Today we’d like to introduce you to Alan Katz.
Hi Alan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
More than two decades ago, I stood in front of a couple and realized something magical: weddings aren’t just about rings and paperwork. They’re about storytelling, about turning one of life’s biggest moments into something unforgettable. That spark grew into a calling, and that calling became Great Officiants, now one of the largest and most beloved officiant companies in Southern California.
It wasn’t an overnight success. I built it one ceremony, one laugh, and one tearful “yes” at a time. Over the years, I’ve officiated thousands of weddings, launched unique services like marriage license issuance, beach wedding setups, and even cruise-ship ceremonies, and grew a team of dozens of officiants known for their personality and heart. And I have over 4,000 five-star reviews to prove it.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, love found me too. I met my wife at a wedding I officiated, I proposed during the live finale of the the TV Show Survivor. I celebrated our ceremony twice. Our marriage was as wild and wonderful as the couples I serve. 1st in Central Park on a snowy day and the 2nd was at a Porsche racetrack and after the ideas, we are driven around the track at 200 miles an hour. Talk about an adrenaline rush.
Today, I get to do what I love most: help couples tell their stories with authenticity, humor, and heart, while mentoring a new generation of officiants to do the same. What started as one ceremony has grown into a lifelong mission to make “happily ever after” unforgettable. And the best part is, 22 years later I’m just getting started.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. Building something meaningful rarely is. When I started, I was basically a one-man show, juggling everything from marketing and officiating to answering phone calls and ironing my own suit minutes before a ceremony. There were seasons when the phone barely rang, and moments when I questioned whether I could turn this passion into a sustainable business.
The wedding industry itself can be unpredictable too. Trends change overnight, clients sometimes have sky-high expectations, and there’s no “pause button” when you’re dealing with someone’s once-in-a-lifetime moment. Add in the challenges of running a growing team, training new officiants to meet my standards, and navigating everything from city permits to shifting marriage license laws, and there were definitely times it felt like a rollercoaster ride.
Then there were the external curveballs. The 2008 recession hit weddings hard, and then the pandemic turned the entire industry upside down. Overnight, I went from dozens of ceremonies a week to cancelled weddings and trying to help other couples reimagined their dream day or pivot to backyard weddings. It was chaotic and exhausting, but it also forced me to innovate, adapt, and come out stronger.
Through all of it, I learned that the bumps in the road are part of the journey. They taught me resilience, creativity, and the importance of leading with empathy. Every challenge helped shape Great Officiants into what it is today and reminded me that the most rewarding “I do’s” are often born from the toughest “what now?” moments.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create moments that people will remember for the rest of their lives. At the heart of it, my work is about storytelling. I help couples turn their love stories into unforgettable ceremonies that feel personal, meaningful, and full of heart. As the founder of Great Officiants, one of the largest and most trusted officiant companies in Southern California, I’ve built a team that specializes in ceremonies of every style you can imagine. From beach elopements and luxury resort weddings to themed celebrations with cosplay, pop culture references, or cultural traditions woven in, we make every ceremony feel like “you.”
I’m known for creating ceremonies that are not just heartfelt but also fun, engaging, and full of personality. My background in entertainment and performance taught me how to read a crowd, capture attention, and make people laugh and cry within the same five minutes. Couples often tell me that I made them feel completely at ease and that their ceremony was the highlight of their entire day.
What I’m most proud of is how far we’ve come. I’ve officiated thousands of ceremonies and helped countless couples get married, but it’s more than just numbers. We’ve grown into a full-service operation that issues marriage licenses, sets up beach weddings, designs custom unity ceremonies, and even performs ceremonies on cruise ships. My work has been featured on major shows like The Kelly Clarkson Show, Say Yes to the Dress, and 90 Day Fiancé,and I pranked my wife with a fake wedding on Prank Panel with Johnny Knoxville. I’ve earned the title “King of Reviews” with over 4,000 five-star reviews.
What sets me apart is the way I blend professionalism with personality. Anyone can recite vows, but I dig deeper. I learn each couple’s story, their quirks, their inside jokes, and their dreams, then craft a ceremony that feels like it was written just for them. I bring energy, humor, and authenticity to every wedding, and I never forget that my job is to make one of life’s biggest moments feel magical. That’s the real joy of what I do, and it’s what keeps me excited to say “I now pronounce you…” again and again.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories happened when I was 16 and had my very first taste of show business. I went on The Gong Show with Chuck Barris and made my television debut doing a completely ridiculous act. It was so silly that I got gonged, but instead of feeling embarrassed, I was thrilled. I was awarded the coveted “Worst Act of the Week” title, and I wore that badge of honor with absolute pride.
The best part was that they loved how ridiculous it was, so they kept inviting me back to reprise my act. Each time I returned, I felt the rush of being on stage, performing for a live audience, and leaning into the joy of making people laugh. That experience taught me early on that it is not about being perfect. It is about showing up authentically, having fun, and not being afraid to make a fool of yourself if it means entertaining others. That lesson has stayed with me ever since and still influences how I approach my work today.
Pricing:
- Traditional Wedding on Location $499
- Wedding at our wedding chapel $275
- Elopement on the Beach $450
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.greatofficiants.com
- Instagram: @greatofficiants
- Facebook: @greatofficiants
- Twitter: @greatofficiants
- Youtube: @greatofficiants
- Yelp: @greatofficiants
- Other: TikTok @greatofficiants
