@ Your OBX Wedding : Rev. Jay Bowman

Jay Bowman was the best officiant that we could have ever asked for. He provides a service that is very entertaining and upbeat. I love his laid back style (no shoes... I mean it is the beach) and happy personality. Jay will work with you to create the ceremony that you always wanted. All of the guests couldn't stop saying how much they enjoyed the ceremony, there was never a dull moment. No need for a microphone with this guy, all of your guests will be able to hear every word he says. If you are looking for an officiant to make a special... yet fun ceremony, Jay Bowman is your man! Thanks Jay for making our wedding ceremony so memorable.

I can't say enough good things about Rev. Jay. From the moment my husband and I first met him we knew he would be the perfect fit for our wedding. He provided the right amount of fun and serious at just the right moments. He made sure to get to know us and our personalities before hand in order to really make our ceremony unique to us. All of our guests raved about how amazing he was and how beautiful the ceremony was.

Rev. Jay was the officiant at my daughter and son-in-law's wedding on June 24, 2012. Rev. Jay has the reputation as the best wedding officiant on the Outer Banks and we now know why. He made the ceremony personable, fun, and very appropriate for a beach wedding. He captured Kim and Mike’s personalities and made the ceremony so memorable! We could tell the guests were actually listening and engaged with Rev. Jay’s words! One of our relatives asked if we brought Rev Jay from Maryland because of all the personable stories and the fact that he really seemed to know our daughter and son-in-law! He did a wonderful job incorporating a plane flyover, with congratulatory banner, into the ceremony. He had to be really flexible with this as the exact time of the flyover was only guaranteed to within 10 minutes. Lastly, we have another daughter with special needs who was the maid of honor. Rev. Jay did a fabulous job of pulling her into the ceremony on at least two occasions. He understood our family dynamics and that was very touching and really made us happy! We are extremely pleased with how Rev Jay performed our daughter’s wedding and would highly recommend him. He’s simply the best!!

Rev. Jay was just great all around. I questioned a little about why I didn’t just ask a friend or relative (after I’d booked him of course), but he helped me through some issues with ceremony location and seating, and he just did an amazing job. Mike and I and our families were very pleased. I definitely recommend doing a rehearsal if you can swing it – it made us feel so much more comfortable. Jay wove in personal details about us and did the ceremony exactly like we wanted. He’s also so personable and inspirational, that he makes you feel very loved, even though you probably just met him that day!

Rev. Jay was such a pleasue to have officiate our wedding of about 26 on 5/19/2012. He really went above and beyond to make our day extra special. He was easy to work with since day one, and just a fun, caring, wonderful guy. He made both of us feel so comfortable and helped us feel at ease. He made the ceremony so easy by walking us through each step. It helped so much and made us remember our day and vows that much more. We highly recommend him to anyone with big or small weddings!

Our biggest concern about planning a wedding in the Outer Banks was that we were uncomfortable being married by an officiant who was a stranger. Luckily for us, we had Jay. Jay made time to meet with my husband and I whenever we were in the Outer Banks before our wedding. This gave us multiple opportunities to sit down, have some coffee, and get to know each other. Jay is a popular officiant, so if you think you want to book him, you should reserve early. I am not sure how he compares in price to other officiants because after we met him, we knew we did not want to meet with anyone else. Everyone that I worked with to plan the wedding had worked with Jay in the past and love him. We opted to have Jay at our rehearsal which was the right decision. We felt very relaxed at the wedding and the ceremony was beautiful. We had very positive comments from multiple guests about Jay specifically. He did a great job.

Hi Jay,

I just wanted to say thank you so much for everything. You are so gifted at what you do and I will never forget you. You made my wedding so much more than it could have been. I felt so comfortable the entire time and so did Tom. I am so sad that it is over but whenever I get sad I just pull out the video tape and watch you do your magic at the ceremony. My friends and family have said nothing but wonderful things about you and my sisters are going to do their best to get you for their weddings if they get married in the OBX. I sure hope they do.. what an incredible place! Jay, I will never ever forget you. Having you do my wedding ceremony was the best wedding decision I have ever made. Thanks for making Tom feel so comfortable too. He was so nervous! Also, thanks so much for doing our rehearsal the day before the wedding! That was the best money I have ever spent because I was able to sleep the night before the wedding feeling prepared and ready to go-all because of you! I will talk to you soon.

