About Olivia

Who is Olivia Armanini?

I’m Olivia Armanini — a queer poet, writer, and wedding officiant.

I’ve spent my life paying attention to language: how it comforts, how it clarifies, how it holds emotion when words feel hard to find. Pride & Promise grew from that devotion — to story, to meaning, and to queer love that deserves to feel safe and witnessed.

My work lives at the intersection of emotional intelligence and structure. I believe tenderness needs a container, and that care is most powerful when it has clear boundaries.

I work with a limited number of couples each year so every ceremony and set of vows receives the attention it deserves.

What guides my work:

  • Words matter

  • Intimacy is powerful

  • You don’t owe anyone access to what’s sacred

  • Ceremony should feel grounding, not performative

Background & Approach

Before officiating weddings, Olivia was a former AP High School English teacher, helping students find their voice and tell their stories with clarity and confidence. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in Writing from Southeastern Louisiana University, and pursued additional writing study abroad at Charles University in Prague and University College Cork in Ireland, where she studied poetry, screenwriting, and self-publishing under working poets, graduate writers, and internationally respected educators.

This experience shaped her relationship to language — not as something polished for approval, but as something lived, spoken, and meant to be felt.

Her writing background spans poetry, education, digital marketing, and community arts. She is a self-published poet, has facilitated writing workshops, and served as co-chair of the 2024 Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest in Bellingham, Washington — one of the region’s most respected community poetry programs.

Officiating began as a favor for friends and chosen family. Then it kept happening.
Again and again, people asked her to write and lead their ceremonies — because the words felt different. More personal. More honest. More alive.

Since then, Olivia has officiated weddings across the South, the Pacific Northwest, and internationally, including ceremonies in Italy.

She approaches each ceremony the way she approaches poetry: with care, curiosity, and deep respect for the people involved.

As a Lesbian from the South, Olivia understands both the complexity and the beauty of queer love — the longing for safety, the joy of being seen, and the importance of creating spaces where nothing needs to be explained.

This work isn’t about tradition.
It’s about truth.

“Olivia officiated a wedding that I was a part of, and it was hands down the most eloquent and touching officiating I have ever seen during a wedding. Very professional, tailored to the couple, and the most well written speech I’ve heard. 10 out of 10 would HIGHLY recommend!!! You won’t be disappointed”
“We are incredibly grateful for the wonderful ceremony crafted by Pride and Promise. Olivia’s warmth, attentiveness, and genuine care made our daughter’s special day perfect! From thoughtful planning to a calming, uplifting presence on the day, she spoke with eloquence and sincerity. The personal touches made the ceremony unique and deeply meaningful. Our Friends and family still talk about how moving it was. We highly recommend this officiant for a ceremony filled with love, warmth, and unforgettable memories!”

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P.S. If you love what we do and want to support a queer-owned business, donations are always appreciated—but never expected! If you feel called, give down below!