SoCal Vows was amazing. From day one, Penjo helped me through every step of the way. They were very organized and communicative on the day of the event and everything went smoothly. The wedding was beautiful and we had so many compliments. Ken did an amazing job and the team really felt like family. We are so thankful for you guys! read more

Ken was a very excellent officiant. His communication leading up to the ceremony was fantastic. He was able to help clear up all the confusion I had regarding getting a marriage license and what to do leading up to the big day. He was punctual and gave our family and friends a good laugh. Thank you for everything! Ryan and Cristina read more

I highly recommend Ken and his team for officiating and photographing our intimate Sunset Cliffs wedding ceremony!!! Our officiant, Lauren, was amazing and so kind and compassionate. Her script for the ceremony set exactly the right tone that we wanted. The photographer, Penjo, was also great and took a lot of fabulous pictiures! After I got the photos, I asked for and recieved additional touched up photos and the converted jpeg files that I asked for, at no extra charge. Ken, Lauren and Penjo were all very professional and great to work with, thank you Team Socal!! read more

Ken was absolutely wonderful to work with! We got married on 4-28-18 and have nothing but amazing things to say about Ken! I was a little nervous at first to hire an officiant as I was afraid of the ceremony not seeming genuine because we had never met before. Ken asked us questions about us as a couple, our favorite things about each other and also helped us draft vows and unity ceremony. He constantly checked in with us throughout our engagement and was also extremely quick to reply back to any questions or concerns. When I arrived at the altar, I felt like I knew Ken my whole life. The ceremony was incredible with emotional moments and funny remarks mixed in. I highly recommend Ken to anyone looking for an incredibly reliable and affordable officiant. Thank you, Ken! read more

Socal Vows does it all! They create a stress and problem free wedding planning experience. We had 30 guests total in the 4th of July on Windansea beach La Jolla. Step by step leading up to the date they offered support, ideas, advice and suggestions to ensure our day was perfect! They have the ability to adapt to the weather and nature's changes as well which is part of a beach wedding. I would highly recommend this company and feel blessed that our paths connect so I had a perfect day. I even got feedback from friends and family on what a great job Ken, the officiant did. It was more then expected. Thank you so much Ken and Penjo! read more

I wish I could give a good rating but I can't. From start to finish communication was difficult. Penjo did not listen to what we envisioned for the ceremony. Apparently they have a cookie cutter version of the ceremony and, when I indicated that was not what we wanted, Penjo was more concerned about her fee (which I assured her we were willing to pay regardless) than giving us the ceremony envisioned by the bride and groom. Additionally, we paid extra for a white tulip bridal bouquet which turned out to be an awkwardly large, heavy mass of maybe some type of tulip which was put together with elastic bands and a glue gunned white ribbon. Definitely not prepared by a professional florist. The DJ was her under aged looking daughter. Ken shows up with a hole in the breast of his shirt and scuffed shoes and Penjo is nowhere to be found to assist with coordination. Definitely not worth the $4k. The only professional there was the photographer. I don't know, we did read their reviews but they either had an extremely off day or those are fictitious reviews. read more

Ken was great! Not only was he perfect during the ceremony, but before and after the wedding as well. Prior to the big day, he was available for questions we had and made suggestions to make the day perfect. After the wedding, he continued assisting us by helping us get our paperwork in order. We couldn't have asked for more! read more

Mark Murphy was an amazing officiant. He was on top of everything from day one and we appreciated the good communication. Even though we didn't meet him before our wedding, he made sure to make the ceremony personable and made us feel like he put time into personalizing our ceremony. We asked that he kept it short and sweet and he did just that. All of our guests even commented on how perfect the timing of everything was. He was quick to take care of the paperwork as well. We are very happy with all the services he provided us. Thank you Mark! read more

Ken was great! He would send periodic messages to ensure that my wife and I were staying on top of things. We had the "Intimate Ceremony" which was perfect for our small wedding. Ken was attentive and informative. We are happy that we chose SoCal Vows. It met and exceeded our expectations. read more

We highly recommend SoCal Weddings. They took care of every detail plus some. They were responsive communicators who helped keep us on track. Our wedding was beautiful, as were our pictures and flowers. You cannot go wrong with Ken and company! read more