Sincerely,

Rebecca and Tom Haslbeck

Rev. Jay was a joy to work with. He made our day so very special. He followed our requests and worked with us ahead of time to get to know us, even though we were several states away. He worked with me on a surprise I had in mind for my fiance and made the event fun and special. It is clear that he loves what he does.

The only small thing that prevents me from giving him five stars across the board was that he changed our rehearsal time after planning out schedule for weeks. It threw a small monkey wrench in the schedule in that I had to meet the wedding planner separately and go over things twice. No biggie in the scheme of things. The ceremony was flawless.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Rev. Jay for the very personal wedding ceremony that he offiiciated for my daughter and her new husband on the beach at the Sanderling in May. He made everyone feel welcome and a part of a very special day that we will all cherish forever. His words made us all reflect upon what matters most in our lives and on the importance of the wedding vows that were shared. We all appreciated his resounding voice that could be heard over the beautiful crashing of the waves upon the shore. His humor and wit added laughter that is oh so important to us all. He was respectful and professional in his planning and presentation. We are so happy that he was able to share this special day with us and would recommend him to any one who would like a wedding ceremony that is unforgettable.

Jay was the best in making us feel comfortable and at ease during our Spring ceremony. He is very friendly and has a great sense of humor that makes everyone feel welcomed. He is so accommadating with our needs and go to great length to please while assuring us that everything will be fantastic. We had a beautiful wedding thanks to Jay!!!

Reverend Jay Bowman was the first person I booked because he is in such high demand! All the vendors I spoke with in the Outer Banks told me he was the man to marry us! We were not disappointed. He is able to tailor your vows to whatever degree of religion you would like to be included. He knew us and the type of relationship that we had even though we had only met with him briefly. He made everyone feel included and even helped us get past a dune-buggie drive by for our beach wedding! He was able to incorporate our sand ceremony and made us feel like we were the only ones on the beach! We could not have imagined anyone else marrying us! We highly recommend Rev. Jay Bowman to any bride looking for an OBX officiant!

Rev. Jay did a fantastic job performing our wedding ceremony! He tailored our ceremony to us, made it very personal, and, best of all, found that perfect blend of humor and sincerity that made our ceremony very special. He had no problem with the reading we chose (Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe...our wedding had a Halloween theme) and kept our guests in stitches while performing a very meaningful ceremony. He also performed a sand ceremony that went above and beyond our expectations with the words he said during the ceremony. Even I almost teared up during the sand ceremony! I couldn't imagine a better ceremony or a better officiant.

We were so blessed to have Jay perform our ceremony on the beach!! He made us both feel so comfortable and made our ceremony so personal and perfect!

We found Rev. Jay while searching for an officiant online. We watched his video and knew this was the guy we wanted to marry us. We came to the OBX to start planning for a week and met up with Jay for coffee. He was such a nice guy and we felt like we had known him forever. Week of the wedding Jay was there and smiling. He is such a positive person, if everyone could be like him we would all be better people. Jay made our wedding fun and an awesome event for everyone. I couldn't say enough positive things about him!

I absolutely LOVED Jay! He is not your typical officiate, and had us laughing (tastefully) throughout our ceremony! Even though it was a windy, and a tad on the chilly side during our wedding, his ability to tell our story and make it humorous to everyone helped alleviate the less than favorable weather conditions.

We also had the opportunity to meet with him some months before the ceremony just to make sure he would be right for us. My husband is Catholic while I'm not so religious so I was a tad worried since he wasn't very open at first to having a non-denominational officiate, but after meeting Jay he was sold! Thank you...

Jay was so wonderful for my husband and I for our wedding! He worked with us so well (as we were planning a wedding from Lancaster, PA for one in the Outer Banks!) and we couldn't have asked for anything more! The sand ceremony was extremely special as well! It allowed us to involve our son and gave us a sweet keepsake to remember our special day. Both of our families were very impressed by Jay and thought that we had known him our whole lives! There aren't enough words to thank Jay for how special our day was and how fondly my husband and I will forever remember it. Thank you Jay!

