Her Story
About Kristen
Kristen Barner is an ordained minister and the founder of Wedding Bell Rev LLC, a Charleston, South Carolina-based wedding officiating business she launched in 2012. She earned her Master of Divinity in Theology from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 1997, with a focus on homiletics, political and religious ethics, and conflict mediation, and was ordained in 2009. Her academic foundation began at Mary Baldwin University, where she studied English, theater, and secondary education, and later deepened through four units of clinical pastoral education as a chaplaincy resident at the University of Virginia Medical Center, where she served patients across the ER, trauma, surgery, burn, and transplant units.
Before turning her full attention to wedding ministry, Barner built a varied career in pastoral care, working as an associate pastor for a United Church of Christ congregation in Phoenix, Arizona, and in youth ministry, while also spending four formative years in Ghana, West Africa. There, she partnered with Habitat for Humanity and taught English and drama in Accra, experiences she describes as shaping her approach to service and connection. She later merged her practice with Charleston Wedding Associates, a business previously led by her mentor, Doug Farmer, further establishing her presence in the Charleston wedding community.
Today, Barner crafts personalized ceremonies for couples and leads a premarital coaching program rooted in her training in conflict mediation and communication. She is an active member of the Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ and volunteers her time with the Medical University of South Carolina, serving on its Patient Family Advisory Council and as a family faculty speaker. In recognition of her work, she was selected for inclusion in the 2026 edition of Influential Women. Guided by values of authenticity, respect, and open communication, Barner approaches both her ministry and her personal life with the belief that love is love, and that honest, boundary-respecting connection is the foundation of lasting relationships.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kristen
01What do you attribute your success to?
I credit my success to authenticity. I don't believe in surprises — what you see is what you get with me. That honesty can work against me at times, but I'd rather be frank than pretend, and my conversations always reflect that.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
During my chaplaincy training, I learned to truly listen and read the room. That means listening to understand, not simply waiting for my turn to respond, and being comfortable letting silence and pauses exist while I think through my answer.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You can do whatever you set your mind to
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I see book banning and gaps in patient-centered healthcare as significant challenges in our broader society. Within my own work, I find that communication gaps and unchecked assumptions are often the biggest obstacles couples face — and addressing them directly is where real growth happens.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Love is love is love. Respect matters deeply to me, as does setting clear boundaries. I try never to assume, and I hold communication — open, honest communication — as central to everything I do.
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