My husband and I wanted a small, intimate service for our nuptials so we called SoCal Vows to get a quote, and were highly satisfied with their services. From flexibility in planning, to COVID precautions, to wedding prep with vows, etc, they really made it easy for us to simply relax and enjoy our day. Our officiant, Ken, was awesome! He really took the notes we sent and filtered into the ceremony seamlessly. read more

So the dust has settled, and life is getting to a normal rhythm again. Ken married us at the end of August. Communication leading up to our big day was consistent, supportive and timely. Ken set a tone of peace, gentle humor, ease and comfort. He was able to tell our story, incorporated some traditional passages in a story telling manner, and seamlessly incorporated our own personalized details. This is definitely one of my most beloved days and I am grateful Ken was a part of it. read more

Socal vows (Ken specifically) was the officiant for my wedding. He was extremely easy to work with and maintained constant communication through the wedding planning. He touched base to get more information about my wife and I, and to provide a timeline for picking up the marriage license, the day of the wedding he showed up early and walked us through the ceremony. The ceremony was very fluid and he was able to develop a connecting with both the audience and my wife and I. Overall working with Ken was great and I would recommend him to anyone looking for a wedding officiant. read more

Ken was a great officiant for our wedding. My husband is Catholic and I am a Non-Demoninational Christian. Ken helped us add scripture into our wedding and tell a little bit of our story. He also gave us options to choose from for our wedding vows and exchanging of rings that we felt fit us best. He was easy to get ahold of and was great with follow up. I would recommend him to any of our family and friends. Thank you Ken for helping make our day very memorable! read more

I first started working with Ken and SoCal Vows sometime in June when I was planning a small beach wedding in October. We were all flying in from Washington State so planning was a bit difficult for me. From the very beginning Ken and Penjo were very communicative and answered all of my questions and I had A LOT of questions. Anytime I had a concern they were very quick to respond, helped me resolve my concerns and made me feel comfortable with the process. However in August, due to Covid-19, I had to cancel all of the plans that I made with them. Even then, they were very understanding and helpful. In late September, after deciding to just have an elopement ceremony, they were quick to fit me into the original date I had set and even provided me information on how to get a marriage license on such a short notice. On my elopement day, I finally met Ken in person. He was kind, funny and helped us feel comfortable as we are not a couple who likes to be center of attention. I couldn't be happier with the service Ken and SoCal Vows provided us. The photographer, Savvy, was very sweet and is working with me to put the final touches on my elopement pictures. My only regret is that I was not ever able to meet Penjo in person. I highly recommend Ken and SoCal Vows. Not only do they provide quality services, but they make the process so much easier, especially for those of us whose planning skills are not our strong suit. Thank you Ken, Penjo and Savvy! read more

What can I say Ken, Thank You! Our ceremony was so special, personal and intimate. Ken took our ideas and he respected our wishes and our ceremony ended up being just perfect. If you're looking for an officiant in San Diego definitely book Ken, he makes the process so easy and stress free and above all memorable. read more

We wanted a simple and beautiful elopement. We found SoCal Vows and they offered exactly what we wanted -- an affordable straightforward process with good communication and beautiful photos! We found everyone easy to work with and communicative. We were pleasantly surprised to have a second shooter as well so that we could get more angles on certain moments. Thanks Penjo for the great pics! Definitely recommend SoCal vows if you want to be married without having to do all the planning! All we had to do was get the license and show up! Easy and reasonably priced service. read more

Ken was awesome! It's amazing what he did with just a couple of emails back and forth. He was able to take all of our words and ideas and transformed them into delivery that was full of wit and humor. He answered any and all questions we had with such ease and compassion. Both my husband and I, along with all of our guests, found his delivery far better than just exceptional. We had no idea what to expect but he made the process so easy and comfortable. Thank you Ken! You did an amazing job. Jose and Monica Carranza read more

Mark was AWESOME! so kind and unbelievably amazing! Even with all to heck happening in the world he made our little beach ceremony the best thing ever. short and quick but unforgettable and i couldnt thank him enough for playing such a special part of our day! i couldnt recommend this company enough efficient in responses, kind and ultimately great! (-: thank you for everything xx the hollands (-: read more

We had the pleasure of having officiant Ken for our special day and I am delighted to say he was beyond amazing. He was very attentive and detailed throughout our journey. He was also kind enough to turn in our marriage license papers after the ceremony! I definitely recommend SoCal Vows for your special day (especially Ken). He incorporated our story and small details that were meaningful to us during the ceremony. Thank you so much Ken!!! read more