Rev. Jay was the officiant of our wedding and we would highly recommend him! Everyone who come to our wedding still talks about how wonderful he is and how meaningful our service was.

Jay was perfect for our laid-back, beach wedding. He met with both me and my husband prior to the ceremony to run through everything and keep us relaxed. Can't say enough good things about Rev. Jay!

We had couple of last minute changed of plans with our wedding due to weather. He went with it and did a great job!

Jay Bowman was phenomenal! He by far exceeded our expectations. He made our wedding day just perfect. We appreciated the personal touch, professionalism and being so well prepared. He was very loud and clear for everyone on the beach to hear. We still have our guest raving about how awesome he was. Our wedding will be remembered for many reasons and for also having the BEST officiant on the OBX. Thank you Jay for being you and making our day so special.

What a wonderful man and a delight! It has been 3 months since our wedding and we still rave about how perfect he made the day! We had such a small ceremony but he made us feel like it was the most special day in the world, and to us it was.

My family is STILL talking about how wonderful and amazing Jay was for our wedding! Everyone couldn't believe that we'd never met each other before the rehearsal. Jay knows what he's doing and does it with everything in him. I'm so glad he was able to marry Don and I...it wouldn't have been quite as perfect without him! He makes everyone around you feel as though you've been friends for a lifetime, he has a calmness about him that is unweavering, and his presense is remarkable. Jay is part of what made our wedding so unique to us and one aspect that I would want there if we did it all over again in the future!

Rev. Jay provided us with a ceremony that people are still talking about 6 months later! We had some friends from home who really thought we knew Jay beforehand and that he traveled with us down to the beach...that's how warm and welcoming he is! He was a huge hit and we can never thank him enough for marrying us and giving us everlasting memories! Thanks again Jay! You were fantastic:)

My husband and I were so pleased with Jay! He made our wedding day so special and personal. We would highly recommend him to anyone!

Jay was absolutely perfect! It was scary booking an officiant online, since we had a destination wedding, but we could not have asked for a more perfect person to marry us! He was great at communication and made me feel at ease about the whole process.

Our day was absolutely amazing! Jay even incorporated little stories that I had told him about "us" into the ceremony. It was great! Our families thought he was just great and we could not have asked for anything more! From the moment we met, I knew I had made the perfect choice!

Thanks so much for making our special day just that...special!

Jay was excellent! The ceremony was awesome! We have guests still telling us what a wonderful time they had. He got to know more about us in 2 emails than we could have imaged. We really enjoyed working with Jay. I would recommend him for anyone getting married. He was AWESOME! He made our wedding day very special and something that we will always remember.

Jay was awesome. WE still have people complimenting us on our choice for an officiant. Our ceremony was on the beach and we needed someone with a loud voice. He did it all. The volume of his voice was perfect, he was laid back (just like us), and was funny. My dad passed away and when Jay remembered him I felt a sense of peace instead of what I was dreading, sadness. HIghly recommend!!!

Jay married Mark and I in June of 2009,
We spoke and had email corespondence with several wedding officiant's, but within minutes of talking with Jay on the phone, I knew I had to look no further, he set me at ease and was so pleasant to talk with. Once we arrived on the Outer Banks we met with Jay and that was just more icing on the cake, very down to earth, professional, great sense of humor, all around great guy.
Thanks Jay:)

Linda and Mark Forehand
Vado, New Mexico
landonsgma66@gmail.com

I would recommend Rev Jay Bowman to ANYONE getting married in the Outer Banks. Jay never met us before our wedding day but you never would have known that. Using the information that we provided to him (he has a form with questions), he wrote a ceremony that was both elequent and personel. We got married on the beach and his voice projected well; everyone was able to hear him despite the wind.
Rev Jay was extremely affordable and answered all of our emails quickly. Also worth mentioning that he will provide any level of religiousness that you desire.

