Hi, New Friend!
It's been a long time coming. It. This website redesign. This essay. This life that I'm living at the moment you're reading these words. Perhaps you feel the same way, or maybe you got here much faster than you thought you would.
A note to both of us: You're right on time! Life events cannot be scheduled (day-of wedding timelines notwithstanding) and I'm glad our paths have crossed.
If you're a couple that I will have the great privilege of marrying, there are some very important questions I'll ask you as we go through the ceremony-building process. For example: How did you meet? What do you see in your future? To whom do you go for relationship advice?
Presumably you'll also have questions for me. Maybe I've already answered some of the logistical ones on my FAQs page! But of course, logistics aren't everything. Our humanity and connections don't reside in logistical breakdowns, and there's a non-zero chance that you want to like your wedding officiant as a person. So, please allow me to introduce myself a bit more deeply than the rest of this site has delved.
You may have noticed that I used the pronoun whom a few sentences back. I do my best to practice "good grammar" but I don't expect anyone else to. You may notice that I broke a rule myself right there! My mother (who claims I started speaking in full sentences) was a Spanish and Latin teacher, and I have a theory that no one pays more attention to English grammar than native speakers who teach foreign languages. Though perhaps that's just my anecdotal experience. Either way, her attention to grammatical detail mixed with what was likely a natural affinity for speech has led to my possibly outdated appreciation for the idiosyncracies of the one language I can speak fluently. (Full disclosure, I consulted the dictionary earlier to confirm that whom is, in fact, a pronoun.)
Another natural affinity that I showcased early on was an itch to perform and be in front of an audience. In the ongoing debate of nature versus nurture, one has to wonder if I was made this way or if I was just competing for attention with two older brothers. Regardless of what sent me down that path, I now have a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in theatre/performance disciplines and have been doing improv comedy for fun and for soul-feeding since 2008 (give or take a year). My pun-loving father might never be more proud of me than when I improvise some solid wordplay during a ComedySportz show.
My comfort in front of an audience and my willingness to look things up are also traits that led to my engagement with the trivia and game show community (yes, there's a community). I've written and hosted countless trivia nights, managed a conference in Las Vegas a couple of times, and have been on The Chase, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, and Jeopardy! (in order of occurrence, and yes I met Alex Trebek).
How about we wrap this up with a few more short form fun facts about me? A little Jamie Trivia, if you like.
I do crossword puzzles everyday.
Born a multigenerational New Yorker, I moved to Texas with my Texan boyfriend in 2021, and have also lived in South Florida and London, England.
Making time to volunteer for meaningful causes is important to me. I write letters for Vote Forward and participate in various ways toward reproductive justice, including working with The Bridge Collective.
My last dog (who was my first dog) was a very sweet hound named Barnaby. Now we have Rutherford, rehomed from my oldest brother's family.
Five niblings (A.K.A. nieces and nephews) all born between 2015 - 2018.
Co-founder of Broadly Entertaining, a feminist-forward event and party business, with my best friend (and we still love ecah other!).
If you've made it this far I would love to connect further and learn about you! Send an email to Jamie@BroadlyEntertaining.com or go to the wedding ceremony contact form on this website if that's what you're reaching out about.
Is it just me, or are Statler and Waldorf the epitome of live, laugh, love?
Get to know your wedding officiant.