Meet Tara Robinson of It’s Official! 314 Weddings and Ceremonies

I’ve always had a penchant for being a speaker and for being a calm loving presence with friends and family. Officiating has become an extension of these gifts. Before officiating, I performed spoken word poetry for several years, had been involved in Toastmasters (even becoming the President of a chapter), and worked as a counselor for those who had been affected by STIs/HIV, and also a Pega developer (it’s like Java) and eventually a technical manager. I am still a Technical Program Manager. I love tech! And yet I have a softer side where I have other roles in ministry and spirituality. I have always practiced meditation, contemplation, journaling, and affirmative prayer. Although I am not religious, I am strong in my faith. There is only one, and we are all connected. One of my younger sisters asked me to officiate her wedding in 2018. She reasoned that I was funny, talked a lot, and could handle a room, and she’d seen such growth in my spirituality. I was honored. Of course, I had yet to learn what an officiant does beyond what I’d witnessed in the movies. I’ve been to several weddings where the officiants seemed disconnected from the couples. I vowed to be different. I researched websites, did online courses, and of course, YouTube University by watching weddings online. And although I garnered what legally had to be said and accepted a general format for a wedding ceremony, I permitted myself to add things like “positive affirmations” to my ceremony.

After my sister’s wedding, I officiated for a coworker’s son. In December 2019, I was at a crossroads. I had just started pre-requisite courses through Agape International Spiritual Center at Agape University in Los Angeles. My soul longed for a deeper expression of service, a way to use the beautiful gifts and talents I was given. I thought about how much I loved officiating my sister’s wedding. I thought about how so many people said I had a calling. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a minister, but I knew I wanted to minister – love, joy, and kindness in my own special, sometimes goofy, always purposeful way. I needed to figure out where to start, so I searched for officiants online to see where they advertised their services. I paid to place my business cards in the swag bags at a bridal show. I started telling everyone I knew that I was officiating weddings.

Since January 2020, I’ve been blessed to officiate about 200 elopements and weddings. I went from having no reviews to nearly 100 positive reviews. I have attended many webinars to grow my wedding business and network to meet other wedding vendors. I have been blessed to work with all types of couples. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, who had to take a bus to Iowa to get married, it makes my heart swell with joy when I get to serve and officiate for couples who also identify as LGBTQ+. Perseverance, believing in myself, and trusting my Spirit have brought me to where I am today. Since last September, I have been an Agape Licensed Spiritual Practitioner, supporting couples with marital coaching. Additionally, I now intern as a facilitator at Agape University. I am the co-facilitator for the Animal Bereavement Support group at Agape International Spiritual Center as well.  I expect success, and I’m always in gratitude. Now, I am a celebrant – celebrating many aspects of life – baby blessings, home dedications, pet ceremonies, and memorials.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Every obstacle has made me stronger. Getting couples to use my services was initially difficult because I needed reviews, Lol. Learning what words to use in ads, where to advertise, how to market, creating a social media presence, etc., have been things I’ve grown through. Still, I am not deterred. As in all industries, getting known and gaining credibility with others in your field takes time. Now that I am at the three-year mark, I am getting to know many other vendors, and there is loving mutual support and respect. One challenge has also been getting on the preferred vendor’s list because they often only work with people they know. Still, I am not deterred. Finally, paying for advertising can feel steep. Gaining the right connections and learning who to trust is something that is an ongoing effort as well.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us more about your business.
It’s Official! 314 creates custom wedding ceremonies that fill the altar with laughter and love. We provide different officiant packages for elopements, mini/micro weddings, and large formal weddings. We gently guide our couples through every step of planning their wedding ceremony with calming energy, and we take time to know our couples to create a ceremony script that magnifies and reflects their love. Our words at the altar capture the essence of the couple’s love journey. With authenticity and accentuated with moments of laughter, we engage wedding guests by telling the couple’s story beautifully and profoundly. I’m known for laughter, warmth, supportive energy, and a smooth voice. I specialize in having a personal touch and being a listening ear. I’m different because there is no one else like me in this space. I am an LGBTQ+ woman of color who specializes in supporting non-traditional couples and is a spiritual practitioner. I am most proud of the diverse couples I have served. I want them to know that I am rooting for their love. I celebrate their lives – at the altar, when they have children, when they get home, when they have pets, when it’s time to release a loved one, I am there. I do micro wedding packages with an officiant, a photographer, flowers, a meal for two, and sometimes even a cute space. To support encouraging love in the world, I speak at a variety of events about spirituality, relationships, and love. Currently, weekly on Tuesday nights at 9 pm central time, on Instagram, I co-host Conversations with T and J. It’s a platform to encourage living unapologetically spiritually by allowing good, feeling good, and expecting good.

We’d love to hear about your fond memories from growing up.
My family often went to Heman Park in University City for barbecues, even when it wasn’t a holiday. I would get to see my cousins and play and have fun. I loved seeing everyone interact, and I remember just feeling love. Ooh, I also remember being able to read in the classroom loft when I attended Jackson Park elementary school in the second or third grade. We could climb the ladder and read in a cozy nook when students finished their work early. Oh, I loved that! I credit reading with building my imagination.