“Meet the Members” features the amazing wedding professionals that will be showcasing their craft at the November 14 event! Reverend Derek Kiewatt will be officiating for the “Not So Real Wedding” – get your tickets while they are still available for the November 14 Independent Wedding Fair!
How does your style differentiate you? What sets you apart? Couples find me relaxed and calming. I can adapt and improvise easily. I’m always happy to meet with couples in person. My sense of humor adds to the overall positive experience. A graduate degree in ministry from Harvard helps, too.
Why weddings? It’s a privilege to play such an important role in weddings. The connection with a couple and their families is awesome. To be able to lead a ceremony full of joy and excitement on one of the most memorable days in people’s lives is amazing. I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate love and commitment in a way that touches both the couple and their guests.
What should people know about what you do? Couples have said I’ve found the perfect balance of warmth, relevance, humor, and professionalism. The weddings I help create reflect the beauty and romance of the occasion, while being light-hearted, down-to-earth, and meaningful. My approach is inclusive, more spiritual than religious, sophisticated, and yet very real.
What is your favorite part of a wedding? When I speak directly to the bride and groom with reminders about what makes marriage successful. The remarks are unscripted and a surprise for the couple, something they haven’t heard before and meant just for them, that often makes them laugh and even tear up. There’s something so special about that brief moment, when everyone is drawn in, but it feels like there’s no one else in the world besides the three of us.
What do you wish you had known when you started working with weddings? How much detail and effort go into making them happen and the amount of stress experienced by the bride and groom in the process.
Are your clients mostly from Minnesota? Although most of my couples get married in Minnesota, I also officiate at ceremonies in L.A., San Diego, and other places in California. I’m looking forward to being licensed in Wisconsin next.
What are brides and grooms going to see from you at the November event? How I conduct a ceremony that’s both thoughtful and fun. They’ll see my level of comfort and performance, with a dose of humor thrown in. I really enjoy officiating… and it seems to show.
What’s the best wedding planning advice you give to brides and grooms? I always tell couples they should feel absolutely comfortable with the officiant who’ll preside on their big day. As for the wedding day itself, “Keep breathing and don’t lock your knees during the ceremony.”
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