Celebrating Love and Honoring Lives
Meet Joan Bogwill
Heartfelt Wedding Officiant & Ceremony Expert
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Hi there, and welcome to Heartfelt Custom Ceremonies! I'm Joan Bogwill, a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, licensed wedding officiant, and a nondenominational minister. My passion is crafting and officiating heartfelt, one-of-a-kind ceremonies that celebrate love, honor life, and bring people together in the most meaningful way.
After a fulfilling career in education, my husband and I (35 years strong!) traded classrooms for passports and spent time adventuring around the world and soaking up time with our family. Through it all, the milestones, the quiet moments, the highs, and the heartbreaks, I’ve learned that every part of life is worth honoring.
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That belief is what led me to become a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant® through the Celebrant Foundation and Institute. I wanted to take all the love, life experiences, and storytelling I’ve gathered along the way and use them to help others celebrate their own meaningful moments in ways that feel personal, inclusive, and genuine.
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Now, I get to create custom wedding ceremonies that reflect each couple’s unique love story and heartfelt memorials that honor the legacy of someone deeply loved. It’s work that’s creative, emotional, and deeply human and I genuinely love what I do.
With a five-star reputation and experience officiating across Chicago and Southwest and Southeast Florida, my goal is to make your ceremony unforgettable, in the best possible way. Couples often tell me, “You made our day feel so personal. We’ve never been to a ceremony like that before.” (And yes — there are usually a few happy tears.)
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If you’re looking for someone who will take the time to really get to know you, someone who brings warmth, professionalism, and heart to every moment, I’d be honored to be part of your story.
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I’d love to hear your story. Let’s start planning something beautiful.