Ken Hoelscher was our officiant. He was great and would be awesome at anyone's wedding. Ken is highly recommended. He did an awesome job at our wedding and we had a great time. He sent us a lot of information to help us get ready for the wedding and emailed us some great resources. He even followed up after the wedding. If you would like a great officiant at your wedding or event he is the guy for you. Thanks Socal Vows and Ken for helping make our day great! read more

Pastor Ken was AMAZING!!! Prior to our wedding he sent the most helpful emails/reminders and quickly responded to any inquires I had. On wedding day, he was this calming force for both myself and my husband. Our ceremony was short, but Ken made it so heartfelt, memorable, and personalized. In fact, our guests thought that we knew Ken for years based on how personalized our ceremony was! Throughout the night, we received so many compliments about Pastor Ken from our guests. If you need an officiant for your wedding, please hire this man right here! read more

We eloped and Ken did an amazing job. He's great at improvising and you can tell he's been at this for a long time. The price was awesome and everything went so smoothly. It was almost alarmingly easy for how personal it felt. read more

We couldn't have been more pleased with Ken and the vow renewal ceremony he performed for us! He did a terrific job. We live in NY but we held the ceremony in Newport Beach. Ken worked with us via email to make sure that the ceremony would be tailored specifically to us. He did a fantastic job of getting to know us. And when we finally met him, it seemed like we had known him for years. Ken made it a very special day for us. read more

Ken did an amazing job with my wedding. Kens style is exactly what I was looking for serous but not stuff/ light but not a joke. Since the day i booked with him he sent over updates and mini "to do" lists to keep us on track. He got to know our story and us over the phone. Ken was quick to reply and available when we had questions. At the wedding he arrived professional and blew us away with his preparation. He used no paper and engaged the audience. The ceremony had the right amount of laughter, tears and left us feeling excited about our commitment. Couldn't have been happier! read more

Ken was the absolute best, not only on the wedding day but during the entire wedding planning process. He kept in contact with me and checked in often to confirm if we had any questions, wanted to talk, and provided helpful tips and examples of ceremonies to address questions we hadn't even thought of. He was extremely open to our ideas and supported us throughout the entire way with such a positive and upbeat personality. Right before my wedding ceremony was about to begin he came to the bridal suite and answered any last questions and really just wanted to check in on me. Naturally, I was extremely nervous however, he talked with me and managed to calm me down without even realizing he was doing so. I received so many compliments on the ceremony praising how great he was in regards to what he said, he personalized the ceremony and it was beautiful. He made the process so easy and took care of everything for us as we were unsure what to do with the marriage license. I highly recommend him if you're looking for a seamless ceremony! read more

Socal Vows - Officiants Near Me

Ken was an incredible officiant! He was very communicative and knowledgable throughout the entire process. It was a completely stress-free experience! Despite never having met Ken in person until I saw him at the altar, he personalized our service and made it unique to us. My husband and I felt like he had known us forever. He even put his own spin on our unity ceremony, which we loved! He also recommended the perfect spot and timing for our beach wedding. It was clear that Ken is experienced, professional, and passionate about what he does. I highly recommend SoCal vows! read more

We lucked out with Ken!!! He did an amazing job! He was exactly what we wanted from an officiant! He was very professional and personable. The ceremony was a perfect balance of meaningful, romantic and funny. Thanks Ken!!! read more

Ken Hoelscher of SoCal Vows is sincere, delightful, and incredibly supportive. Our elopement to Paris was canceled because of COVID. We still wanted to get married on the special day we had chosen. I had called several officiants and left messages. Then I called SoCal Vows and Ken answered. He talked to me at length, suggested a beautiful location, and was able to provide a photographer. He researched times to take advantage of sunset and called me back after he checked when high tide would be so that we could make the needed timing adjustment for our beach wedding. On our special day, he arrived early and told me not to rush. He performed a lovely and very personalized ceremony. The photographer was delightful and the pictures turned out fabulous. Ken will forever be part of our special day and we are so very grateful for that. read more

Ken was amazing from start to finish. He always stayed in contact with us and made sure that we were on track throughout the planning process. We loved the ceremony message and wouldn't have changed a thing about it! Ken was amazing and captivated our attention, as well as our guests. Thanks for everything, Ken!!! read more

