Jeni Thornton

My husband Glenn and I got married in 2011 at the Historic Malco Theatre in Hot Springs, on a budget that came in under three thousand dollars. That day changed how we thought about weddings entirely. We realized how much a ceremony can mean without needing to cost a fortune, and we wanted to help other couples find that same thing. Getting ordained online was the practical first step toward building Blissful Hot Springs, a wedding company rooted in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Hot Springs, Arkansas. It's home, and it's where Blissful Hot Springs is based.

I want to help couples have a ceremony that actually feels like them, whether that's a full traditional wedding or something much smaller and quieter. Budget should never limit beauty, and I take that seriously. We also know firsthand how hard it can be in Arkansas to find someone willing to perform an LGBTQ+ or interfaith wedding, and we never want that to stand in anyone's way. Whether it's an elopement, a same-day courthouse wedding, or a backyard handfasting, my goal is the same: to help two people say what they mean to each other in a way that fits who they are.

I'm not affiliated with a specific religious denomination, and I write ceremonies for couples of any faith or none at all. Whether a couple wants a ceremony rooted in a particular tradition, something entirely secular, or a blend of both, I meet them where they are without assumption.

I write ceremonies around the couple in front of me. I ask real questions about how they met, what matters to them, and what kind of day they actually want, then I build the ceremony from there. My husband Glenn, also an ordained officiant, is often part of the process too, and we bring both a writer's ear and a planner's eye to the details. And because we work with couples across every budget and background, nothing about how we approach a ceremony depends on how big or small the day is.

I'm based in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and do most of my ceremonies in the Hot Springs, Malvern, Benton and Little Rock areas. I'm also glad to travel throughout central Arkansas.

Beyond officiating, I offer full wedding and event planning, custom stationery and signage, handmade ceremony pieces and gifts, and decor, arch, and backdrop rentals. Couples can come to me for just the ceremony or lean on me for as much of the day as they need. I specialize in elopements, micro-weddings, same-day weddings, and nontraditional ceremonies, along with full weddings.