When Stephanie Krill became engaged last year, she knew exactly what kind of wedding she wanted: a traditional ceremony under a gazebo surrounded by blossoms, blessed by a Roman Catholic priest.
She found the perfect place and booked it. She found the perfect dress and bought it. Then came the hard part: finding the priest. Of the few who were available, not one was willing to marry her outdoors because the church discourages wedding ceremonies outside church buildings.
Nonetheless, Ms. Krill eventually became Mrs. DiMaulo, her vows professed before a Father George, who arrived in flowing purple vestments to deliver the wedding she wanted, regardless of the rules. He could do this because he did not come from her parish in Bogota, N.J. He was not beholden to a bishop. Although the church does not recognize such weddings, the state does.
The DiMaulos found Father George on the Internet. He was advertised on a Web site that some consider horribly irreverent, others a stroke of genius. The site is called www.rentapriest.com. There, ordained men who have chosen to separate from the church, most to be married themselves, are organized state by state on "God's Yellow Pages Online."