John Mayo, Justice of the Peace

John Mayo is a Justice of the Peace and wedding officiant based in Brookline, Massachusetts. He describes weddings that can be religious or secular, simple or spectacular, and says he creates a custom ceremony for each couple.

Experience

John officiated his first wedding in 2010, for friends in a vineyard in Washington State, and found that he loved helping two people profess their love. He is also a member of the Massachusetts Justice of the Peace Association.

LGBTQ+ couples

John Mayo is LGBTQ+-owned. Massachusetts has a long record of marriage equality, and an officiant from the community can add personal understanding to a ceremony, from the way partners are introduced to the wording of vows and the pronouncement.

Questions to ask an officiant

• How much input you have in writing the ceremony
• Whether he meets with you in advance, by video or in person
• What travel he does around the Boston area
• How the marriage paperwork is handled after the ceremony

The legal side

Check the current waiting rules and license process with the town clerk where you marry, and allow time to collect the paperwork. A 5.0 rating across 23 reviews adds reassurance.

Timing

Weekday elopements and small ceremonies are often easier to schedule than peak Saturdays, so ask what is available.

Writing your ceremony

Share a few stories about how you met and what you value in each other. These details help a custom ceremony feel personal rather than generic, and they give the officiant something real to say.