REV. GARRETT A. FOSTER
Celebrant • Writer • Enneagram Guide
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As a Life-Cycle Celebrant I am trained to help people of all faiths and backgrounds honor life's significant events including weddings, baby blessings, memorials, home blessings and more. Any milestone, however, deserves to be acknowledged and celebrated.
One of the most beautiful ceremonies I ever witnessed was for someone bringing meaning to the end of her life as a married woman and being reborn as a single person in the world. There can be ceremonies for pride events, the death of beloved pets, a cancer-free marker and more.
Services
What I Will Do For You (Fees Start at $550):
• Meet with you in person or online at no cost to discuss what you envision for your ceremony
• Interview you to learn your unique story in order to give your ceremony personality
• Make suggestions for rituals, readings and more based on my knowledge, resources and experience
• Collaborate with you until your ceremony is just the way you want it
• Rehearse the ceremony at your venue and coordinate with other vendors
• Help to create a day you and your guests will remember forever
• Offer Spiritual Deepening sessions to help you on life's journey
My Ideal Clients Are ...
• Young couples just starting out in life
• More mature couples renewing their vows or marrying for a second time
• Divorced or LGBTQIAP couples who cannot find a priest or rabbi to marry them
• People who want to be married outdoors
• Practitioners of a certain faith — or no faith at all — who want a spiritual ceremony that is less traditional
• Couples who want to collaborate to create the best possible ceremony
•Those who understand and respect the value in what I have to offer
About
Garrett A. Foster is an Emmy Award–winning storyteller, writer, editor and Celebrant/officiant. A graduate of the Celebrant Foundation & Institute, he knows how to listen to your stories and transform them into one-of-a-kind ceremonies that will make you laugh, cry and never forget the most special time in your life.
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When I turned 52, I received a calling to become an interfaith minister. As a three-time cancer survivor, I wanted to make an even bigger difference in the world — only I wasn't certain how.
Early in my application process, I was told I would make a great Celebrant. I had never heard the word, but it began a journey that changed my life.
After learning that being a Celebrant could combine my love for writing with my passion for people and their stories — and my desire to serve others during the most important times of their lives — I enrolled in One Spirit Interfaith Seminary and also the Celebrant Foundation & Institute.
I've done some really incredible things in my life: I won an Emmy for writing for the CBS daytime drama Guiding Light; I was editor-in-chief of Soap Opera Magazine; I worked at two major South Florida newspapers; and I owned two small businesses — an ice cream and tropical gift shop, and a paint-your-own-pottery studio.
Nothing, however, beats what I am honored and privileged to be able to do today.
That's my story.
Now let me help you tell YOURS!
Testimonials
Kevin & Devin Colleran
"Having been to a fair number of weddings, what often stuck out to me was how unnatural and forced the interaction between the bride and groom and officiant appeared. It was very important for me to have a very relaxed, personal and special ceremony for our wedding, which is where Garrett came in.
From the start of our process, Garrett's calm nature and genuine interest in our relationship and who we were as people helped my wife and I create an immediate bond with him. Garrett works very hard to form a relationship with his clients and uses what he learns about them to craft a very emotional and personal ceremony. For me, my excitement for the ceremony and my marriage in general increased following every conversation with Garrett, I truly could not wait to be part of the ceremony and hear what he had to say .
Walking down the aisle, seeing Garrett was like seeing a good friend which put me immediately at ease. As the ceremony progressed, I noticed pieces of our conversations and my words about my soon-to-be wife weaved in between his heart-felt words and carefully chosen poems and readings . It felt like the ceremony was a conversation between my wife and one of our very close friends, very intimate and relaxed at the same time. His ceremony and words connected with us at on a very intimate level and made the audience feel as if they were part of something truly special.
Working with and getting to know Garrett was a highlight of our entire wedding and the process leading up to it. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in the wedding planning process, but choosing Garrett Foster as our officiant was the best decision we made." — Kevin Colleran
F.A.Q.
Why not hire a family member or friend instead?
Good question. It may feel more personal. It's definitely less expensive. However, you also get what you pay for. A family member or friend will likely not be trained in how to handle a number of challenges that can arise: a crying baby, a mic that doesn't work, a sudden downpour, background noise from waves, and more. People who are not trained to speak in front of others can also become anxious, and it will show. Most lay people are capable of downloading a ceremony from the internet — but are not skilled enough to craft a ceremony that you and your guests will always remember.
My family is interfaith (or spiritual but not religious). Will the Celebrant reflect our beliefs and values without judgment?
Celebrants specialize in creating ceremonies that reflect your philosophy of life. You will see every word beforehand thus assuring that the accuracy, tone and beliefs are represented as you wish. You are encouraged to revise the ceremony in collaboration with the Celebrant. The Celebrant does not interject personal agenda or judgment or belief into your ceremony.The Celebrant can make your ceremony as religious, spiritual or secular as you want. It is your call and something you will not get if you are married in a particular house of worship.
What is your fee?
While fees may vary depending on the type of ceremony, location and client needs, my standard fee starts at $550. I spend an average of 20 hours on each individual ceremony and make myself available every step of the way to answer questions, coordinate with other vendors and more. When compared to the cost of flowers, a dress, music, photos and most venues, the Celebrant fee is well worth having a ceremony you and your guests will always remember.
From the Heart Blog
