A Wedding to Remember

Nick "YoshiYama" Yamashita has a Master's in Interdisciplinary Studies from Southern Utah University, teaches Martial Arts as a 3rd Degree American Kenpo Black Belt, a Professional Photographer & Artist, with publications involving the genres of Poetry, Short Stories, Thesis and Papers on Criminology/Criminal Justice/Ethical Issues and more. He has worked in Juvenile Criminal Justice and Criminal Justice fields with experience as well as Forensic Science experience. Nick resides in Mesquite, Nevada.

Mesquite, NV-

On Saturday, March 19th, the audience to the performance of the play Wedding Bell Blues or How the Virgin Valley Got its Groove On, witness a wedding to remember. Even though there were three weddings in the performance of the play, there was a fourth special wedding that happened during the intermission of the play by the local Virgin Valley Theatre Group. This wedding was not performed by actors or filled by acting, but instead was an actual wedding between an actually engaged couple and an actual wedding officiant.

After about 3 weeks of doing a wedding contest which was created by local wedding officiant Ken Juber, the VVTG and Juber selected a winning couple to be wed on stage. The couple who applied after finding out about the contest on social media was announced as Shelly Allen and David Christensen. The couple were residents of Mesquite and were excited to try this unique and fun way to be married. The couple selected the performance of March 19, 2022, @ 7:00 pm to be the date of their wedding.

Wedding Officiant Ken Juber introduces Mr. and Mrs. Christensen to the audience. (Photo: YoshiYama Photography)

The wedding went off without any hitch other than them being hitched. The family members who were able to attend were able to be on stage with them as the couple gave their vows, commitments of “I Do”, and the sealing kiss. The couple was introduced as Mr. and Mrs. David and Shelly Christensen. The Bride even got to throw a floral bouquet to all the single women in the audience.

After the beautiful ceremony, the groom and bride were smiling especially bright as the audience got to take time to partake of wedding cupcakes and congratulate the newlyweds for the rest of the intermission.

“It was perfect,” exclaimed the Bride Shelly. “We are excited and we are very happy.”

The couple went through some interviews with the Virgin River Times, a wedding rehearsal and directions from Ken Juber, and the nerves of being in front of a whole audience of a couple of hundred people.

“It was so worth it,” said Groom David. “We want to thank everyone for helping us get married and for everything.”

The couple received a 1-night stay at Eureka with a $100 dinner gift certificate for Gregory’s from Eureka Casino and Resort. They also received a floral bouquet, corsage, bridal crown, and more from The Front Porch Floral. Free wedding officiant services by Ken Juber and free photography from YoshiYama Photography and the Virgin River Times as a congratulations gift. The cupcakes were also donated by John and Nancy Rosen.

The single woman who caught the bouquet in the audience celebrates. (Photo: YoshiYama Photography)

“Officiating over tonight’s wedding ceremony for Shelly and David in front of a live theatrical audience at our community theater was a new marriage for them and a fantastic inaugural event for me. What a way to kick-off a new career at age 67,” stated Mesquite’s local wedding officiant Ken Juber.

What a kick-off it was for everyone as the couple gets a unique, theatrical, and blessed marriage kick-off while the career of a new local wedding officiant gets kicked off with an encore performance, and the actors/audience get a kick-off to witnessing a story of love becoming true.

“Retirement for me means the start of a new career in which I use my professional acting, writing, and presentation skills to bring joy into the lives of others when so many terrible things are happening all over the world,” said Juber.

As more residents and visitors find out more about the local wedding license office here in Mesquite, Juber said he hopes that the marriage business will grow exponentially turning it into a “Mini-Vegas” for weddings. Mesquite, Nevada has been listed recently as a top spot in Nevada for holding weddings because of the recent opening of the wedding license office and the beautiful scenery around. Several wedding venues mentioned were local golf courses.

Audience members partake of the wedding cupcakes and congratulate the Christensen couple during the intermission. (Photo: YoshiYama Photography)

The night ended with the finish of the Wedding Bell Blues theatre performance ending on a happy note for all of the characters in the play. The Christensens had a happy ending to their night with a beautiful, unique, and wonderful ceremony witnessed by a live audience of strangers and friends. Ken Juber had a happy ending seeing his clients and new friends being married. So, the happy ending was for everyone and the blessing of the night would lead to a “happily ever after” wish for the rest of everyone who attended.

For more information about wedding officiant services, contact Ken Juber by email at MesquiteMarriageMan@gmail.com or by phone at (818) 472-2949.