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My rates are
considered average for non-clerical wedding officiants and quite reasonable for
clergy in Central Florida. I do not see the point in adding a premium for
wedding officiating simply because I am an ordained congregational minister. I
believe every couple should have access to affordable professional wedding
ministry and that officiants should be as fair, consistent and open about their
fee structure as possible.
Fees Include
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All communication and meetings necessary to customize your
service
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Crafting and preparation of your personalized service
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Availability for questions and concerns regarding any aspect of
your wedding planning
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Conducting the rehearsal (if contracted to do so)
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Early arrival at the wedding venue to allow for coordination
with other wedding vendors, calm nerves and tackle any last
minute tasks necessary to get your ceremony off to a smooth and
timely start.
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Officiating of your ceremony
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Keepsake wedding folder which includes an attractive marriage
certificate, printed copy of the complete service, and a few
additional mementos.
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Filing of the marriage license if the couple so desires
(Although anyone may return the completed license, I always
offer take on this responsibility if the bride and groom would
like me to do so. I file Brevard County licenses in person at
the courthouse within two or three business days and mail
out-of-county licenses to the originating county via certified
mail)
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Portable PA system (with stand mic) if deemed necessary
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All travel expenses relative to the ceremony
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Cheerful disposition, professional demeanor, charming sense of
humor and basic brilliance
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Quick thinking and creative problem solving that has proved
quite handy at the least expected moments
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Pastoral care if necessary - Weddings are highly emotional times
and I have found my pastoral care experience has proven
invaluable on
more than one occasion.
Customary Fees Throughout Central Florida
My published rates are typical and can be safely used for budgetary purposes. Exact fees may vary slightly depending upon your unique circumstances
and are determined at the time of contract. I promise
no unexpected additional charges will ever be
added to your balance. Because I include all travel expenses, my rate sheet
is broken down by region.
Rate Sheet
Considerations Available
I offer a $20 fee reduction if any of the following apply.
I offer an additional $25 fee reduction for
couples who have taken a
Marriage Education class with me. These reductions may not be
available on major holidays.
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MILITARY: I'm an Army
brat with a soft spot for our men and women in uniform. Active duty, retired
and reserve status apply.
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STUDENT: Based on personal experience I am entirely sympathetic to the
financial needs of undergraduate and graduate students
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MID-WEEK: Monday-Thursday are off-peak wedding days, so why not?
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VOW RENEWAL: If the couple is already married, there is no legal paperwork
for which I am responsible.
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ASTON VILLA FC FANS: A small quiz may be administered.
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UUCB: Couples scheduling
their
ceremony at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Brevard.*
*Rental fees for UUCB are separate
and the responsibility of the UUCB Board of Trustees. The sanctuary is $80 for
the first hour and $30 for each additional 30 minutes. I recommend a 3 hour
rental of $200 to allow for deliveries, decorating, prelude, ceremony,
post-ceremony photography and putting the sanctuary back in order.
Cancellation Policy
Although it happens rarely, there are times a couple may have to cancel their
contract for any number of reasons. I am mindful of the expenses associated with
wedding deposits and strive to be fair with my cancellation policy. A contract
may be cancelled upon notification via email or regular post. I do prefer to
have something to print for record-keeping purposes.
My contracted deposit is considered non-refundable as it guarantees the date and time of
the ceremony and thus I decline any other business while the contract is active.
When a wedding is cancelled, I clear my calendar and will again speak to other
couples who inquire about that same date and general time period.
In the event I rebook: I will of course happily refund the
original deposit from the
couple who cancelled. I do not think it fair to retain the deposit if no
business has been lost. I do not insist a subsequent booking be for the exact
time of the original wedding. Simply rebooking something for the same day may
suffice.
In the event I am unable to rebook: In these instances I have to
make a judgment call. Factors such as the demand for the time period in question
and how far in advance I have had the opportunity to rebook are considered. For
example, I may reserve the right to keep a deposit if I have had to turn down
several requests while the contract was active, but do not have adequate time to
rebook after the cancellation. On the other hand, I may refund a deposit if I
have had time to receive subsequent inquiries after a cancellation that did not
result in a booking.
I do reserve the right to deduct incurred expenses from any deposit.
