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FAQ's
Q: I'm
new to this process. How do we begin in finding a
minister?
A: Virginia
Ministers is gratified to be helping couples who have never
been married or couples who have been married before.
Many traditional faiths give time requirements for
notification. Some folks require counseling or a weekend
for engaged couples. Either of these requirements
normally involve an extra cost -- just to get married.
Our personal philosophy is that your decision to marry is
between the both of you and the god which you worship.
If the couple decides to go with our service, then we proceed
in acquiring the couple's contact information and wedding day
specific information. We send out an agreement stating
the information the we just retrieved (often within minutes of
the telephone conversation), for your review. If you
wish to reserve (the sooner the better), then we ask for you
to approve the agreement with your signature and mail it to
the address at the top of the agreement with the requested
deposit.
A: The fees range
normally from approximately $350 to $550. There are many
factors that go into this. Many ministers charge
differently depending on where they operate in the
country. Also, the distance from the ceremony
and from where the minister actually lives will be a
factor. All of our ministers have to deal with real
world issues such as transportation costs, upkeep, and their
time. Many times the scheduler has multiple calls to
make to schedule a minister for a popular date or time.
Q: Why so expensive?
A:
Believe it or not, there are times when we do get this
question. Many couples feel that our ministers should
provide their services for free or close to it. Our
answer points to the following set of circumstances:
Many of our ministers are retired and are no longer paid by
the churches that once employed them. There is
also the costs of making our service known to you, which never
go away and generally increase over time. Please
keep in mind the many couples who are affilliated with
specific faiths are contributing to their church on a weekly
and/or monthly basis. In these situations, the minister
will provide his services for free to church members or for a
nominal fee. Please remember, that the church
afiliated minister already receives a tithe from you
which exceeds our fee by more than or close to 10 fold
annually. We feel our modestly priced fee structure
adequately covers all the expenses incurred in serving our
couples as well as provide the clergy a modest gratuity for
services rendered.
A: No. There are married priests in
our network that have left the celabic life of the priesthood,
feeling that they can still serve God in other ways.
Active celibate priests are often encouraged not to leave
their church building. If they do on those rare
circumstances, then it based on a close relationship with a
very active member of the church. Justics of the peace
work with county municipal systems. Many of our
ministers CAN provide a very lovely wedding ceremony which
accurately mirrors a Catholic ceremony including the Liturgy
of the Word. However, this marriage, although recognized
by the courts, the state, and christian religions everywhere,
will not be recognized the the Roman Catholic Church as one of
THEIR ceremonies. We can counsel with anyone more on
this if you have further questions.
A:
Yes, definitely. Please feel free to ask any question
you wish in your wedding planning needs. If we can't
help you, we should be able to help direct you where to
go.
Q: Are your
ministers licensed?
A:
Yes. All of our ministers are licensed AND
ordained. Although our clergy come from all different
protestant faiths, there is not one "internet" certified
minister in the network.
Q: Is
a blood test required?
A:
There is only a blood test required in 12 localities in this
country. In the future, we will be providing links for
marriage requirements, licensing fees, waiting periods and
blood tests.
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