WEDDING MINISTER
LaToya Papillion-Herr, lovingly called Minister Toya, is a wedding minister, marriage coach, and spiritual counselor. Inspired by the historical ruling on same-sex marriage by the Supreme Court in 2015, she began serving couples that wanted radical support, professional standards, a whole lot of magic, and a genuine connection at the wedding altar. LaToya consistently uses her work and her voice in the industry to challenge the status quo and boldly advocate for all couples to see their love stories as worthy of celebration and uninhibited joy!
With personable and engaging wedding ceremonies, she highlights the love stories of diverse couples; from all over the world. Their weddings have been featured in Vogue, Carats & Cake, Southern Bride Magazine, Martha Stewart, Dancing with Her, Equally Wed, New Orleans Wedding Magazine, Munaluchi, and more. You can also find her insight quoted with The Guardian, Brides, HueIDo, The Knot, and many others.
In addition to weddings, LaToya honors her roots in Southern Louisiana and Native American ancestry through her work as a spiritual counselor and ritualist. Since 2010, she has been creating sacred space for clients as they explore their spiritual beliefs, develop a spiritual practice that brings light into their life right now, and leads them toward a deeper understanding of their inner selves. This spiritual connection and trust are strong pillars of how she serves.
As a wedding officiant and marriage coach, she gives couples the personalized support and experiences they desire on their journey to the altar. From inquiry to the altar, and beyond - she uses her expertise, comforting laughter, and transparent communication to broaden perspectives, create memorable moments, and honor the sacred space within your relationship.
Minister LaToya was the wedding officiant on season 11 of the popular LifeTime tv-series, Married at First Sight, for one of the series' favorite couples, Woody and Amani.
MARRIAGE COACH
To fully serve her communities through experience and education, she also provides classes and learning opportunities to support where ever they may be along their journey. Her work encourages and fosters love within the relationships we have with ourselves, our partners, our communities, and the energy that connects us all. By attending any of her coaching sessions, live videos, and group meetings, you can prepare for the altar (and after) with her as your guide, even if someone else is officiating your ceremony.
As a Black queer woman, LaToya knows how it feels to navigate the world within a marginalized community and still show up as her authentic self! She merits learning how to navigate the intersections of her identity, honor the nuances of her relationship, and dedicate real work towards communication as the keys to her and her wife’s boundless joy throughout the years. Their marriage was the original inspiration behind her decision to become a wedding minister; their love remains the driving force behind this intentional love work.
As an LGBTQ+ and interracial family, they are advocates for celebrating all manifestations of genuine love and creating change that will positively impact their communities.
PUBLISHED AUTHOR
With a dedication to helping couples honor their unique love stories, LaToya wrote Laughter at the Altar, a guide to creating meaningful moments and magic at the wedding altar. In her book, Minister Toya shares her wedding story, the lessons learned, and some of the knowledge she now shares with couples. While sharing her experience as a professional in the wedding industry, she also features insider notes on coordinating the ceremony, space for note-taking and planning, and script samples for every part of your wedding ceremony.
Under the resources, you will find other helpful digital guides and templates that she has created for couples along their journey to the altar.