Jay was amazing! He was very accommodating of our ideas for the wedding, and extremely flexible, especially as our wedding was planned on short notice! We would highly, highly recommend him!

I'm so happy we chose Jay to be the officiant for our wedding! After the ceremony we received so many compliments from our family and friends about how nice our ceremony was. He made our ceremony so personalized and perfect!

Jay Bowman was born to marry people. My husband and I decided three weeks before a family trip to get married and we found Rev. Jay's website and watched his into video on You Tube. We knew when we saw him on the beach that he was the man to marry us. We did most of our planning on line. We didn't meet Jay until the morning off the wedding. I personally didn't get to meet him until just before I walked down the isle. He was so great and his ceremony was so touching. My parents have said over and over that his ceremony was the most meaningful ceremony they have ever wittnessed, including their own. Rev. Jay just knew who were were as individual's and as a couple. My husbands kids were there and he made them a part of the ceremony as well. I was so amazed that he was able to relate to us on the level that he did when all our communication had been via e-mail and just a few short phone calls.
He was so accomodating and fit us in and made sure our day and our surprise to our family went off without a hitch. He is a man filled with great kindness and a passion for what he does! We feel so lucky to have had him marry us!

JAY IS AWESOME! I can't say enough good things about him. He came early and while I was getting ready, he looked around at the reception decor, noticing small details such as my sand dollars with little 'info sayings' on them about my husband and I...he took some of that info and incorporated it into our ceremony. He also talked to guests and is VERY personable. And his fees are very reasonable. ANYONE and EVERYONE getting married on the Outer Banks should use him, you will NOT be disappointed!

Words can hardly express our sincere happiness and gratitude for Reverand Jay. He was absolutely accessible and supportive all the through a year of changing wedding plans, and made everything look easy when the big day came. Our guests have been raving about how personalized our ceremony was, and how much peace Jay brought to our day. Jay was one of the best surprises we found through long-distance wedding planning via the internet. Worth every penny and more! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Jay was excellent. We had a small wedding and a short ceremony. We chose not to have a rehearsal and it couldn't have worked out better. I highly recommend him.

If I could give Rev. Jay 10 stars, I would. There was no better man of the cloth to have stand with us on this very important day! He was so personable and friendly. It was if we had known each other for years. I have never met a warmer and more compassionate person. It emanates from just his presence. Then he offers words that confirm the essence. I only thought my pastor back home had that ability or power. He makes you feel at ease, and that everything is going to be okay_even when you don't think so. He offers a reassurance that can only come from a man connected to God. He was God sent just for us on that day! Who better to stand with us? We are so appreciative of your kind spirit, and warmth, and for capturing the beautiful early morning, the feel of the breeze and ocean, and sunshine...and for acknowledging and welcoming the presence of God into the midst of our ceremony. You a friend of God, and now a friend of ours. I have even reached out to Rev. Jay since the ceremony, because he is kind and welcoming and understanding...and received reassurance and warmth. Thank you for the beautiful person you are, Rev. Jay! God continue to bless you, as you continue to bless others!

Sandy & Tim
6/12/07

Jay was great! He was extremely professional but also extremely friendly. He gives off an aura that makes you feel like you've known him for years! He made it a point to make sure that my husband and I were extremely relaxed prior to the wedding. He made the wedding very personal even after just 1 meeting prior. Our families were very happy with the blend of ceremony & religion and were raving about how nice the ceremony was. We couldn't have asked for a better officiant!

Rev Jay was such a pleasure to work with... he knew exactly what to say to calm me down when weather didn't cooperate. I loved his laid back, but incredibly professional attitude and he really just fit right in with my family! Couldn't beleive a Noreaster decided to hit on our wedding day, but we still have the fondest memories and Rev Jay is always one of them.

