FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I have deliberately set my pricing lower than other officiants because my focus is not so much about me making money; I am primarily interested in helping couples get off to a great start. I ask for a $75 non-refundable deposit to secure the date and then a final $75 to be paid to me at the rehearsal or day of the wedding. (Doing so at the rehearsal eliminates one more thing you need to be concerned about on your wedding day.) I also provide a discounted price for vow renewals if you're already married.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I ask for a $75 non-refundable deposit to secure the date, and then ask the bride and groom to choose a time and location that works best for them for the three of us to meet for about 30 minutes (the sooner the better) to allow me to assist them with designing the ceremony they want (that's the key: what THEY want, nothing else). I provide sample ceremonies and sample vows, but whatever is chosen is entirely up to them, including writing their own vows, creating a unique ceremony (I have performed weddings in a lot of different places and in a variety of formats -- in churches, homes, parks, even one in a hot air balloon!) specifically designed by them with my help. Then, I assist them in leading their rehearsal (at which time I ask that they present me with a final $75, bringing the total fee to $150 for everything), performing the ceremony, and filing the required paperwork with the county and state.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a Bachelors' Degree in Business Management, two Masters' Degrees, one in Christian Education, and the other in Theology, and I have an earned Doctor of Ministry degree. However, the biggest asset I bring is that I have is 48 years worth of serving in the ministry, twenty of those as a youth minister, and the last twenty-eight as a senior pastor. In addition to all of that, my wife and I have been married for more than forty-eight years, so I have a little experience in what it's like being a husband.