About Debbie

My Story

I  believe in marriage.  And, I believe that weddings, crafted with intention and care, can set the stage for the lifelong journey of a strong marriage. After more than 35 years of marriage I can still recall standing on the cusp of before and after at my own wedding. I remember the powerful moments of love’s revelation – surrounded by family and friends as Bill and I made promises to each other that we’ve tried to live up to every day since.

On my wedding day, I never could have guessed that years later I would stand on that threshold again – this time – as a Celebrant, joining others in marriage.  When a friend asked if I would officiate her wedding, I was stunned.  But, she was insistent that I was meant to do this work, and in this way, my journey began.

I love creating and performing weddings. I am a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant®, an ordained non-denominational minister and wedding officiant trained in the art of ceremony.  I love working with couples to find just the right words to share with each other and those gathered. I enjoy exploring what’s most important to them for the moment and for their marriage. I love hearing how they met and fell in love. Finding the perfect reading, music, ritual and writing the ceremony is always moving for me. I love the growing excitement that leads up to and includes the wedding day itself. And, officiating the ceremony is a powerful experience as I strive to honor the couple and their community.

For the past thirty years, my professional life has been to manage the artistic career of my husband, Bill Harley. A singer, storyteller, author and educator, our work has been to enrich the lives of children, parents and teachers through song and story. In addition to juggling work and family life (our two sons are now grown) I’m active in our community. A listener, planner and organizer, I’m actively involved in our Quaker Meeting and I’ve served on a number of educational, community and non-profit boards. I also love to spend time gardening, biking, kayaking, quilting, cooking and walking with our two big dogs. I’m glad to add a Celebrancy practice to the mix.