Fees & Policies
Wedding Fees
- $295 ~ Wedding Ceremony
- $100 ~ Wedding Rehearsal*
- $250 ~ Elopement Ceremony (at your chosen location in the Des Moines Metro Area, with no more than 2 attendants and small gathering of family and friends)
*Wedding rehearsal required if 2 or more attendants for each of the bride and groom
Wedding Services Package
PLEASE NOTE: Fees are all inclusive. No additional fees for:
- Special ceremonies that include, but are not limited to, traditions and rituals such as the unity candle, sand ceremony, rose presentation, handfasting, family vows, jumping the broom, salt ceremony, or any other traditions or special touches you wish to include in your ceremony. Unlimited ceremony options—the sky’s the limit—no additional fee!
- Personalizing your ceremony to your satisfaction. After all, your ceremony is UNIQUELY YOURS!
- Travel/mileage to weddings or rehearsals or consultations within the DSM metro area. Trip fees only apply outside the DSM metro area.
- Emails, phone calls, consultations are unlimited for your convenience.
All couples who book with me will also receive a free copy of Marty Younkin's book, A Wedding Ceremony to Remember, Perfect Words for the Perfect Wedding, as my gift to you (a $20 value). Read more about it on the Resources page.
Travel Fees
- Within the Des Moines Metro area: included
- Outside the Des Moines Metro area (up to 60 miles): $30 per hour of travel time
Holidays
An additional fee of $50 will be added when booking weddings and rehearsals that fall on the following holidays: New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Discounts
I offer the following discount to our country’s active duty military personnel in appreciation for their service:
- $275 Wedding Ceremony
- $75 Wedding Rehearsal
Timing of Payment:
The deposit and signed agreements (Clergy Services Agreement and Rehearsal Agreement) are required to reserve your date and time. Balance is due 2 weeks prior to wedding date. If payment is not received 2 weeks before wedding, only cash will be accepted before rehearsal begins.
Methods of Payment:
I accept checks, money orders or cash.
Overtime/Late Charges:
I schedule 1 hour for the rehearsal and 1 hour for the ceremony. For weddings and rehearsals that do not start on time, a fee of $25 per each additional 15 minutes beyond the allotted hour will be charged provided my schedule allows me to remain past the allotted time frame. Often, however, I must get to another wedding or rehearsal immediately. You expect the same timeliness, courtesy and dependability from me as others do. Having your wedding party and family ready to start on time will make everyone happy and save you money. I recommend asking them to arrive 15 minutes prior to the time the rehearsal is scheduled.
Serving any alcoholic beverages prior to the rehearsal or wedding is strongly discouraged, as this can create delays in completing the rehearsal and can cause embarrassment during the wedding ceremony. You have put so much time, energy and finances into planning the perfect ceremony—please don’t let something like this spoil your day. You will have plenty of time to party afterward.
Non-payment of Services:
For non-payment of services by the time services are rendered, your marriage license will be held unsigned until all fees have been paid in full. The marriage license becomes null and void 15 days after the wedding date if not signed and recorded within that time. Payment is appreciated for all services 2 weeks before the date of the wedding to avoid any delay in processing your marriage license.
