Gene Dinapoli
- New York City, NY
- Elvis Impersonator
Andrew H. said “Our company used Gene Dinapoli for our annual Friends of Elvis fundraiser. His performance was outstanding and his energy really worked up the crowd.…”
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As your wedding officiant, I'll work with you to craft the perfect custom ceremony for YOU. There are no rules. Your love is yours to celebrate as you wish. I draw upon my theatrical background, classical education, and eclectic life experience to help you realize your ideal wedding service – one that you'll cherish for the rest of your life.
Professional, cordial and accommodating -- I can't say enough good things about David. Our Central Park ceremony was kept brief due to the sweltering mid-August heat, but it was absolutely perfect, and a memory we will cherish for a lifetime. Thanks again for everything David!!
David F. Slone, Esq. officiated at our wedding on July 3, 2011 in Rumson, NJ. Neither my husband nor I subscribe to any official religious belief system and wanted an officiant rather than a priest or rabbi to preside over our wedding. Yet we were looking for someone ceremonious and dignified who possessed both the gravitas and professionalism necessary for such a momentous occasion. This describes David Slone to a tee. A professional actor and burlesque MC, David Slone has performed in famous New York City venues such as the Slipper Room and the Highline Ballroom. The New York Times referred to him as “The Ghost of Pavarotti,” and another critic waxed rhapsodic about his “basso profundo voice.” Slone’s Pavarotti-esque appearance and deep booming voice make him not only suited to the stage but the wedding altar as well. David Slone’s stage presence, spellbinding deep voice, and theatrical flair made our wedding unforgettable. In addition to the professional acting skills he brought to our ceremony, he was also remarkably responsible, reliable, punctual, and flexible in what he was willing to read and accommodated our every whim. When I told him we were having a Celtic pagan wedding, he barely blinked and then added with a wry smile, “Will you be requiring cords for handfasting?” I mentioned that we wouldn’t be going that far, but that we would use ancient Celtic vows and we were adding a lot of our own personal material. Our vows began with “You will not possess me,” and ended with “This is a marriage of equals.”
One of my friends commented that our vows sounded more like a squabble during a divorce settlement because we were emphasizing our wish for freedom to remain true to ourselves while joining together. But David never once questioned our quirky vows, and he read them in a strong, clear and emotionally moving voice that made our wedding feel as official and sacred and permanent as it would have during any religious ceremony.
Not only did his very moving deep voice do justice to our vows, which he skillfully read from his iphone, but he seamlessly led us through our eclectic choice of ceremonies, ranging from a sand ceremony to poetry readings, to a rose ceremony honoring our mothers. He has officiated at numerous weddings and was extremely skilled in orchestrating not only the various ceremonies, but the wedding processional, exchanging of rings, and positioning of all the members of the wedding party.
He both respected our vows and honored our sartorial decisions as well. I asked him to wear a top hat because we wanted a festive cabaret feel to our wedding and he obliged. Because it was summer, he wore a very jaunty and stylish straw top hat that made him even more of a striking presence than he ordinarily is.
David’s remarkable officiating skills made our wedding easy and dreamlike. He arrived early on the day of our rehearsal and even acted as master of ceremonies, announcing various phases of our wedding, from family photos, to cocktails on the terrace, to dinner and dancing. I had once considered hiring a DJ who would be able to make announcements during the evening, but David, with his confident booming voice was more than happy to play that role.
When I go back and watch videos of my wedding, I am so grateful we decided to have David officiate our wedding. He was a warm, supportive, ceremonious, dignified and spellbinding presence that wildly impressed our guests and helped make our wedding a day we could never forget. If you’re planning a wedding, don’t miss this opportunity to have David Slone officiate! He is absolutely the best!!
--Emily Benson-Scott and Robin Scott, married July 3, 2011 in Rumson, New Jersey.
David F. Slone, Esq. officiated at our wedding on July 3, 2011 in Rumson, NJ. Neither my husband nor I subscribe to any official religious belief system and wanted an officiant rather than a priest or rabbi to preside over our wedding. Yet we were looking for someone ceremonious and dignified who possessed both the gravitas and professionalism necessary for such a momentous occasion. This describes David Slone to a tee. A professional actor and burlesque MC, David Slone has performed in famous New York City venues such as the Slipper Room and the Highline Ballroom. The New York Times referred to him as “The Ghost of Pavarotti,” and another critic waxed rhapsodic about his “basso profundo voice.” Slone’s Pavarotti-esque appearance and deep booming voice make him not only suited to the stage but the wedding altar as well. David Slone’s stage presence, spellbinding deep voice, and theatrical flair made our wedding unforgettable. In addition to the professional acting skills he brought to our ceremony, he was also remarkably responsible, reliable, punctual, and flexible in what he was willing to read and accommodated our every whim. When I told him we were having a Celtic pagan wedding, he barely blinked and then added with a wry smile, “Will you be requiring cords for handfasting?” I mentioned that we wouldn’t be going that far, but that we would use ancient Celtic vows and we were adding a lot of our own personal material. Our vows began with “You will not possess me,” and ended with “This is a marriage of equals.”
