Michelle Ward can hold a room.
As an adjunct instructor and coordinator for Wilmington University’s Partnership Community and Affairs Department, Ward brings wedding-day presence to the Wilmington University classroom.
That’s because when she’s not at WilmU, she serves her community as a professional wedding officiant. And when she’s at work, she brings the same care to serving students, whether she’s teaching, mentoring, or leading a class discussion.
Ward has served as a wedding officiant for five years. During that time, she has officiated many weddings — two for Wilmington University students: Jessica John, who earned her bachelor’s in Marketing and graduated in 2025; and Hayleigh Hammel, an Elementary Education alumna (2021) and teacher at the Capital School.
“In both settings, the work started the same way: listen first, then build an experience that fit the people in front of you,” Ward says.
The feeling is mutual for John and Hammel.
“Michelle came highly recommended to us on social media, so we scheduled a meeting with her,” says Hammel. “During that first conversation, I realized she was my professor during my freshman year in 2016, which immediately sealed the deal for me. Her First-Year Experience course was my very first class at WilmU, and I remember coming in as a freshman with little direction and not much excitement about school. Michelle completely changed that for me. I remember thinking that if all my professors were like her, I would have an amazing experience — and she truly shifted my outlook. It was an absolute honor to have someone who played such a meaningful role in my academic journey officiate my wedding.”
John echoes the sentiment. “As an instructor, Michelle created an environment where I always felt supported, encouraged, and confident in my learning,” she says. “She took the time to genuinely care about her students, and that same level of care carried over into our wedding experience. Having Michelle as both my University instructor and my wedding officiant was truly a full-circle moment for me. Michelle took the time to genuinely get to know us and our story, which made our ceremony feel incredibly personal and heartfelt. Her words were thoughtful, sincere, and perfectly captured our love and commitment.”
As an officiant, Ward specializes in ceremonies tailored to each couple’s story. She meets with them, asks questions that move beyond logistics, and writes ceremonies that reflect their values and the life they hope to build together. While she always aims for warmth and authenticity, creating personalized services isn’t easy; in fact, it’s a high-pressure job. There are no templates here. Ward has to emulate a couple’s voices while keeping guests engaged.
“No two love stories are the same,” she says. “It brings me great joy to truly get to know each couple and create a ceremony that is written just for them.”
With a background that includes General Biblical Studies at the Texas Bible Institute, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Marketing from WilmU, and professional experience with Disney, Ward brings a blend of faith, knowledge, story- telling and professionalism to her officiant work. The wife and mother of four has developed a perspective that has deepened her understanding of what meaningful moments can carry.
The same skills that help her guide couples through ceremonies also lead students through lessons: clear communication, confident public speaking, and the ability to read a room and adjust in real time.
Her own experience as a WilmU student strengthened those skills. It pushed her to communicate with confidence in front of diverse audiences, she says. As an adjunct, Ward learned to listen closely, adapt to various personalities and needs, and create an environment where people feel seen, valued, and comfortable. That approach helps her in ceremonies, too,
particularly when family dynamics can lead to unexpected emotional scenarios.
Officiating, Ward says, has sharpened her ability “to stay present under pressure.” Weddings rarely unfold exactly as planned. A microphone cuts out. A flower girl freezes. A gust of wind sends pages flying. The officiant’s job is to keep the moment grounded.
For her, the ceremonies reinforce what she has always believed about teaching: people remember how you make them feel. Whether guiding a couple through vows or a student through a challenging concept, she wants the experience to feel intentional, well-prepared, and personal. In the end, Ward says, both roles honor people’s stories and help them navigate life-changing moments with clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of heart.
—Maria Hess
Want to read more in-depth stories? Explore our latest magazine articles.
Michelle Ward can hold a room.
As an adjunct instructor and coordinator for Wilmington University’s Partnership Community and Affairs Department, Ward brings wedding-day presence to the Wilmington University classroom.
That’s because when she’s not at WilmU, she serves her community as a professional wedding officiant. And when she’s at work, she brings the same care to serving students, whether she’s teaching, mentoring, or leading a class discussion.
Ward has served as a wedding officiant for five years. During that time, she has officiated many weddings — two for Wilmington University students: Jessica John, who earned her bachelor’s in Marketing and graduated in 2025; and Hayleigh Hammel, an Elementary Education alumna (2021) and teacher at the Capital School.
“In both settings, the work started the same way: listen first, then build an experience that fit the people in front of you,” Ward says.
The feeling is mutual for John and Hammel.
“Michelle came highly recommended to us on social media, so we scheduled a meeting with her,” says Hammel. “During that first conversation, I realized she was my professor during my freshman year in 2016, which immediately sealed the deal for me. Her First-Year Experience course was my very first class at WilmU, and I remember coming in as a freshman with little direction and not much excitement about school. Michelle completely changed that for me. I remember thinking that if all my professors were like her, I would have an amazing experience — and she truly shifted my outlook. It was an absolute honor to have someone who played such a meaningful role in my academic journey officiate my wedding.”
John echoes the sentiment. “As an instructor, Michelle created an environment where I always felt supported, encouraged, and confident in my learning,” she says. “She took the time to genuinely care about her students, and that same level of care carried over into our wedding experience. Having Michelle as both my University instructor and my wedding officiant was truly a full-circle moment for me. Michelle took the time to genuinely get to know us and our story, which made our ceremony feel incredibly personal and heartfelt. Her words were thoughtful, sincere, and perfectly captured our love and commitment.”
As an officiant, Ward specializes in ceremonies tailored to each couple’s story. She meets with them, asks questions that move beyond logistics, and writes ceremonies that reflect their values and the life they hope to build together. While she always aims for warmth and authenticity, creating personalized services isn’t easy; in fact, it’s a high-pressure job. There are no templates here. Ward has to emulate a couple’s voices while keeping guests engaged.
“No two love stories are the same,” she says. “It brings me great joy to truly get to know each couple and create a ceremony that is written just for them.”
With a background that includes General Biblical Studies at the Texas Bible Institute, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Marketing from WilmU, and professional experience with Disney, Ward brings a blend of faith, knowledge, story- telling and professionalism to her officiant work. The wife and mother of four has developed a perspective that has deepened her understanding of what meaningful moments can carry.
The same skills that help her guide couples through ceremonies also lead students through lessons: clear communication, confident public speaking, and the ability to read a room and adjust in real time.
Her own experience as a WilmU student strengthened those skills. It pushed her to communicate with confidence in front of diverse audiences, she says. As an adjunct, Ward learned to listen closely, adapt to various personalities and needs, and create an environment where people feel seen, valued, and comfortable. That approach helps her in ceremonies, too,
particularly when family dynamics can lead to unexpected emotional scenarios.
Officiating, Ward says, has sharpened her ability “to stay present under pressure.” Weddings rarely unfold exactly as planned. A microphone cuts out. A flower girl freezes. A gust of wind sends pages flying. The officiant’s job is to keep the moment grounded.
For her, the ceremonies reinforce what she has always believed about teaching: people remember how you make them feel. Whether guiding a couple through vows or a student through a challenging concept, she wants the experience to feel intentional, well-prepared, and personal. In the end, Ward says, both roles honor people’s stories and help them navigate life-changing moments with clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of heart.
—Maria Hess
Want to read more in-depth stories? Explore our latest magazine articles.
