FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Is there a rehearsal? Some dates and times are more in demand than others. I do have four associate pastors who share my philosophies and am able to attend to more than one wedding a day. How far do you need me to travel and will I need accommodations for overnight.
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
My father was a pastor and put me on the pulpit at age 7. I attended seminary and gained many years of ministerial training early in life. I went to university to study for my PhD in Theology at which time I found myself and my thinking more liberal and opneminded than most southern churches. Later in life I found that my training was beneficial in serving the non churched and non-believer. IT was not a decision on my part but simply where I was led. And I am grateful that I was led in this direction.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
With all the planning that takes place for your wedding and reception sometimes less attention is given to the main event itself- the ceremony. I have seen weddings where the bride was shocked with the actual wording used by the officiant/ minister during the ceremony because so little time or communication had taken place prior to the wedding day. The officiant had not taken the time to familiarize themselves with the couple, who they are and what their beliefs and desires were. When my career evolved into serving couples as their wedding officiant I had participated in enough weddings to have realized how different each couple are from others. Though in much earlier times it was most common that a religious person would marry another of equal faith. A Baptist would most likely marry a Baptist and a Catholic would marry only a Catholic. Times are much different now. Faith is no longer the standard used by many in our culture in choosing their partner for life. In fact I have seen Catholic marry atheist and Methodist marry Baptist and so forth. And it is more common today for the couple to be non-churched. In all these instances it can make it difficult to find a clergy to officiate the wedding ceremony. Even non-faithed couples want to have a dignified ceremony that focuses on their love and the meaning of love. They may simply not want any god invoked for their union. Or again there may be a mixture of beliefs within the couples families and they feel a need to tactfully intertwine that mixture of beliefs into the ceremony. Possibly a handfasting ceremony within a ceremony that includes a prayer of blessing of rings. And just as important, if not more important, they want the person standing in front of them to know their names and how to pronounce them. This is the 21st century and many women just do not like the sound of Who GIVES this woman as they feel that it makes them sound like property to be given and taken. So many have opted for Who escorts.. Or Who gives blessing .. Just as important to some is the words be in subjection to . Most now view marriage as an equal partnership where neither is in subjection to the other, but that it is a joint venture that is based on mutual love and respect for each other. I have found that it is very important that the ceremony be a reflection of who the couple are and not who I am. I expend much more time working out the details and wording of the ceremony than actually officiating over the wedding. Rest assured that whatever your faith or lack thereof, whatever your theme (I just dressed as Dr Who for a Dr Who themed wedding and I am in the planning stage for a Star Wars vs Star Trek wedding- Will I be Darth Vader??) I am willing to please. My motto is quite simply: YOUR WEDDING, YOUR WAY! From getting the names right to knowing something about the couple it is all important to your special day. To be dressed for the occasion and being articulate and well spoken I must fit in to YOUR event. I truly enjoy what I do. It is a happy celebration of what has already taken place in the hearts of two people. It is an intimate affair being shared with friends and family. And it is my job to make certain that I fit in and not be a distraction but an asset to the theme and atmosphere that you have worked so hard to create for you special day. Make certain that you share with the person you choose what your desires are, what your expectations are and do not be afraid to demand it to be just as you want. There is no need to be intimidated by the clergy or officiant. I am here to serve, not to convert.