Interfaith Wedding Officiant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Schwa Potter is a Broadway actor turned professional wedding officiant in Milwaukee who writes interfaith ceremonies that give both of your backgrounds a real place in your wedding. Past ceremonies have blended Jewish and Catholic, Hindu and Christian, Catholic and Evangelical, Taiwanese and Southern, and Wiccan and Pagan traditions, in religious, spiritual, or fully secular language.
What does an interfaith wedding officiant do?
An interfaith wedding officiant writes and leads a ceremony that brings two faiths, cultures, or family traditions together, then makes the marriage legal. Schwa Potter does both, and he has been ordained through the Universal Life Church since 2012, so no single denomination sets the rules for your ceremony.
You decide how much of each tradition shows up. Some couples want prayers from both sides. Others want one ritual each and secular language everywhere else. A few want to keep faith out of it and honor their cultures instead.
The Signature Ceremony is built for this. Each partner fills out a questionnaire that asks directly about religious elements and cultural traditions.
How do you blend two religions in one wedding ceremony?
Schwa Potter starts by getting a feel for how much of each tradition you want. Sometimes it is a single prayer. Sometimes it is one ceremonial element. Sometimes a couple wants a ceremony close to what one tradition normally does, mashed up with the other.
He researches both traditions if he hasn't already, and after many blended ceremonies he usually has. He asks about anything specific you want included, then writes the ceremony from scratch with the traditions and prayers you chose. You go back and forth until it is right: anything can come out, and anything can go in.
The goal is a ceremony that flows and takes your guests on a journey. These are the elements couples use most.
One ritual from each side
Pair something from each background, such as a blessing from one tradition and a unity ritual from the other. Handfasting, candle lighting, sand, wine box, and ring warming are all options.
Readings from both traditions
A scripture passage, poem, or blessing from each faith, read by a family member from that side.
Shared values language
Where your faiths agree about commitment, the ceremony can say it in words both families recognize.
Cultural traditions without religion
Keep the customs your families love and leave prayer out. Family rituals and live music can both have a place.
A custom ritual
Invent something new that belongs to the two of you, built from both histories.
Your love story in the middle
Your story ties the two traditions together. Schwa tells it so both sides of the aisle see the same couple.
How do you honor both families at an interfaith wedding?
Schwa Potter honors both families by giving each side a visible role in the ceremony. Parents, grandparents, and siblings from either family can give a reading or a blessing, present the rings, or take part in a unity ceremony.
What if one family wants their tradition front and center? Schwa defers to the couple. The ceremony is about the two of you, so you decide what it looks like and how much of each tradition goes in. Together you find the line where the family is comfortable and the couple is comfortable. What matters most to Schwa is that you feel great about the ceremony you create together.
Loved ones who have passed can be honored during the welcome. Schwa asks about the people you want remembered on the questionnaire, so nobody important gets missed.
Can an interfaith wedding ceremony be non-religious?
Yes. Many interfaith couples choose a fully secular ceremony and keep their cultural traditions in it. The Signature Ceremony can be religious, spiritual, or nonreligious, and the language is your choice.
If you want a short legal ceremony now and a bigger celebration later, the Quickie Ceremony is a 5-7 minute nonreligious option for $300.
How much does an interfaith wedding officiant cost in Milwaukee?
Most interfaith couples book the Signature Ceremony, since blending traditions takes a script written from scratch. Prices are fixed and include tax.
Signature Ceremony
15-25 minutes
- ✓ Written from scratch around your story
- ✓ A questionnaire for each partner
- ✓ Religious, spiritual, or nonreligious language
- ✓ Cultural traditions and unity ceremonies
- ✓ Unlimited script edits
- ✓ All of Wisconsin plus destination weddings
Quickie Ceremony
5-7 minutes
Not available Saturdays after 1pm
- ✓ Short, pre-written nonreligious ceremony
- ✓ Option to add your own vows
- ✓ Script review before your wedding
- ✓ Marriage license guidance
- ✓ Paperwork filed within 3 days
- ✓ Milwaukee and surrounding counties
Rehearsal coordination: +$150. Travel is free within 30 miles of Milwaukee, with a small travel fee beyond that. A 50% deposit holds your date ($475 Signature, $150 Quickie).
