Sunshine Coast & all of British Columbia

Ceremonies that
sound like you

I'm Greig Soohen — a marriage commissioner and celebration of life officiant. For sixteen years I've helped people across British Columbia mark the moments that matter most, with warmth, care, and words that belong to them rather than to a template.

Request a date Call (604) 790-0778
Ceremonies performed
800+
Years officiating
16
Travels
BC-wide

What I do

Two kinds of gathering

A wedding and a celebration of life ask for very different things — but both come down to the same work: listening closely, then finding language honest enough to carry the moment.

Weddings & elopements

Just the two of you on a beach at Roberts Creek, or a hundred guests in a garden — the shape doesn't matter. We'll build a ceremony that fits your relationship, and I'll make sure the legal side is handled so you never have to think about it on the day.

  • Full wedding ceremonies, personally written with you
  • Elopements and small ceremonies, on short notice where I can
  • Vow renewals and anniversary blessings
  • Guidance on your BC marriage licence and witnesses
  • Rehearsal attendance by arrangement
Enquire about a wedding

Celebrations of life

When someone dies, the hardest part is often finding the words. I sit with families, listen to the stories — the funny ones too — and shape them into something that sounds like the person you're remembering. There's no rush, and no script you have to accept.

  • Celebrations of life and memorial services
  • Graveside, interment and ash-scattering ceremonies
  • Secular, spiritual or interfaith — whatever fits the family
  • Help writing a eulogy, or delivering one on your behalf
  • Ceremonies held weeks or months later, when you're ready
Enquire about a celebration of life
Greig Soohen, seated on a staircase in a black shirt, smiling at the camera.

About Greig

Sixteen years of standing beside people

I've officiated more than eight hundred ceremonies since 2010 — weddings on docks and in living rooms, celebrations of life in community halls and on headlands with the tide coming in.

What I've learned is that people don't remember the wording of a legal declaration. They remember whether the ceremony felt like it belonged to them. So I ask a lot of questions, I write drafts, and I keep revising until you read it back and recognise yourselves in it.

I'm based on the Sunshine Coast and I travel throughout British Columbia. If you're getting married somewhere remote or gathering a family from far away, ask me — I've probably been near there before.

Grounded, meaningful, and unmistakably yours. That's the whole brief.

How it works

Four unhurried steps

Whether you're planning a wedding a year out or arranging a service for next week, the path is the same — it just moves at a different speed.

  1. 01

    A first conversation

    A phone call or a coffee, free and with no obligation. You tell me what you're imagining; I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit and what it would cost.

  2. 02

    Building the ceremony

    I gather the details and stories, then send you a full draft to read in your own time. We revise it as many times as it takes. Nothing gets read aloud that you haven't seen.

  3. 03

    The paperwork

    For weddings, I walk you through getting your BC marriage licence, who can witness, and what to bring. Afterwards I register the marriage with Vital Statistics on your behalf.

  4. 04

    The day itself

    I arrive early, find the people who need finding, and hold the space so everyone else can simply be present. Your only job is to show up.

Questions

The things people ask first

Where do you travel?

I'm based on the Sunshine Coast — Gibsons, Sechelt, Roberts Creek, Halfmoon Bay, Pender Harbour and everywhere between — and I officiate throughout British Columbia. Ceremonies beyond the Coast may involve a travel fee and a ferry schedule, so the earlier you ask, the easier it is to arrange.

How do we get a BC marriage licence?

You buy it yourselves from a licence issuer appointed by BC Vital Statistics — many pharmacies, notaries and insurance offices issue them, and there are several on the Coast. You both need to appear with government-issued photo ID. The licence is valid for three months from the date it's issued and can be used anywhere in BC, so don't buy it too early.

There's no waiting period, no blood test, and no residency or citizenship requirement. You'll need two witnesses aged 19 or over at the ceremony. I'll confirm the current specifics with you when we talk — requirements do change.

How far ahead should we book?

For a summer Saturday on the Coast, six to twelve months is comfortable. Outside peak season there's usually more room. That said — always ask. Dates open up, and I keep space for elopements and for families arranging a celebration of life, which rarely comes with notice.

What does it cost?

Fees depend on the kind of ceremony, how much writing it involves, the date, and travel. For civil marriage ceremonies, marriage commissioners in BC work within a fee structure set by Vital Statistics. I'll give you a clear, complete number in our first conversation — no surprises later.

Can the ceremony be non-religious?

Absolutely, and most of mine are. I also happily include readings, blessings, cultural traditions or rituals that matter to your families, and I work with interfaith and blended-tradition couples regularly. Tell me what feels right and what doesn't.

Do we have to write our own vows?

Not at all. Some couples write everything themselves; others want me to write it all; most land somewhere in the middle. If speaking in front of people terrifies you, we can build the ceremony so it doesn't ask that of you.

Get in touch

Request a date

Tell me a little about what you're planning. I read every message myself and normally reply within a day or two — sooner if your date is close or you're arranging a celebration of life.

Your details go straight to Greig and nowhere else. No lists, no sharing.