We Make The Wedding Process Easy

Contact
When you are first looking for an officiant feel free to contact me by phone, text or email. I will check my availability for your date. I will tell you a little bit about my experience and approach to officiating. If I am available, I will pencil in the date and set up an initial meeting with you. This can be by phone or in person. If you are a bit pressed for time we can take care of booking at this point.

Booking
I will find out what questions you have about the process. I will elaborate on my approach and experience. I will get an idea about your wedding plans including the location, size and your thoughts on the ceremony. I also like to get to know you all, how you met and what led you to get engaged. If we are a good fit and you want to book with me I require a deposit of $50 to reserve the date. I use a standard contract to spell out the price and our respective responsibilities. I will give you instructions for both. I accept Venmo, PayPal or checks for the deposit.

Ceremony Meeting
This can take place by phone if that’s more convenient. We can also meet via Zoom or FaceTime. If you are already planning a visit to your wedding venue it may be possible for us to set up a meeting at the same time. I will bring some ideas and listen to what you would like your ceremony to be. I will take you through the parts of the wedding ceremony and get your thoughts as we go. I usually take down some notes. I may contact you after our meeting to clarify your thoughts.

Creating the Ceremony
After our meeting I will create a prospective ceremony based on our meeting and send it to you to review. After you and your fiancé have read through them I will get some feedback. Together we can proceed creating the best ceremony that incorporates your ideas and needs. At this point, we can decide if we need to meet again face to face.

Checking In
Closer to your ceremony, I will check in with you to make sure that the ceremony is finalized and that there are no other changes. I will also remind you to get a Marriage License. Couples often get them a few weeks before their big day. Depending on the state they are usually good for 60 days and can be renewed if necessary.

Rehearsal
Rehearsals are a good idea if your ceremony includes multiple friends and family or you have chosen a more elaborate ceremony that involves more ritual elements. Rehearsals are also a great way for all the members of the wedding party to get to meet each other before the actual ceremony. If you are planning an elopement or short and sweet ceremony this may not be necessary.

Wedding Day
I plan to arrive at least 45 minutes before your ceremony to go over any last minute details and/or changes to the plan. I will perform the wedding ceremony we have agreed upon. Afterwards, I will sign the marriage license and send it off to the state of Virginia, Maryland or West Virginia.

Photo-Ethan Harris Photography