Randall & I were married by Jay 06-12-06. Look no further! Jay made our small, casual, beach wedding feel like the "event of a lifetime"! We felt like Jay was an old family friend we'd known forever, and we didn't meet until 30-45 min prior to the ceremony! Jay is by far the most charismatic,calming and friendly "rev" you will ever be so lucky to meet. Funny how a total stranger can make such an impression in your life in such a short span of time! I encourage everybody even thinking of a beach wedding to find an availabilty with Jay-arrange around HIS schedule, change your date or time of wedding, do what it takes to have Jay apart of your day YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!! He worked with us on time and day(we were last minute-like 2wks before) he handled every detail without a single flaw or moment of stress on us! I had children from a previous marriage which we wanted included in the ceremony, no problem! Jay suggested his "sand ceremony" which was beautiful! The kids and Randall exchanged pendants after we exchanged rings - I had no idea how to include it-Jay did! He worked the exchange into the ceremony made the kids feel SUPER SPECIAL and he spoke on the blending of families its was truly moving emotional thing for everyone there! The kids were 8 & 13yrs old, and the still talk about how "cool" Rev Jay was! STOP LOOKING! - YOU HAVE JUST FOUND THE "2ND MOST IMPORTANT MAN" TO GUARANTEE YOUR SPECIAL DAY IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MEMORY YOU CAN DREAM OF! Many thanks Jay! Randall & Lisa Ferguson and "the kids"

Rev. Jay Bowman is wonderful! So personable and friendly. Always makes for a perfect ceremony :)

I seldom have a chance to attend the actual wedding of my brides, but was invited to a good friend's wedding Kristi Midgett several years ago that Rev. Jay Bowman was presiding over. It was a beautiful service and Jay made it very personal for both she and her groom.

Jay Bowman is the #1 pick to be your wedding officiant here on the Outer Banks. His oratory style is simply amazing!!!

Jay is simply the best!

Rev. Jay... or just Jay as he prefers to be referred to is a most awesome officiant! Several of our brides and grooms have had Jay preform their wedding ceremonies and feel like they have made a friend for life..... We here at Enchanted Cuisine highly recommend Your OBX Wedding with Rev. Jay Bowman!

Rev. Jay is amazing! He personalizes every ceremony to make it perfect for the couple he is working with...such a wonderful man and would recommend him for any wedding ceremony!

Reverend Jay Bowman is unbelievably popular with brides, and they're right - his ceremonies are nothing short of magical, and we love having him at our venue.

Jay Bowman is the best preacher man on the OBX!!!

Jay is one of the most special people I have had the honor to know and work with. I worked with Jay for a few years before my own wedding came along and when the time came to choose that important person to perform our ceremony, there wasn't a doubt in my mind who I wanted that person to be! Each couple he marry's leaves not only with the memory of a wonderful ceremony but also with a new friend. It is always a privilege to work with Jay and an honor to have him as a part of the amazing group of wedding professionals on The Outer Banks!

I have had the absolute pleasure of getting to know Rev. Jay inside and outside of weddings and consider him much more than just a peer. The best part about him... he doesn't change on either side. Rev. Jay has a big heart and performs his duties with a contagious and sincere enthusiasm. You should be so lucky as to have Rev. Jay serve you on your wedding day!

Jay does an amazing job - and he seems to be good luck. After years of working together I've still never seen it rain on a Jay Bowman wedding!

At an outdoor venue such as The Whalehead Club Rev. Jay Bowman is the perfect choice. His calm, confident baritone needs no amplification even on the windiest of Outer Banks days. He is a joy to work with, at once dignified and professional and completely at ease.

Every time I hear Rev Jay bless a marriage it moves me. He has such a gift at connecting with the couple and making it very real and personal. He is passionate about making it special and can calm the most nervous bride. He is very organized, responsive to questions and makes the process fun and easy. The Sanderling highly recommends Rev Jay Bowman.

If you want a very personable, fun, yet professional officiant, who listens to what YOU want in a wedding ceremony, then Jay Bowman is the perfect person for you. As a wedding planner, I have seen the whole"shebang" for officiants and Jay is hands down the most memorable for YOU and your guests. After every wedding that he performs that I am lucky enough to be a part of, I (the wedding planner) will have guests come up and ask me questions about Jay. They think he is a family friend- he is THAT personable. The reason? He cares enough to get to know the couple, find out how they met, what is important to them in their relationship AND on their wedding day. He incorporates those details into the ceremony. Truly gifted, truly professional, truly one of a kind.