Alternative Wedding Services - Additional Services

Additional Services

The following items are available for an additional charge.

1. Additional Services. This would include any item(s) not listed in the basic fee package. For example, if the couple wishes their Officiant to attend any meetings or events not specifically outlined in the basic package; or if the couple wishes pre-wedding counseling.

2. Rehearsal. This option refers to a rehearsal of the ceremony on a day prior to the day of the actual wedding. Some couples feel more confident going over the ceremony far enough in advance (i.e., not the same day) to make modifications if they find they do not like the way a particular section or feature fits into the entire ceremony. Also, some couples are more comfortable rehearsing the cues and actual words of the ceremony ahead of time. This is most certainly not a necessity for everyone but is available for those who desire it.

You may also wish to have a rehearsal if there are a number of people who will participate in some way in the wedding. (For example, sing, stand and read, bring items to the front, etc.) A rehearsal helps everyone involved feel (more) calm and confident about their particular role.

The rehearsal is also a great time to pay the balance of your account. This will give you one less thing to worry about on the day of your wedding.

Holding a rehearsal on a day prior to the wedding day is an additional charge of $100.

3. Travel. The basic package price includes travel within a 60 mile radius from Allen, Tx. or McKinney, Tx. depending on who is performing your ceremony. Distances beyond a 60 mile radius will be assessed at a rate of $.52/mile and $60/hour drive time charged in 15 minute increments.

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NOTE: All account balances are due before the ceremony, either during rehearsal or upon your Officiant's arrival at the ceremony site. Again, this allows you to relax and enjoy your day without having to "remember" where the envelope/check is, where your Officiant is, or hoping that the best man took care of the payment. (No offense to Best Men everywhere.)

Separate Services

The following services are available as separate, stand-alone items. In other words, we do not have to be performing your ceremony for you to purchase this service.

1. Creation of or assistance with the creation of a personalized ceremony. It seems to be becoming more popular for couples to have a friend or relative ordained for the day of the wedding to perform their ceremony. The thought being, of course, that someone who really knows them and with whom they have a meaningful relationship/connection will make the wedding ceremony all that more special. And to some degree, they are correct.

The issue arises in that the friend or relative is often, (and really, is most of the time), not experienced in ceremony or ritual construction. Why would they be unless they were in that career field? So what will you do for the ceremony?

We had one bride who thought, “I’ll just put it together for myself. How hard can it be?” Her wedding planner finally contacted us and begged us to help. We looked over the ceremony the bride had put together, and bless her heart, it was really awful. It was just sections of things lumped together with no real attention to the words or to the flow; it was choppy and seemed to jump around on different topics. Things in one section of the ceremony seemed to almost contradict pieces in another place in the ceremony. Anyway, it really wasn’t good.

Probably the most common action we’ve seen couples take in this situation is just to use something whole cloth they found in a book or on the web. And that could work. The only thing is…..how many other couples are doing the same thing? Is it really customized to your personalities, beliefs and ideals? Or is it going to be the “same old ceremony” that your friends have attended numerous times over the years?

Our point being; ceremony construction, and specifically customized ceremony construction is what we do. We have studied and researched and then put together hundreds of ceremonies over the years. And so in answer to the couples who want to use a friend or relative to perform their ceremony, we say, “Great!” But hire us to write your ceremony. We will work with you, the same way we work with couples in which we’ll be performing the ceremony, and help you create the perfect ceremony for YOU. We’ll also deliver it in a keepsake booklet, exactly as we do for our regular couples.