Hello
My name is Jan Yoss. Thank you for visiting my site and taking the time to get to know me better. I have always been enamored with weddings - no matter how big or small; simple or extravagant. I think they all hold promise and are one of the most important days in our lives. For my own wedding, 23 years ago, it was important to me that both my husband and I were reflected in the ceremony. We chose to write our own vows and in doing so, I saw how meaningful it is that the ceremony reflect what makes each of us unique. My husband and I come from different cultures and his first language is not English. It was important to us that both our cultures were reflected in the ceremony. I chose to say some of my vows in my husband's first language, not only to show him that I wanted to share in the richness of his culture, but to let his family know that I wanted to fully embrace them. I will listen carefully to you and incorporate what you tell me about yourselves, your relationship and what is important to you in all aspects of the ceremony.
My Story
I grew up mostly in the Midwest and still have some of my Midwestern sensibilities. But, I have been in Los Angeles since 1986. I came to Los Angeles to go to law school at UCLA and instantly fell in love with California - the beaches, the mountains, the weather and the people. I love the diversity of the Los Angeles community and treasure all of the relationships I have forged here. Although I am very close with my parents and my siblings, they have never lived in California. So, I needed to create a family here. Before I got married and started my own family, I found a whole community of people who have supported me and loved me through the years and really are family.
After graduating from law school, I practiced as a litigation attorney. Both in my practice and in leadership roles I held with the Los Angeles County Bar Association, I engaged in a significant amount of public speaking. As an attorney, I relished taking the facts of a case and weaving them into a compelling story. I retired from practicing law in 2022. That is when my adventure as a wedding professional began.
As mentioned above, I truly have a passion for weddings. I enjoyed going to every one of my family and friends' weddings, and for some of them, their second weddings. I have always loved flowers, cut or in their natural state. I have been to botanical gardens in over 25 cities - so far. I wanted so badly to get involved with weddings that I had toyed with being a wedding planner or florist, but did not believe that was my calling. Then, upon my retirement from practicing law, a dear friend who had been a wedding officiant for 20 years talked to me about her career and I knew I had found my next calling. Under her guidance and tutelage, I have learned the ropes and found that with my public speaking background and my "love for love", being a wedding officiant is a truly rewarding experience. I am so excited that now I get to craft nonfictional stories about love and relationships, and hopes and dreams. Nothing could be better!
I have been married to my husband for 23 years and we have 2 children who are both young adults out building their lives and having adventures for themselves. I have a passion for pickleball that is almost as strong as my passion for weddings. I love playing games of any sort, and some people may say I am a bit competitive, but only in the most good-natured way. I love to laugh and at the same time I am thought of as a very serious and thoughtful person. I am fascinated by people and enjoy meeting and getting to know new people all the time.
I hope you will give me a call and that we can discuss if I am a good fit for your wedding officiant.
"Thank you Jan for all the effort you put into our ceremony. It was apparent that you invested a significant amount of time and we greatly appreciate it. It was everything we wanted it to be." Darren T.
"Our wedding ceremony was wonderful. Jan provided us with everything we wanted and more. We love how she combines her sense of humor with the right mix of the seriousness. We really enjoyed working with her."
Terri M.