FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
My fee as a wedding officiant will vary, depending on how far I need to travel and how often. If it's less than 50 miles from home, I charge $200 for one trip for the rehearsal, one trip for the ceremony. I also provide marriage preparation classes and that cost will depend on the couple and how involved they want their preparation to be. Professional Speaking engagement pricing will be time, travel and subject driven. Anywhere from $500 for a single speech to $5000 for a series or a keynote address.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
For marriages, I speak with the couple to make sure I understand exactly what they want and give that to them. If I find out a wedding planner is involved I will work with that planner and make sure we are on the same page as far as meeting the wishes of the couple. For marriage preparation services are concerned, it could be anything from a one-time sit down with the couple and me providing feedback, to a series of four or five sessions with testing scored by computer.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I was ordained a Roman Catholic Permanent Deacon in 1988, and worked full time at a parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit. I performed hundreds of wedding ceremonies both in and out of the church. I was a professionally trained therapist for the city of Detroit and a private firm in Plymouth Michigan. It was not a requirement to have a Master's degree at the time, even though I finished all of the academic work for a Master's in counseling in the 1990's with a 3.8 GPA.Because I was an ordained minister, there was really no need for a degree to counsel members of our parish, St. Ives in Southfield Michigan.