Minister & Wedding Officiant

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Your wedding is a special day that deserves special attention and preparation. Don't entrust one of the most important days of your life to just anyone. Make a list of the qualities that you would like your officiant to have. Meet your prospective officiant, or at the very least interview your officiant over the phone. Your best choice for an officiant is one who encourages your ideas and input, is highly experienced with a variety of wedding styles and venues; one who has a passion for ministry and people; and one who is a skilled writer and public speaker.The cost of the fees is a poor indicator of whether or not an officiant holds these qualities, or has the skills to compose a memorable ceremony. Visit their website, look closely at their correspondence, and make sure that the officiant utilizes multiple forms of communication, and take note of how quickly an officiant responds to your inquries. Your officiant should have an upbeat and friendly demeanor, and be a "fit" for you and your fiance's personality and circumstances.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I strive to compose a wedding ceremony that is a perfect blend of sacredness, romance, and originality, and reflects the unique personality and wishes of the couple I am serving.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I completely enjoy the diversity of the couples I serve, and the uniqueness of every wedding ceremony. Weddings are such a joy-filled occasion and no two weddings are ever alike. The most rewarding part of my job is translating a couple's dream for their wedding into reality.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. "How much do you charge to officiate a wedding?"

There are a number of factors that effect the cost of my services, but the two biggest considerations are the complexity, and location of the wedding. In all of the weddings I perform, I allow for at least one "ceremony within the ceremony," such as the Unity Candle, Unity Sand, Rose Ceremony, Blessing of the Rings, etc. Additional ethnic traditions or ceremonies that are added will typically involve a longer ceremony overall, and will increase my service fee accordingly. For a fair and accurate quote, please contact me through the Thumbtack message link. You can be absolutely certain that my fee is very reasonable, customary, yet very affordable considering the high level of quality, and attention to detail that I provide to each ceremony.
You may also call me for a quote at (209) 401-8381.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I entered the ministry out of a sense of God's calling upon my life. In responding to that calling, Christian ministry has provided me with many wonderful opportunities to serve others in a variety of different settings. Officiating weddings became a natural extension of, and evolved from that ministry.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. What trends or changes have taken place in the wedding industry in recent years, and how have those changes influenced the service you provide?

There are two notable changes I have observed, especially over the last ten years. The first change is in the way couples meet and communicate. In over a third of the weddings I officiate, couples have met online through a social network (e.g. Facebook), or through an online dating service (e.g. eHarmony.com, Match.com, etc.). For many, these online services have significantly reduced the uneasiness of the "first date" as couples are able to correspond in a neutral setting and learn more about each other before they meet face to face.

Another trend that has taken place, which has made officiating weddings even more enjoyable and interesting, is the increased number and variety of wedding venues available to couples. This has made my experience as an officiant all the more fun and adventurous. I have officiated weddings in churches and chapels; hotel lobbies; golf and country clubs; wineries; parks and rose gardens; restaurant and banquet facilities; livingrooms and backyards, and even on a dinner train.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. "What methods of payment do you accept for your services?"

I accept cash, checks, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or PayPal.
I require a minimum deposit of $80.00 at the time of the Pre-Ceremony Meeting, which serves as a retainer fee to reserve your wedding date. I allow couples to pay the remainder of the Service Fee in any interval or increment they wish, as long as it is paid in full no later than 5 calendar days ahead of the wedding.