Gerald Fierst is a civil celebrant who writes and performs weddings and life ritual ceremonies . He also performs as a storyteller and teaches writing and the creative process throughout the US, Europe, Asia and Australia. Fierst’s audio tapes have received Parent Choice Awards, and he is the recipient of a New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship in Playwriting. At his home in Montclair, NJ, he hosts The Gathering, a curated salon at which regional artists present their work and discuss their process. His book The Heart of the Wedding will be released in September, 2010, by Parkhurst Brothers, Our National Conversation.

The Heart of the Wedding illuminates the ritual of marriage through cross cultural history, folktale, true life stories, and ritual, all infused with practical advice wisdom. In a world where couples – and the ceremonies they choose- come in many varieties,.this book celebrates the new America, respecting tradition while finding a contemporary voice to say “I do.” Fierst can be reached at gerald@geraldfierst.com www.geraldfierst.com