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Wedding Questions &
Answers
Q: What do you provide as a
wedding
officant?
A: First and formost, I
provide the officiating service which will make your wedding
ceremony legal! In addition to that, I will file the
marriage license with the county, retain a copy of the
marriage license, help in facilitating the Marriage
Certificate from the courthouse to your mailing address,
coordinate the ceremony portion of your wedding, provide
Ceremony Coaching services, offering any help in pre-event
planning, able to take photos using your digital camera
or mine, provide wedding procedure help, and available
for any post-wedding issues and follow-up.
Q: What are your beach
wedding officiating fees
?
A: I accept an
honorarium and that has been $200.00 for a beach wedding.
Customary officiating fees
along the Gulf Shores area range from $200.00 to $400.00. I
know one minister from out-of-town who gets $450.00 for a
simple beach
wedding.
I have chosen to stay at the low end of
only $200.00 for my officiating services. The $200.00
covers my cost of scheduling the date, reserving
the time and taking the time to travel,
gasoline, and of course, the actual of service of
making it legal! I also file the marriage license and
keep a copy for my records and use if any thing gets
lost.
I come to your choice location
and do not charge extra for customizing a ceremony for you.
You can include a sand ceremony, a stone throwing ceremony,
any number of readings, songs, special tributes, communion
service, family blessings, prayers, or any thing that you
wish to add to make it your special
wedding!
| Formal
Wedding: |
$300.00 for a
formal wedding that requires me to wear a tie
and suit. A wedding in a Church,
Hall,
etc.. |
| Simple
Wedding: |
$200.00 for a
simple wedding at Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan,
Orange Beach, Dauphin Island, Baldwin County or
Mobile County. Beach, back yard, home,
etc.. Includes vow renewals,
too. |
| Mobile "Courthouse"
Elopement: |
$100.00 for quick
courthouse-type elopment in Mobile city limits
between the hours of 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM, Monday
through Friday only. City park, I-10 rest
area, parking lot,
etc.. | |
Still have
a question? No problem! Please email me your
question, your exception to the rules, or if you
want to gravel your wedding into my schedule, or you
would rather I consider the all-expense paid flight and
travel costs to your Hawaii wedding as the
honorarium.
Q: What is a "simple
wedding"?
A: A wedding were I do
not wear a suit or tie.
 A simple wedding may be a
beach wedding, a home wedding, a garden wedding, even a hall
wedding, as long as I do not have to wear a tie and
coat.
A simple wedding may include a sand
ceremony, a unity candle ceremony, a stone throwing
ceremony, as long as I don't have to wear a tie and coat.
A simple wedding may be just the two of
you or a big procession of bridesmaids and groomsmen, as
long as I don't have to wear a tie and
coat.
I usually wear a nice shirt and black slacks,
unless you want to request that I wear my usual
parrot head beach shirt and shorts. Otherwise, I will wear
black slacks and a creme color beach shirt, as in the phot
above. This color scheme fits good with bridal parties that
are dressed down or in formal tux and
dresses.
Q: What is a "formal
wedding"?
A: A wedding were you
want me to wear a tie and coat. I really do not like wearing
a tie and a suit coat. In fact, If you want me to wear a tie
and coat, we will have to talk hazardous
pay:
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Q: What is a
Mobile "Courthouse" Elopement
wedding?
A: Because the
courthouse judge requires a waiting period for non-Mobile
county residents, I get calls from out-of-state couples
wanting a simple guick "she does - he does" make it legal
wedding. This is what I call a Mobile eleopement
wedding. It happens in the morning or afternoon, and I
can meet you at one of the parks near the courthouse, and I
show up wearing what ever my attire is on that day. I may
show up in shorts, jeans, or dressed for a beach
wedding.
Q: What about Vow
Renewals?
A: Again,
that
is an honorarium accepted service. I don't have set
fees for a vow renewal ceremony. I have found that
couple whom I have had Vow Renewals for have given the same
honorariums given for a wedding ceremony, and probably
because it is still the same service with the same effort
and travel expenses involved.
Q: What are your pre-marital coaching fees
?
A: Again,
an honorarium, which has generally been $50.00 - $75.00 for
an hour and a half of time in-person or over the phone. (I
should note that I offer the pre-marital coaching service
even if I do not officiate the
wedding.)
Q: Do you require a deposit
?
A: No.I
do not require any deposits, but I do ask that I
am presented with the honorarium and the
marriage license immediately before the ceremony. (I
use to not require this, but after being left
waiting nearly 2 hours after one ceremony to
finally get the license and honorarium, it seems that I
best mention
it.)
Q: Do you file the marriage license
afterwards?
A: The county clerks ask
that the officiating minister return the marriage license.
Then, in about one week, you will recieve the official
verified marriage license in the mail from the county
clerk.
Q: What area of the beach are we allowed to
use for our
wedding?
A: All public areas of the
beach are available to be used for performing a wedding. If
you are staying at a beach side condo or hotel, you are
allowed to use those private areas of the
beach.
Q: What if we want to have our own vows
?
A: I have
standard modified traditional vows or will welcome
the use of your own personalized vows. That is your personal
choice.
Q: What is is your ceremony
like?
A: Please visit my Ceremony Overview
page to get an idea of the flow of the cereminy. I have
added other features at the request of couples, such as
special music, poems, scripture readings, unity candles,
sand ceremony, stone throwing, some unique ethnic features,
children inclusions, prayer of blended families, and various
other things. But the Ceremony Overview page will at
least give you an
idea.
Q: Do you require pre-marital counseling
?
A: No. My pre-marital
counseling services are optional and offered separate
according to relationship challenges. If you are interested,
I offer you both a Love
Language assesment test which help you understand
how to best love your mate after the wedding. This is
something that can mail to you and when you both have
completed it you mail it back or bring it with you for the
wedding. I can also give to you to take with you on your
honeymoon and you can mail it back to me at a later
date.
Q: Can we meet you in advance , even if
we are not interested in pre-marital
coaching?
A: Yes. If you are near or in
Mobile, Alabama. Just know that the beach is about an hour
and half drive for me. So it is the equivalent of a half
days' work for me. We certianly can talk over the phone as
often as you may have
questions.
Q: What about attending the
wedding
rehearsal?
A: Scheduling is the biggest
challenge for me when it comes to wedding rehearsals. Often
times I have a wedding scheduled, an event schedule, or
family plans. If I can't make your wedding rehearsal, I will
gladly be available by phone to answer any questions or to
point out the issues that would involve me at the rehearsal.
During the ceremony I will coach the couple along in the
ceremony, but here are some issues to think
about:
-
Bride's entrance. If someone is
walking the bride down, I just need to know if they want
or are willing for me to say "Who gives this bride away."
And if someone is walking down the bride, they need to
know to stop about 6 to 10 feet before more, in order to
give the groom enough walking space to actually go and get
his bride.
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Vows. If there is no preference, the
majority of couples go with traditional vows with the
bride and groom merely answer "I do." But you can write
your own or have the "Dr. Seuss
Vows."
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Vows. Also, you both will need to
decide how you want to stand during the vows. You can
remain standing facing the minister, turn to face each
other, or slight turn toward each other but yet still
toward the minister. Also, will you hold hands during the
vows?
-
Exit. After the minister pronounces
you husband and wife and introduces you both as such, you
will just need to know where or if you are going to exit
or have friends and family come up to greet you in the
front or or in the
back.
Q: What are the Alabama laws
for license, etc?
A: Click on this link: www.usmarriagelaws.com
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