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What does an insurance agent, stand-up comedian, and an ordained minister have in common? Meet Narin Vann, the self-proclaimed Greatest Minister of All Time!

While his day-to-day job as an insurance agent does not allow for much comedy, the comedian by night made sure to add the laughs when he decided to become an ordained minister. “I got bored one day and saw it online and thought I could do this,” says Vann.

He considered using his new powers to unite couples at his sister’s wedding where he was a groomsman, as a surprise. “I was going to stand there and when they asked where the minister was, I would take my jacket off and step to the center,” he says. His dad didn’t want him to do that so he did it the next week at a friend’s wedding.

His first wedding was not without some miscommunication. Thinking he was supposed to meet the wedding party at the hotel, he showed up early, dressed in his white clergy collar. Some older gentlemen asked him for a ride to the wedding location. While in the car they asked how long he’d known the groom. That is when Vann realized he was headed to the wrong wedding with random strangers in his car.

Narin Vann Ladder Photobomb
Photo courtesy: Narin Vann

When Vann performs weddings, he knows who is in charge. “I do whatever the bride wants me to do,” he says. “It’s her day.” He meets with the couples beforehand, taking notes to make their ceremony is personalized and includes a story on how he knows them.

Sometimes the bride requests that Vann roasts the groom during the ceremony. At a friend’s wedding, Vann knew the groom’s license was suspended, so he said, “Usually when people are getting married, they are looking for their ride-or-die person, but this guy was just looking for a ride.” Afterward, the groom’s mother hugged Vann for making fun of her son.

After weddings, people thank Vann saying it was the best wedding they’ve attended. “I want my ceremonies to be fun,” he says. “The truth is most people want the ceremony to be done so they can eat and dance.”

Every wedding has a memorable moment that Vann uses for improv jokes. While performing a ceremony on Alki Beach, the maid of honor forgot to make the ceremonial tea traditionally used in Asian weddings. When Vann asked for the tea, she ran off to make it. Working the crowd while she was gone some time, Vann finally said, “How long does it take to make tea? Is she getting the water from a waterfall?”

At another wedding, where a dog was the ring bearer, the dog stopped to poop in the aisle. While the guests were giggling, Vann said, “Good boy, just like we rehearsed.”

One groom said in front of his new wife, “Hey if I ever get married again, I want you to perform it.” When the bride reacted angrily, he clarified that what he really meant to say was if they decided to renew their vows in the future.

What started as a hashtag Vann used for marketing, his claims as the greatest minister of all time is his own joke. If he claimed to be the best comedian of all time, fellow comedians would roast him. “Comedians are supposed to be super humble,” he says. “The people in the industry will humble you real quick.”

Narin Vann Donkey Photobomb
As an ordained minister, Vann aims to offer the most memorable experience for couples and their guests. Each ceremony is customized to be extra special with humor and fun. Photo courtesy: Narin Vann

When the hashtag caught on and people said he was deserving of the title, he used it for branding in his duties as a minister. “For once, I can be overly cocky because other ministers won’t argue with me,” he laughs. “Although, it would be great if one wanted to fight me over it. How funny would that be?”

While other comedians perform weddings, Vann added his own special touch to stand out from others. He is not just the greatest minister of all time, he is also the photobombing minister. His hilarious photos, often with his pants down, feature him in the background of the happy couple doing anything and everything to make a memorable photo.

“After the ceremony is done, I encourage the funny photos,” says Vann. “We’ve all seen hundreds of wedding photos with everyone lined up side by side. I want people cracking up when they look back and think, that’s our guy.”

When he isn’t uniting couples in holy matrimony, Vann performs locally including at Tacoma Comedy Club, hosting a monthly roast battle show Roastamania. He encourages the community to support local comedy and the businesses that host comedians and other acts. “There is so much talent all around here,” he says. “You will have a great time that is really affordable. There’s a lot going on in the world right now, so look at comedy and laughter. It’s our job to make people smile. Just be good to each other.”

Vann is available for hire for weddings, birthdays, parties and even funerals. “I’ll roast you, marry you or MC for something,” he says. “For weddings, it will be the ceremony your friends talk about all summer. It’s all about fun and I am your guy.”

For more information, you can reach Vann at Narinvann@gmail.com.

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