How soon should we book our Officiant?
Wedding Officiants work from a calendar just like your caterer, baker, dressmaker, etc; however, without the Officiant all you have is a very expensive party! Please secure your Officiant early. I book weddings a year or more in advance. As soon as the venue is secured, securing the Officiant should be the next task on your list. Waiting until the last minute not only risks the Officiant being already booked on your date, it cuts out valuable time to properly prepare your vows and ceremony scripts. Unless a simple elopement is requested, I create a custom ceremony for every couple. Time is needed to make the ceremony uniquely yours. I know you want it to be perfect! So do I!
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
First, I would like all potential clients to visit my website at TheATLWeddingOfficiant.com to see if they feel that we might be a good fit. If so, I like to have a phone, Zoom, or face-to-face consultation to learn more about the couple, wedding plans, venue, etc., and build a relationship. After a booking fee is received, the date is reserved for the couple. If the couple has hired me to officiate a wedding, not an elopement, I keep in touch by phone, text, and email, doing everything possible to create a wedding ceremony for the couple that is uniquely theirs. I write a custom ceremony for each couple, sending drafts via email for approval. Occasionally the parents will pay my fee, but the couple is my client. This is their wedding! Throughout the process and when the big day arrives, it's all about them!
What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Pricing is based on time and distance traveled. My home base is the Athens, GA area, but will travel up to a 130-mile radius, provided travel time is no more than about two hours one way.
My base fee for a wedding within 30 miles of Athens is $225. Base fees for other popular areas... Buford $250, Midtown Atlanta $275, Augusta $275, Greenville, SC $250. Please contact me for an accurate quote for your wedding. A non-refundable, minimum $125 booking fee is required to secure a date on the calendar and is credited toward the invoice total.
What types of couples have you worked with?
I have worked with clients from many different walks of life and religious backgrounds. I love everyone and believe that all couples deserve to have the wedding of their dreams and on their own terms.
Why did you become a Wedding Officiant?
My daughter’s wedding in 2018 was the inspiration. I have a passion for helping others and love weddings so, I had been considering officiating for several years. After my daughter's wedding, I jumped in and launched Athens Wedding Officiants in December 2018. I have expanded under a new name, The ATL Wedding Officiant to provide services to a broader clientele throughout the Metro Atlanta area. I absolutely love officiating weddings! It's fun, exciting and happiness is everywhere!
What is your education and training background?
I hold a B.S. in Business Administration from Columbia College and a Life & Health Producer's License from the Georgia Department of Insurance. I became an ordained, non-denominational minister in 2018 and have many years of professional public speaking experience. I love what I do and have been told that I do it well.
What areas do you serve?
I serve Metro Atlanta, North Georgia and Eastern Georgia, Upstate South Carolina and Eastern North Carolina. Sorry, I do not serve the state of Tennessee. The Tennessee legislature has passed a new law that requires ministers who solemnize marriages to pastor a brick and mortar church, which I do not.
What questions should couples ask when speaking with Officiants about their wedding?
Is the Officiant comfortable with your circumstances...things like being divorced, LGBTQ, non-religious, an interfaith couple, an interracial couple, you want to write your own vows, want something totally fun and non-traditional... Will this Officiant give you what you want for your wedding?
Ask about fees, deposits, refund policies, what is and is not included in the fee, etc.
What should couples consider when making a hiring decision?
There are three important things to consider...
- Are you both comfortable with the Officiant?
- Is the Officiant passionate about your wedding and making it the happiest day of your lives?
- Are you satisfied that the Officiant can deliver your vision for your marriage ceremony?
It doesn't matter if they have performed two weddings or 200; if you are not comfortable with the answers to these three questions, then you need to keep looking.