One of my friends commented that our vows sounded more like a squabble during a divorce settlement because we were emphasizing our wish for freedom to remain true to ourselves while joining together. But David never once questioned our quirky vows, and he read them in a strong, clear and emotionally moving voice that made our wedding feel as official and sacred and permanent as it would have during any religious ceremony.
Not only did his very moving deep voice do justice to our vows, which he skillfully read from his iphone, but he seamlessly led us through our eclectic choice of ceremonies, ranging from a sand ceremony to poetry readings, to a rose ceremony honoring our mothers. He has officiated at numerous weddings and was extremely skilled in orchestrating not only the various ceremonies, but the wedding processional, exchanging of rings, and positioning of all the members of the wedding party.
He both respected our vows and honored our sartorial decisions as well. I asked him to wear a top hat because we wanted a festive cabaret feel to our wedding and he obliged. Because it was summer, he wore a very jaunty and stylish straw top hat that made him even more of a striking presence than he ordinarily is.
David’s remarkable officiating skills made our wedding easy and dreamlike. He arrived early on the day of our rehearsal and even acted as master of ceremonies, announcing various phases of our wedding, from family photos, to cocktails on the terrace, to dinner and dancing. I had once considered hiring a DJ who would be able to make announcements during the evening, but David, with his confident booming voice was more than happy to play that role.
When I go back and watch videos of my wedding, I am so grateful we decided to have David officiate our wedding. He was a warm, supportive, ceremonious, dignified and spellbinding presence that wildly impressed our guests and helped make our wedding a day we could never forget. If you’re planning a wedding, don’t miss this opportunity to have David Slone officiate! He is absolutely the best!!
--Emily Benson-Scott and Robin Scott, married July 3, 2011 in Rumson, New Jersey.
One of our favorite stories to tell about our wedding is the story of how our friend David F. Sloan officiated over our wedding last minute. He was of course a guest, but when the original officiant backed out to go play a pool tournament, David graciously stepped up to the position. We kicked ourselves for not asking him sooner.
He gave a powerful and immensely poetic rendition of the Origin of Love from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, to a crowd equal parts baffled family and highly amused friends. Having never heard him speak the song until that day, I was both surprised and incredibly moved while listening to him speak.
It was unequivocally what our wedding was about.
Price Range: $300 and up
I offer wedding ceremonies that are heartfelt, unique, and designed to celebrate the very special love between two beautiful individuals, regardless of gender, race, or creed.
I specialize in bespoke, non-denominational wedding services, custom tailored to the needs and desires of the couple. I'm ordained by The Church of Spiritual Humanism, and am a seasoned actor and variety arts emcee. I believe in the sanctity of marriage, and in the freedom of each couple to choose the form of their wedding ceremony. After all, nobody understands the special nuances of a couple's relationship better than the couple themselves.
Here's what a few of the couples that I've wed have to say about their experiences:
"I enthusiastically and unhesitatingly recommend David as a wedding officiant! He has the public speaking and public performance skills that will make the ceremony go smoothly and enjoyably. He's got the right manner for a joyous and important event. If you're uncertain about this or that detail of the ceremony, he'll have ideas to bring to the table, and he'll adapt well to the ideas that you already have, because he's drawing from a lot of experience in all the relevant fields." – Mira Prinz-Arey and Howard Arey
"When choosing the officiant of our wedding,we knew without a doubt that the eloquent elegance of David Slone Esquire was the perfect choice for us! He brings both his commanding presence and poetic presentation to his wedding service, which is equally inspirational and heartfelt. Dressed in a silken top hat, silken vest and suit, Mr. Slone exuded the elegance and 1930s inspired style of our wedding. He was open to a presentation that would work with our vision. As an actor and performer, he is very comfortable in from of a crowd, yet is extremely respectful and gracious – a supporting actor, so to speak – that lets the couple shine!" – Alexis Karl and Ken Weaver
"When I go back and watch videos of my wedding, I am so grateful we decided to have David officiate our wedding. He was a warm, supportive, ceremonious, dignified and spellbinding presence that wildly impressed our guests and helped make our wedding a day we could never forget. If you’re planning a wedding, don’t miss this opportunity to have David Slone officiate! He is absolutely the best!" – Emily Benson-Scott and Robin Scott
"One of our favorite stories to tell about our wedding is the story of how our friend David F. Slone officiated over our wedding last minute. He was of course a guest, but when the original officiant backed out to go play a pool tournament, David graciously stepped up to the position. We kicked ourselves for not asking him sooner. He gave a powerful and immensely poetic rendition of the Origin of Love from 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch', to a crowd equal parts baffled family and highly amused friends. Having never heard him speak the song until that day, I was both surprised and incredibly moved while listening to him speak. It was unequivocally what our wedding was about." – Jennifer Reminick & Ryan Nichols
August 14, 2016 • 4:00pm - 4:30pm | Wedding Ceremony |
February 19, 2016 | Wedding Ceremony |
A microphone, or an XLR or 1/4" jack into which I can plug my wireless mic.
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