC for a short period of time and don’t want to spend another day at the City Clerk’s office. We can also help give instructions to get couples the certificate as  fast as possible. 

Q: How can you bring something special to a couples big day? 

A: Our experience helps us bring uniqueness to every wedding day. The way we have modernized wedding ceremonies is special, and we also prioritize our connections with each couple. Overall the Honeybreak experience is entirely customizable, and I think that is appreciated by all of our clients. 

Q: When should couples reach out about booking a wedding date? 

A: That depends a bit on the season, and the wedding date. In NYC April to November is a Very busy season, and we experience another spike around the holidays. Reaching out early is the best way to ensure our services if you are booking for a popular date. We typically like to start our process 6-9 months in advance. Our team of 8 officiants does our best to accommodate your wedding date. 

Virtual weddings are being offered by us, and different packages are available for Zoom weddings. We are focused on making this new response to marriage fun, and as seamless as possible. We are now booking virtual dates through September. For more information check out our website, and follow us on Instagram! 

Cover Photo credits: Honeybreak Officiants