Additional
Services
I do not charge
set fees for other ministerial services such as
child
dedications, memorial services and other rites of passage simply
because they are typically less formal, require little to no
coordination with other vendors, tend to be scheduled with very
little lead time and are usually shorter in duration. Instead, I
accept a voluntary honorarium at your discretion.
Payment
Methods
When received, I always
respond with written confirmation for receipt of payment.
Acceptable methods of
payment:
Cash, Money Order, E-check,
Debit & Credit Card via PayPal. The PayPal address is:
brevardminister@cfl.rr.com. You may pay with a personal check. Checks
returned for insufficient funds incur an additional $25.00 service fee and will
be due payable in cash, money order or paypal within ten days of notification.
Click
here for step-by-step
instructions for submitting payments via PayPal.
The
Consultation
Initial Consultation:
The first thing we should do is have an initial consultation
so you can decide if I am the one best suited to meet your expectations. Such
meetings are of course at no charge and with absolutely no obligation. This provides you the
opportunity to decide if you would like me as your officiant and I become
familiar with the scope of the ceremony based on your vision. The consultation
can be as simple as a telephone conversation, an email exchange, or we may
arrange a time to meet in person. If we arrange a time to meet in person and you
change your mind, please do extend me the courtesy of calling in advance to
cancel. I understand completely.
To schedule a consultation
please call 321-255-9086 or email
brevardminister@cfl.rr.com.
Date and
Time Reservation:
Should you decide to retain
my services, a non-refundable deposit reserves the date and time of your
nuptials. I never double book and prefer to serve one couple per day. In the
event of multiple weddings on a single day I try to leave plenty of time
between ceremonies. I don't want the stress either!
I always allow
for travel time, early arrival, reasonable
delays and ample time for pictures and
witness signatures. If notified in advance I will also allow time
for a meal or reception blessing to inaugurate the post-ceremony
festivities.
The deposit is due with the
signed contract and guarantees reservation of the date and time. The balance is
due one week prior to the date of the ceremony, but may be paid at any time.
After
Retaining Services:
I continue to work with you
from my office to develop a service tailored to your needs and desires. Some
weddings can take as few as a handful of exchanged phone calls and emails to
others that require extensive communication, perhaps personal meetings spent
re-crafting the ceremony and the ironing out of last minute details.
At the rehearsal and
ceremony, I function not only as a celebrant but also as a service coordinator
ensuring smooth continuity; professionally managing group emotional
energy, occasionally becoming a pastoral caregiver and more often than not, a trouble-shooter resolving unexpected glitches of
all sorts.
Additional Fee Information
Intimate Wedding Package:
I do offer
another level of service designed for couples who want a bit more than
just a
civil courthouse ceremony, but want to avoid the fuss of planning
all of the details for their very small wedding celebration. Information about
these customized packages can be found on the
Intimate Wedding Package page of
my website.
Elopement:
On rare
occasions I have had couples ask if they could simply stop by my
home or my church office when I am available and have a short
private ceremony. In such cases, I am happy to do so for just $75.
These couples also receive customized ceremonies if they so desire
as well as a keepsake wedding folder.
Delayed
Ceremony Fees:
I really wish I
did not have to include this on my contract, but unfortunately due
to increasing instances of unreasonable and extreme delays I am
having to do so. I explain this policy when presenting a contract so
the couple understands the charge and is prepared in the event of an
exceptional delay..
I fully expect
most ceremonies to begin anywhere from 5-20 minutes late. I plan my
schedule accordingly striving to keep my days as flexible and
stress-free as possible. I am happy to assist with any last minute preparations
necessary to facilitate a reasonable start time. I will do
everything that is within my power to get your ceremony started on
time.
Therefore, I reserve the
right to bill a late charge for ceremonies that begin more than than
thirty minutes after the planned start time. In the very unlikely
event an extremely excessive delay results in my schedule making it
impossible for me to remain on-site, the
couple is still responsible for the full officiating fee and may
incur an additional late charge dependent upon the length of time I
waited before having to leave. This has never happened as of yet,
but a handful of times came dangerously close.
The couple will
be sent an invoice for the late charge payable within thirty days
per the fee schedule below.
30-45 minutes
$ 50
45-60 minutes
$100
60-75 minutes
$150
75-90 minutes $200 |
Officiating Fees
