ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would never have set foot in front of a single wedding guest were it not for what I’ve learned from the following influencers:

My wife King Fung-Shelley has advised me on life choices for years, convincing me that I can achieve anything I put her mind to. Taj Greenlee not only introduced me to King, but he was also the one who told me I should write a book about my wedding experiences. (Mazel Taj!) Taj introduced me to Sara Kitchen, whose enthusiasm and advocacy got the idea for this book in front of the right people. Ann Treistman at The Countryman Press was the right person; she shared Sara’s enthusiasm and wisely put me in the capable hands of my editor, Aurora Bell, who expertly guided this book to fruition. My agent, Lauren Abramo, has been a calm and wise influence for years, saving my writing career from myself.

At the Celebrant Foundation & Institute: Charlotte Eulette is my charismatic leader; my first celebrant teacher was Melissa Menendez and my weddings instructor was Cindy Reed. Julie Laudicina was my wedding mentor and the first to teach me about great questionnaires.

Jennifer Wright and Daniel Kibblesmith worked with me to create one of the best weddings of all time (theirs) and inspired me with their own brilliant and varied writing. Jen Spyra tutored me in the art of solid comedy-writing habits, as did Jordan Carlos and Rory Albanese. Anthony and Rebecca Russo gave me inexpressibly valuable confidence in my early days of officiating weddings. Ryan and Tatiana Brenizer hired me to marry them three times: when they eloped, when they had a big wedding, and when they threw an even bigger dance-party/musical wedding for hundreds of guests, a unique event that could be straight out of this book.

I’ve worked with far too many wedding planners to thank them all, but Sara Landon, Jessica Jordan, Cathy Ballone, Daniela Grafman, Amy Shey Jacobs, Donna Anello, Jeannie Uyanik, Rebecca Carrion, and Karen Brown really ought to get a shout-out here.

Fellow officiants Peter Boruchowitz and Annie Lawrence keep me sane, as do fellow celebrants Danielle Giannone, Larissa Martell, and Bettina Yiannakorou.

Rachael Ray was very generous to have me on her show.

Joan and Melissa Rivers were lovely to have me on their show.

Shayne Figueroa keeps me writing via Write Club (first rule of Write Club: no dinner ‘til you write 1,000 words.)

Melissa Hammerle counseled me as I applied for one of the handful of spots in NYU’s MFA in Fiction program. NYU also gifted me the wisdom of Brian Morton, E.L. Doctorow, and Shay Youngblood, as well as the collaborative talents of Mia Boos and Ben Rhodes.

I would not have any idea what I was doing when I perform weddings if it were not for my theater instructors. At Boston University: Jon Lipsky taught me how to make the invisible visible; Judith Chaffee taught me good posture and expression through physicality; Claudia Hill taught me accents; Bob Chapline and Rick Winter gave me vocal exercises I use to this day. From my regional theater days: my Suzuki Method instructors, Eric Hill, Will Bond, and Kate Mauer, took my shaky theatrical skills and gave them strength through stillness. Going back to the beginning, Patricia Keenan at Springfield Central High School unleashed me onto the stage, not that she had any choice.

My family members created me: my mother with limitless encouragement, good cheer, and access to the Boston Public Library; my father with a forehead-slapping way with words; my stepmother with age-defying energy; my brother with the ability to be cooler than I can ever aspire; my aunt with the quirkiest imagination.

I should also mention all of my in-laws, because part of being an in-law is being nice to your in-laws.