Joyce Gioia FAQs, References & Fees

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Tell us about some of her more interesting weddings.

Joyce has performed Hindu-Jewish and Moslem-Jewish weddings and even a Moslem-Catholic wedding. Joyce has performed a Rastafarian wedding and a Moslem wedding. Probably the most interesting wedding was performed on a baseball field in the Bronx. She ended the wedding by having the audience join hands and sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." The most interesting place was the top of a cliff on Bear Mountain overlooking the spectacular valley below. In high heels, it was quite a challenge!

Who authorizes Joyce to perform weddings?

That's a very interesting question. Actually, the only "authorizing" bodies are New York City and the State of Massachusetts. New York City requires going through a process after ordination. Joyce completed that process; last year, she performed over a dozen weddings in various boroughs of New York City. The State of Massachusetts requires a lot of paperwork and not much else. What most town clerks care about is that the clergyperson is "ordained." Beyond that, it's up to the couple to feel comfortable.

Are your weddings recognized by the various religions?

Only the orthodox sects of the different faiths have that kind of recognition, notably the Orthodox Jewish faith, the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Catholic Church. And no, her weddings are not recognized by those "governing" bodies. But if you're willing to marry outside of your faith, you're probably less interested in that kind of recognition. Her weddings are recognized by the States of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, and her signature on a marriage license will hold up in a court of law. Since she has yet to be asked to perform a wedding outside of these four states, she doesn't yet know about other states, but she suspects that what matters is that one was ordained.

Will Joyce travel to other locales to perform ceremonies?

If she is not otherwise booked and the couple is willing to pay a travel fee plus travel expenses, Joyce is willing to travel anywhere. Recently, a couple inquired whether she would perform the ceremony in an ultralight aircraft, then they would skydive down to earth together. She replied. "Sure." She has already performed weddings as far north as Newport, Rhode Island and as far south as North Carolina and is willing to travel anywhere.

Referrals and Recommendations

Joyce is frequently recommended by such locations as Tappan Hill in Tarrytown, New York; The Molly Pitcher Inn in Red Bank, New Jersey; Le Chanticler in Millwood, New Jersey; Hotel Thayer at West Point; Crabtree's Kittle House in Chappaqua, New York, The Bear Mountain Inn on Bear Mountain, Castle McCulloch in Jamestown, North Carolina, as well as wedding consultants like Perfect Affair in Elmsford, New York and Saved by the Bell in New York City. References will be furnished upon request.

Fee Structure

Because Joyce invests so much time to give couples exactly what they want, her fee is higher than some of her colleagues. Her basic fee in New York is $1,000. This fee includes the initial meeting (in person or by phone) , a customized ceremony and FAXing or e-mailing back and forth until the couple is delighted with the ceremony. This fee does not include travel expenses.

Joyce also provides a unique, personalized gift to each couple after the ceremony.