Rick Grove

My partner and I were a bit apprehensive about hiring someone that we didn't know to play such an intimate role in our wedding. However, after one phone call with Rick Grove, we knew we had lucked out and found the exact right guy! He was warm, funny, reassuring, and immediately gave us both the shared feeling that this was exactly who we wanted to hear from during our most special time. Rick patiently listened to us as individuals, as a couple, and as his clients, and did all he can to accommodate our wishes and personalize our ceremony. He had many beautiful readings and ceremony parts for us to choose from and customize, and provided his own (unjudgmental) guidance to help us choose the perfect ceremony flow. In his individual interviews with us, he asked some open-ended questions and allowed us to truly share what is special about our partner and our relationship, which he tastefully incorporated into his script. Many people told us that the ceremony was beautiful and just the perfect length--we couldn't agree more. Rick Grove feels more like a long-time family friend than a hired officiant, and that just speaks to his absolute perfect fit for this role. He loves what he does, and we loved having him be an integral part of our ceremony. Rick's fees were already quite modest, and were worth every at that. We will be forever grateful for the seamless process and beautiful ceremony that Rick gave to us. You absolutely CANNOT be disappointed here, and we vow to that.

Meeting Rick at the JFGM Dream of NIWA event felt purely serendipitous. From our very first conversation, we knew we were in the best hands. He gave us a phenomenal starting script that perfectly captured our vibe, and every single check-in with him left us feeling completely reassured and stress-free. As a bonus, we recently got into bird watching and discovered Rick knows his stuff when it comes to ornithology, getting to nerd out about birds with our officiant was an absolute highlight of the planning process!

The ceremony itself was nothing short of beautiful. Rick handled everything like a seasoned pro. He gracefully kicked things off by reminding everyone to stay present for our unplugged ceremony (even if my sister didn't quite get the memo with her camera, sorry about that 🫠). If you want an officiant who is professional, deeply reassuring, and just an all-around incredible human being, hire Rick immediately. We cannot thank him enough!

It can be a little intimidating hiring someone for such a special role in your wedding, but from our first meeting we know Rick had the job handled. Rick has a great process for getting to the wedding day, and proactively reaches out at all the right times leading up to the big day without being overwhelming. But maybe even more importantly, Rick lended the ceremony the perfect balance of personalized, comfortable and with the gravity it deserved. Rick really felt like part of our friends and family supporting us on our big day! Also bonus Rick is legend in the San Diego birding community.

Rick was a fantastic choice as an officiant for our wedding. The preparation process was smooth and he made himself available for anything we needed leading up to the day. We were most impressed with his preparedness - not only did he have a template ready to go for any occasion, but he also had backup officiants ready to go in case of emergency the day of. We really appreciated that he took the time to get to know us and he had some really nice words to say of his own during the ceremony. I'd recommend Rick to anyone looking to hire an officiant.

From the start, we knew we wanted an officiant we didn’t already know, but Rick completely exceeded expectations by making our ceremony feel deeply personal anyway. He took the time to truly understand us, meeting with each of us individually, customizing the ceremony, and learning our story in a way that felt thoughtful and intentional. He captured us so perfectly, it felt like an extension of our own private vows.

Rick’s presence is calm, warm, and confident, which made the entire ceremony feel natural and genuine, which was nice because we were incredibly anxious to be in front of that many people. Beyond the ceremony, he was incredibly patient and professional staying afterward while we did our photos and waiting while we handled the marriage license, and making sure it was filed promptly.

If you’re looking for an officiant who truly cares and knows how to make a ceremony feel personal, we highly recommend him!

Rick was very easy to work with. He was responsive, professional and easy going. Rick provided many options for us to choose from regarding readings, prayers and details of the ceremony. We couldn’t have been happier with his service. Thank you Rick!

Rick took the time to get to know us and our relationship and customized our ceremony to meet our needs for this special day.

My husband and I were planning an elopement to San Diego and hired Rick for our officiant. He was amazing from the start to the end. Very professional, personable, and performed a beautiful ceremony on the beach. The day could not have gone any better. Thank you for a making our day perfect Rick!!!

Not only did we love his choice of words, but the thoughtfulness in how he ordained and delivered words of wisdom touched everyone. We received so many compliments about the ceremony, and we genuinely loved every moment of it. Thank you so much, Rick it was truly a pleasure and an honor to have you wed us!

Rick Grove officiated our wedding on September 20, 2025 at Loews Coronado Beach Resort, and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. From the start he asked guests to be present and put away their phones, which set a relaxed, sincere tone.

He wove a few personal touches into the ceremony—how we met at a house party in 2021, the long‑distance calls, and the proposal in front of our favorite painting. Those details made the service feel truly ours without being over‑the‑top.

During the ceremony Rick used two images that stuck with us. He compared our relationship to a garden, reminding us to “water regularly” and pull weeds early—a simple metaphor that felt both practical and uplifting. He also quoted Leonardo da Vinci’s idea of an arch: two weak points leaning against each other become strong. That analogy captured how we support each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

The short readings (“Wedding Prayer” and a passage from The Art of Marriage) fit nicely, and Rick guided us smoothly through the announcements, processional, vows, ring exchange, and the final blessing. His calm, friendly manner kept us relaxed while we said our vows, and his closing words left us feeling hopeful about the future.

We also received many compliments from our guests on how great Rick was—everyone remarked on his warmth, professionalism, and the personal touches that made the ceremony feel special.

Overall, Rick was professional, warm, and easy to work with. We’d gladly recommend him to any couple looking for an officiant who balances personal touches with a down‑to‑earth style.