“I’m Tess’…” Max paused, glanced at his notes, and, with perfect comedic timing, added, “…brother.”
The crowd roared with laughter.
It was the first of many moments that made Tess and Chris’ wedding in Woodstock, Vermont, as memorable as it was unconventional. For Tess, choosing her brother Max as officiant was an easy decision. For the guests, it became a masterclass in humor and heart from a man who, as a child, was completely nonverbal.
Max, 29, is on the autism spectrum and often describes himself online as “your best pal with autism.” But on this sunny afternoon — despite a forecast calling for torrents of rain — he was also the star of the ceremony.
In a now-viral TikTok video posted by their father, Paul Cella, Max showed both the quick wit and earnest warmth that have endeared him to family and strangers alike. “Max was nonverbal as a child and today he officiated his sister’s wedding. You can’t teach this kind of timing,” Paul wrote in the caption, according to People.
From the podium, Max delivered a speech that alternated between playful jabs and heartfelt advice. “Tess is a good sister, except in high school she was kind of a sourpuss,” he said, prompting Tess to laugh and agree: “True.”
He went on to list her past boyfriends — “Chris, Sam, Elliott” — before declaring, “Chris over there is my favorite. Chris and I enjoy eating fast food as long as we’re in shape.” There was also an unfiltered observation about married life: “The only problem is that their dog growls at me.”
But the humor was anchored in genuine wisdom. “Being married means both of you must remain in love forever,” Max told the couple. “Never quarrel, not even once, be gentle with each other and stay in shape and also be happy the entire time.”
That blend of humor and heart didn’t surprise his father. “Every parent of a child with autism wonders what he might be able to accomplish, but Max has surprised us at every turn,” Paul told Newsweek. “Who knew he’d be an internet celebrity? … Max is literally the glue that has held his family together.”
The moment was years in the making. Max had developed his vocabulary and public speaking skills through weekly social media posts, his father said. When Tess and Chris began planning their wedding, they didn’t hesitate to ask him to officiate. His parents helped him organize his thoughts, smoothing out a few abrupt topic changes — such as jumping from chicken tenders to artificial intelligence — but the content was entirely his own.
Even so, the final delivery exceeded expectations. “We were confident he’d recite the speech, but we had no idea … that he would deliver it with such gusto,” Paul said.
When the vows began, the clouds broke and sunlight streamed onto the gathering. One online commenter noticed, writing, “Anyone else notice the sun comes out during the vows? Their marriage is smiled upon 🥰.” Paul agreed: “Exactly. And the forecast was for torrents of rain.”
The video of Max’s performance has been viewed more than 800,000 times on TikTok, with more than 162,000 likes and nearly 3,000 comments, according to People. Fans flooded the comments section with their favorite moments:
“Him name-dropping the ex-boyfriends had me cracking up hahaha.”
“‘I’m Tess’ (checks notes) brother!’ Haha this was the best!!!”
“Max about to be booked and busy next wedding season.”
As Max pronounced Tess and Chris husband and wife, the crowd erupted. For Tess, it was more than a beautiful ceremony. It was the culmination of decades of love, patience and pride. For everyone else, it was proof that the right officiant doesn’t just marry two people — they make the whole day unforgettable.
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