We used Socal Vows through our package with Wedgewood San Clemente. Ken was great to work with and incredibly helpful with keeping us on track for everything leading up to our ceremony. He responded to e-mails very quickly and made sure that we gathered all necessary items in a timely fashion. He provided many options for a "schedule" for our ceremony and provided many details about different variations (sand ceremony, writing our own vows, humor, etc.). On the day of our wedding, the ceremony was above and beyond what we were expecting as we really felt that all nerves were put to the side. We heard from multiple guests how great the ceremony was and we couldn't agree more. We would definitely recommend Ken for anyone's ceremony needs! read more

Ken was so amazing to work with! He was a true professional start to finish. Not only was he timely and organized, but it was also obvious how much time and thought he puts into asking the right questions. We didn't meet him until the ceremony before we were coming from out of town, which made me nervous. But shortly after arriving and meeting Ken, my worries were put to rest. He truly made planning an elopement in San Diego all the way from MN easy. He is very reasonably priced as well. Hire Ken!! read more

Ken was just wonderful. Do not hesitate to book him for your wedding. I was planning a destination wedding in California from the east coast and all I could go on in selecting an officiant is reviews and online videos of previous weddings. Some of Ken's videos made me tear up which says a lot considering they are videos of people I have never met before. Ken was easy going and super helpful duirng the entire process. He held my hand and provided great guidance during the marriage license process and was a great resource for me. For the wedding day, Ken compiled a beautiful speech and conducted a wonderful ceremony. Ken pays very close attention to you as a couple and even though he does not know you as well as some of your closest friends - Ken does pay attention to key components of your character and he incorporates these things into a wonderful service to celebrate your marriage. We were having a nondenominational service and Ken provided a lot of great ideas of different types of ceremonies that we could do (sand ceremony, wine ceremony, lighting a unity candle etc.). He was just great and I am disappointed that our wedding is over and we cannot spend anymore time with Ken! read more

Ken made our wedding feel so personalized and so special. He took the time to get to know us as a couple including our style together, our interactions with each other, and our vision for the wedding ceremony. He delivered. I was VERY particular about the flow and the style of the ceremony and it was everything I imagined and more. We also wanted to add a Chinese Tea Ceremony. He did a fantastic job of highlighting the point of the ceremony and really capturing the theme that we were "Better Together." I am so thankful for Ken for making this experience so seamless. read more

Mark from SoCal vows did an amazing job! The ceremony went seamless and he was able to make it fun and enjoyable for everyone. We had several guests comment on how well Mark officiated our wedding. It seemed like we had known him for years! Highly recommended!!! read more

Ken created such a beautiful ceremony for us. It was romantic, personal, and he customized it to us in a way that had it feel unique. We did a handfasting and he incorporated it no problem. He checked in with us several times leading up to make sure we didn't forget anything. He even sent emails to help us write our vows. He did a fantastic job, I would highly recommend him if you're looking for an officiant. read more

Ken was our officiant and he was a pleasure to work with. He was responsive to email and texts. Timely email reminders to tell us what we needed to do when so that our ceremony would run smoothly were automatically sent out. Ken was knowledgable and prepared. He made a few jokes, which weren't expected (this is why the 5th star wasn't given), during the ceremony to lighten the mood. I enjoyed our meetings and really felt i didn't have anything to worry about in regards to the ceremony, which is a great feeling. I would definitely recommend SoCal vows to anyone I know getting married. read more

Ken was absolutely amazing and we are so happy he was available to be the officiant at our wedding. He was so diligent on keeping us on track to make sure we had the wedding of our dreams. He always checked in with us and genuinely wanted to see how things were going in the wedding planning process. He shared some valuable advice with us and helped us tailor our ceremony to make it personal and traditional. My husband truly enjoyed his sense of humor the day of the wedding and we both valued his presence. Even through a minor setback in time we truly appreciated his calmness read more

Mark Murphy of SoCal Vows did an amazing job! He took the time to ask personal questions in order to get to know us and wrote the most beautiful vows. He was very receptive to the ideas we had envisioned for our ceremony. Lastly, he was quick to respond when we had questions during the preparations. I would highly recommend Mark from SoCal Vows. read more

I agree with the review below. HIRE KEN. Excellent job. Really took the time to get to know us and portray our message. My husband and i were very impressed and incredibly happy with Ken. He couldn't have done a more perfect job. Also, he really took the time to walk us through the marriage license process and mailed it in once done! Would whole heartedly recommend him to anyone getting married. read more