Mark Kurnow

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Wedding officiant needed at rehearsal?

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Introduction: Mark Kurnow has been performing weddings for over 25 years. His experience, calm demeanor and sense of humor will keep you and your guests relaxed and happy on your special day. He is respectful of each couple’s personal views and will tailor your ceremony to honor them whenever possible, even in Japanese or Hawaiian! We encourage new ideas and cultural influences to be a part of the ceremony. Once you speak with him you will see why couples have highly recommended him for years! Please give us a call or send an email. Together we can review your details and determine the final price for you special day. One of the most enjoyable aspects about being a wedding minister is knowing that in every single case I walk away from a wedding knowing that the couples and their guests walk away smiling. Being a wedding minister in Hawaii affords me the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. Even for those who do not speak English it's amazing how some things are universal, a smile, a gesture. Weddings and vow renewals are a happy occasion. Even if the couple doesn't remember me, I know that I was a part of creating their great memory.

Overview

Hired 15 times

1 employee

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Top Pro status

Top Pros are among the highest-rated, most popular professionals on Thumbtack.

2018

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26 photos

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Reviews

Customers rated this pro highly for work quality, value, and professionalism.

Excellent 4.9

16 reviews

94%

Britney G.

Apr 8, 2016

SN N.

Apr 11, 2016

Joy B.

Oct 14, 2016

We are an Australian couple who dreamed of marrying in Hawaii by the beach but were keen on a minister that was flexible and happy to incorporate a strong religious component with Hawaiian traditions and all in a casual feel. In doing my research, I came across Rev Mark Kurnow and from the reviews and the sample ceremony we read- we knew he was perfect. And that he was! Rev Mark met with us a couple of days before the wedding and got to know us as a couple and really took the time to understand what kind of ceremony we wanted and what components we wanted included. He was super flexible, friendly, funny and also very professional and helpful. On the day, Rev Mark performed a ceremony that was so touching and beautiful. It exceeded our expectations. He balanced the Christian with Hawaiian elements so perfectly and was light hearted and such a joy to have. I am so pleased we chose Rev Mark and I highly recommend him to all couples marrying in Hawaii. He's incredibly respectful and accommodating and will make your wedding ceremony dream a reality. Thank you thank you thank you Rev Mark for marrying us in the most perfect ceremony we could have imagined.

Walt And Tess Helicoptersfly F.

Nov 20, 2017

There are no words really to witness a Pastor like Mark, who can perform such a BEAUTIFUL Wedding event as ours. He was front the start a person of warmth, compassion and ready to answer any type of question. From simple wedding event to a full blown wedding event. We wanted something simple and quick, he gave it all. He made us feel so SPECIAL! He was non-traditional to traditional bringing in Hawian Culture, speaking the traditional native language to the times of today. My recommendation is if you want YOUR event SPECIAL is to utilize Mark. We didn’t know anyone, yet after finding Mark and Carrie, we felt like we were family. Family is on spot of what we felt. Thank you and Mahalo, Walt and Tess Fraser, from the mainland. Oh by the way, I don’t write recommendations like this for anyone so we were so impressed that I had to. We will keep our connections of family with Mark and Carrie. Love you both! I will add phots later, when I learn how to add photos.

Bec C.

Dec 15, 2017

Mark was the most perfect Minister for our Hawaiian wedding! My husband and I planned our destination wedding in Hawaii from Australia which meant we had lots of email and phone calls with all of our vendors. We were recommended to use Mark’s services and we are so glad we did - we cannot recommend Mark Kurnow enough! Mark made us feel so comfortable, he spoke very kindly, from the heart and his words were perfect! Mark added a beautiful Hawaiian touch to our wedding ceremony by blowing a Hawaiian conch shell and made beautiful traditional Hawaiian references throughout out our service, which made it even more special. To this day, my husband and I still do “Honi – the Hawaiian kiss” which was one of my favourite things from our wedding. Mark asked us to touch foreheads, with our noses touching in our ceremony and I couldn’t have dreamed of something more beautiful. Our guests also spoke so highly of the way he conducted our wedding ceremony. Thank you again Mark for making our wedding day such a beautiful, memorable and special day for us!

FAQs

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Pricing is somewhat standard. There are always some higher and some lower. While price is often a factor in choosing your minister the few dollars up or down shouldn't be a main factor. Quotes are for the ceremony only. Public beaches require a permit. Rehearsals are extra. They are not always necessary - but certainly available. If you want to save money on that we can talk you through it over the phone. That's free :)
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I listen to what is important to each couple. Then we start with a sample ceremony and determine if they want it tailored in any way to suit their personal preferences. Some ideas to modify a ceremony are: * choose another reading * family member or friend can do the reading * you can write your own vows in addition to OR instead of the vows you see * add on a lei presentation to parents and/or with one another * add a sand ceremony * incorporate any cultural aspects you like
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
While I attended Bible College and was both a senior and associate pastor over the years I would not say that this is the most valuable thing for a wedding minister. The most valuable training has been the many years of experience with weddings in general. I have done over 25,000 weddings - yes, really. I have experience with couples from all over the world, with different cultures, expectations, background stories, languages. I honor the individuality of each couple so they each feel special. Why is experience so important here? While it may be a bit more personal in nature when someone's pastor or friend officiates there are many aspects of a wedding ceremony in which he/she might not be aware. Such things can have a negative impact on the overall flow of the event. The tone of the event should be set with a relaxed, yet excited anticipation. Guests should feel this when they arrive. Inexperienced vendors can often lead to chaos and confusion, unanswered questions, and mostly, undue stress for the bride and groom. Experienced vendors who know their roles well will allow all of you to just arrive and enjoy. A minister is - in a way- the start of the show. Experience is certainly an asset. An experienced minister is also aware of the needs of the other vendors who are involved in creating your lifetime memory. For ex - I know how, as a minister, to set up particular shots so that your photo/video can capture the rings, the emotion, the kiss, etc. These are things you will want to re-live after the wedding day. When you, your bridal party and/or guests have questions I will know the answers and keep them all happy.