JPus in the News

The Patch MA: 3/13/2020

But, I’m Getting Married: Tips from the Experts in the age of the Coronavirus Planning a wedding is a big deal. Expensive, and loaded with social implications. Add into the mix a pandemic, and indecision skyrockets. Fear and anxiety are understandable. Thanks to The Atlantic’s Kaitlyn Tiffany, we have some help. She collected responses from experts in the public health field to help guide our practice of social distancing. These were published in an article entitled "The Dos and Don’ts of ‘Social Distancing’", on March 12, 2020. (The date is important, as guidelines change as more information is understood.) Because findaJP’s role in the community is wedding focused, (we help couples find their perfect marriage officiant), we’re sharing the experts’ recommendations on weddings. These guidelines are for healthy people showing no symptoms of illness. Older people should heed the more conservative suggestions. And if one is ill, stay home. We ...

Stamford Advocate: 3/6/2020

When the Stamford Advocate ran a story about the Census Bureau's announcement that the marriage rate in Connecticut is the lowest in the country, JPus managing member Loretta Jay supposed a reason for the decline. To the Editor: The recent story, Marriage rates in Connecticut lowest in US (Feb 25, 2020) makes me wonder. Is this a reflection of society’s willingness to treat the legal act of marrying so flippantly? Online officiants became a thing in 2001, after Joey on Friends got ordained to officiate Monica and Chandler’s wedding. Oddly, they became a trend. Even though Joey’s performance was filled with comedic errors. In the real world, when online ministers get involved, it is even less pretty. Showing up drunk, cell phones ringing. They clearly aren’t professionals. But the serious problems reveal themselves when it comes to the legal act of certifying the marriage. What is a couple to do ...

Hartford Courant: 1/3/2020

The Hartford Courant published JPus Managing Member Loretta Jay's letter to the editor, espousing the professionalism of JPs. Hartford Magazine's article stressed the importance of officiants to wedding ceremonies, without mentioning the problems when amateurs are involved.  Friends, family members acting as wedding officiants can cause problems To the Editor: Nice to see that the Hartford Magazine’s story, Who Will Officiate? The Third Voice at a Wedding Ceremony (Monday, December 23, 2019) recognized that officiants can make or break a ceremony. In addition to bringing flexibility to the service, as the story conveyed, Justices of the Peace (JPs) also bring much needed professionalism. Practiced JPs work with couples to make their wedding vision come true. Weaving their love story into a memorable ceremony is just the beginning. While a civil rite, JPs can incorporate religious traditions, handfasting, sand ceremonies and more. And, they can accommodate all sizes and venues, from a ...

The Patch VT: 9/16/2019

Marriage is a business The Justice of the Peace Association supports the most important small businesses involved in marriages - the people who make it legal. The professional membership organization is expanding to Vermont, and last week they were in Fairlee and White River Junction. "We are thrilled to be expanding to Vermont, so we can provide personalized services to the professional men and women serving engaged couples," says managing member Loretta Jay. "A big thank you to the JPs who attended our open house in White River Junction.  Read article here.

The Patch VT: 9/3/2019

Vermont Expansion A little give-back to Vermont JPs! As a way of announcing its expansion into the Green Mountain State, JPus is hosting an open house on September 13th. The Patch's community-based story captures the essence of the organization's mission: supporting marriage officiants by connecting them with couples, providing professional development and being a voice for JPs who officiate in the state. Read Patch article.