Most couples fall into a group that have an appreciation of what a professional officiant brings to them - the know-how, the experience, and the coordination expertise to make their ceremony outstanding. They also understand the consequences of making the wrong choice in a minister. When these couples call my home or office, their questioning often begins with... "What will your services and ceremony do for us?"
Unfortunately though, the remainder of other couples belong to the second group, who make their decision using ‘price’ as their primary selection criteria. They lead with the question... "What is your fee?" These couples typically assume that all officiants are alike because every wedding they've ever attended was alike. They reason..."If they're all the same why not try and find the cheapest?"
But there is a big difference between "price" and "cost." If the ceremony gets messed up, the "cost" will be much greater than the cost to have less than a first-class professional officiant. Someone you can count on to conduct your ceremony properly. And the price difference between a "cheap" officiant and a top professional is the cost of a nice dinner and a movie. As in everything, if something is good, it's not cheap. And if something is cheap, it's likely not very good.
I do want you to know that I understand budgets and careful cost planning. Talk with me about options.....please don't assume that all officiants are the same, and base your decision on the fee. My approach is to inform and educate couples - giving them a complete understanding of everything I do in a wedding ceremony and the reasoning behind it. This allows the couple I work with to make informed decisions about hiring me or any other officiant. I do not claim to be ‘perfect’ for everyone, but I think once you have met me, you're very likely to decide to ask me to perform your ceremony. |
