Meet Rebecca Wiglama | Wedding Officiant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebecca Wiglama and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve always been a creative, for as long as I can remember. I come from a family of engineers, so I’m not really sure where the artistic side came from, but from a young age I was always drawing, putting on performances with my sisters, writing stories, or planning elaborate art projects. While supporting my husband through his career training and staying home with four young kids, I always found outlets for my creativity despite being short on time and money. I painted our entire home, learned to decorate cakes, and started building furniture, among other things. When I began officiating weddings, it wasn’t really a plan that I pursued so much as a gift that fell into my lap! My best friend asked me to officiate her wedding for her and her fiance, and creating and performing their ceremony incorporated so many of the things that I love and am good at– it was totally unexpected! I started advertising my services online, just to see what happened, and before I knew it I was booking weddings nearly every weekend. I love using my writing skills to create unique ceremonies for every one of my couples, but I also love connecting with people and using those gifts in really meaningful ways, in community.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
There’s a lot of tradition when it comes to wedding ceremonies, but as I frequently remind my clients, there are very few actual rules. A lot of couples (and especially brides) are worried about being “given away” like property, or being asked to vow to obey their husbands in the ceremony, and I love reassuring them that we can chuck all of that out the window. Legally, I have to make sure that my couple really wants to marry each other and we have to fill out the paperwork. That’s it. Which means that we have tons of room to get creative! My favorite way to do that is including the couple’s love story in the ceremony, and that’s what really sets us apart– not just the fact of the telling, but the skill with which we tell it. I have a lot of experience in writing and editing, so I think we do a really great job of telling love stories in a way that is engaging for everyone!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I really love Raleigh, it is my chosen home! Downtown Raleigh has so many great restaurants, parks, museums, and events, we would definitely spend some time wandering around downtown. The beach is my happy place, so we would also hit up the beach and soak in some sun, sand, and waves for a couple of days. I always love treating friends from other parts of the country to some of the amazing southern food we have here, and then we’d probably work some of that delicious, fried food off by exploring some of the area’s bigger parks, like Umstead.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Definitely my husband! He has a demanding job, but he never wavers in his support of my pursuit of my own dreams. We have four kids, and I’m often gone at weddings on weekends, but he knows how important my business is to me and doesn’t complain. Officiating weddings doesn’t pay a whole lot so this is really more of a calling or a passion project than a money-making endeavor. Our 15th wedding anniversary is coming up later this month, and I know he’s with me, side by side in everything as he has always been, and I love him for it.

Website: OakCityCeremonies.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oakcityceremonies/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-wiglama-22548720b/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaWiglamaWeddingOfficiant

Image Credits
Tammy Caselegno Photography Lex & Trev Veritas Digital Photography Tricia Michael Photo Richard Barlow Photography Joe Payne Photography Timeless Carolinas Radian Photography