How does booking an interfaith ceremony with Schwa work?
Send an inquiry
Fill out the contact form with your date and ceremony type. Schwa replies and sets up a phone or Zoom call before you book.
Hold your date
A 50% deposit secures the date: $475 for a Signature Ceremony, $150 for a Quickie Ceremony. The balance is due on the wedding day.
Get your marriage license
You apply with the county clerk. Schwa gives you the officiant details the county asks for. The Wisconsin marriage guide walks through every step.
Tell your story
For a Signature Ceremony, each partner fills out a questionnaire on their own. That is where your names, pronouns, traditions, and the people you want honored get collected.
Review the script
Schwa writes your ceremony from scratch. You read the draft and ask for changes. Edits are unlimited until every line feels right.
Get married
Schwa arrives early, checks in with you and your coordinator, and performs the ceremony. Everyone signs the license, and Schwa files it with the county within 3 days.
What Do Couples Say About Schwa Potter?
Schwa Potter holds 70 Google reviews, all five stars, as of October 2026. A few of them:
"He also seamlessly wove cultural traditions and rituals, including handfasting and other meaningful elements, into our ceremony in a way that felt intentional, beautiful, and deeply authentic rather than performative."
Victoria Bajer
"One of the best compliments we received from a guest was that they felt that after attending our wedding, they walked away with a strong understanding of who we both are as individuals and the new life we are starting as a married pair."
Liz Beresford
Interfaith Wedding Officiant FAQ
Do you officiate interfaith weddings in Milwaukee?
Yes. Schwa Potter writes and performs interfaith wedding ceremonies in Milwaukee and anywhere in Wisconsin. Past ceremonies have blended Catholic and Evangelical, Taiwanese and Southern, and Wiccan and Pagan traditions.
Can you include prayers or readings from both of our religions?
Yes. A Signature Ceremony can include prayers, blessings, and scripture readings from any tradition, from both sides, or from neither. You choose every element, and Schwa Potter writes the ceremony around them.
Can an interfaith ceremony be non-religious?
Yes. Many interfaith couples keep cultural traditions and leave out prayers. Schwa Potter's Signature Ceremony can be religious, spiritual, or fully secular, and the Quickie Ceremony is always nonreligious.
Will you co-officiate with clergy from another faith?
Yes. Schwa Potter will gladly co-officiate with a priest, rabbi, imam, pastor, or other clergy member from another faith. Mention it on your first call, and the ceremony gets written with room for both officiants.
Is a ceremony by a non-denominational officiant legal in Wisconsin?
Yes. Schwa Potter has been ordained through the Universal Life Church since 2012 and has performed 500+ legal weddings since 2015. He signs your marriage license and files it with the county within 3 days.
Can our families take part in an interfaith ceremony?
Yes. Family members from either side can give a reading or blessing, present the rings, or join a unity ceremony. Schwa Potter can also honor loved ones who have passed during the welcome.
How much does an interfaith wedding officiant cost in Milwaukee?
An interfaith Signature Ceremony with Schwa Potter costs $950 for 15-25 minutes, written from scratch. Rehearsal coordination adds $150, and travel is free within 30 miles of Milwaukee, with a small travel fee beyond that. The $300 Quickie Ceremony uses a pre-written nonreligious script.
Who Is Schwa Potter?
Schwa Potter is a Broadway actor turned professional wedding officiant in Milwaukee. He performed in Mary Poppins on Broadway and the national tour, and he has written and performed 500+ ceremonies since 2015. He has been ordained through the Universal Life Church since 2012.
Interfaith couples, LGBTQ+ couples, and couples who want a non-religious ceremony make up the heart of his work. Every Signature Ceremony starts with each partner's questionnaire and ends with a script written for one couple only.
Ready to check your date? Send an inquiry and Schwa will set up a call.
