Officiants - Ralph's Regal Weddings

Here is some information about our Ordained, Non-denominational Wedding Ministers

Ralph Fishburn, Wedding Officiant and Owner of Ralph's Regal Weddings.

Reverend Ralph

Ralph began his wedding career at the age of five when he was drafted to be the Ring Bearer at the wedding of a family friend. A few years later, when Ralph was in the Fourth Grade, he began serving wedding Masses as an Altar Boy at Mary Queen Catholic Church. He continued this through high school, eventually serving at nearly 100 wedding Masses. As a teenager he donned a white dinner jacket and served as an usher at his older brother’s wedding.

Upon becoming an adult, Ralph was honored to be the Best Man for four friends. When Ralph married Karen in 1996, he drew on his Gonzaga Prep connections for ceremony assistance. To officiate the ceremony, he asked a priest who had been one of his teachers and for the ceremony music, he had a former classmate sing and play guitar. In 2003 Ralph and Karen’s goddaughter got married and she honored him by asking him to be the Father of the Bride. The wedding took place in Ralph and Karen’s back yard and Ralph was responsible for the physical set up of the ceremony site.

A few years later, Ralph’s boyhood friend decided to get remarried and he asked Ralph to perform their ceremony. He was greatly honored by this and became ordained by the Universal Life Church Monastery on April 1, 2008. Ralph worked with Karen to write the ceremony and worked with her in his preparation for performing the ceremony. The ceremony was unique and beautiful and the couple was very please with how well Ralph conducted the service.

Ralph and Karen very much enjoyed preparing for and performing this friend’s wedding. They each thought that performing weddings would be a wonderful and fun profession to be in. When both Ralph and Karen discovered that the other felt that way, they decided they would start a business in order to perform weddings professionally. Thus was the birth of Ralph’s Regal Weddings.

Karen Fishburn, Wedding Officiant, Ceremonyn Coordinator and Owner of Ralph's Regal Weddings.

Reverend Karen

Karen’s interest in weddings began early. Beyond the predictable little girl’s bride doll accouterment, she served as Flower Girl in two of her cousin’s weddings at age six. A few years later, when her older brother got married, she worked the guest book table. As a teenager she assisted her mother in catering numerous wedding receptions. Her next brother got married when Karen was a senior in high school and she was honored to be a Bride’s Maid.

Ralph and Karen decided to get married in 1996 and, of course, Karen planned all aspects of their wedding. This experience helped her a few years later when Ralph and Karen’s goddaughter got married. Karen assisted in planning her wedding which took place in Ralph and Karen’s back yard. Karen was responsible for determining the ceremony sequence including the placement of songs the couple had chosen. In addition, ceremony staging and the choosing of pre and post ceremony music was Karen’s responsibility.

When Ralph’s boyhood friend decided to get remarried, he asked Ralph to perform their ceremony. Karen worked with Ralph to write their ceremony and assisted him in his preparation for performing the ceremony. Looking ahead, Karen was ordained by the Universal Life Church Monastery on February 14, 2009. Because they enjoyed preparing for and performing this friend’s wedding so much, Karen and Ralph decided to do it professionally. Ralph’s Regal Weddings was the result.

Although Karen does perform a few ceremonies, her main focus with Ralph’s Regal Weddings is taking care of the day-to-day affairs of the business. She arranges consultation appointments, prepares contracts, takes care of advertising, prepares the ceremonies, assists at rehearsals and manages the web site. Karen is always happy to hear from potential customers and is always excited to assist at such a very special event, the couple’s wedding day.