Rev. Dave Coons Weddings By Design

Serves Bloomington, IN

35244

Hired 284 times

1 employee

10 years in business

$300

4.9

This pro accepts payments via Apple Pay, Cash, Check, and Venmo.

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Credentials

Background Check

David Coons
Completed on 6/17/2021

Introduction

I am a former Catholic Priest of 16 years and taught high school as well as counseled couples for marriage. I am a retired Special Education teacher and providing wedding services here on Thumbtack and through Facebook as well. I have officiated for colleagues at my school and within these past years a number of weddings on Thumbtack. It is important to me to offer couples I prepare the option of designing and developing the type of ceremony they want in having a memorable celebration that you can make special and unique to yourselves. We will work together to make it as personable as possible and meaningful for all your family and guests to remember such an important occasion. In those 16 years of priesthood experience, I loved helping people prepare for marriage and assisting them in being as ready for their responsibility as possible. Marriage is an important part of our lives and giving 100% to each other is a goal we all aspire to when it comes to loving another that we wish to spend our lives with. With all of these thoughts in mind, it causes me to look forward to being a part of your life's celebration if you give me the opportunity to assist you. Thanks for listening.

Q&A

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?

I offer my services for $400 as a standard ceremony and up to as much as $500 just depending on the distance and the amount of time and preparation that would go in to the celebration and the decisions that need to be made. Travel time is included especially if its over 50 miles or more, so planning the wedding, conducting the rehearsal and the celebration are all taken in to account depending on your location. Most of all I enjoy officiating and try to offer my services as fair as possible and with in reason again depending on the distance.

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

We start by meeting with each other at a place that works for both of us. I also share attachments before the meeting of various types of services that I can offer to you. When we meet, it gives us a chance to discuss what I've sent and how things might pan out for the celebration of the ceremony. This meeting will give us a chance to discuss options and scenarios of how we see the celebration for you and your future spouse. Later at another time we meet to finalize plans and see if we are on track for the day of celebration.

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

My training started at St. Meinrad Seminary, ordained in 1983 with a M-Div. in Theological Studies and served as a Catholic Priest for 16 years in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, serving in various parishes and two Catholic High Schools of Roncalli and Chatard for a total of 12 years. In my 16 years as a priest I officiated many marriage celebrations with full Mass and ceremonies for mixed religions. I've always enjoyed working with couples to help them understand each other better and be as prepared as they can be for the day they join together as one.

How did you get started doing this type of work?

I found Thumbtack on Facebook and with my background as a former Catholic Priest, I still am recognized by the State of Indiana to perform weddings in many venues other than the Catholic Church, so it offered me an opportunity to continue to work with couples by helping them prepare for their special day who do not have a particular church community they belong to for that option.

What types of customers have you worked with?

Family, friends, former students and new found couples on Thumbtack who have been enjoyable to work with and given me the opportunity to make new friends through this venue to serve them in this profession.

Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?

Just finished up with a couple in Lafayette, IN who were very enjoyable to work with and it was a beautiful ceremony. I have weddings in the works between now and 2019 with more in the works for 2020 and looking forward to many more if given the opportunity to celebrate their weddings.

What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

I would read their profile and see what type of experience they have which should tell you if they are experienced enough to conduct your service to your satisfaction and ask questions if you need to know more. Otherwise give all of us a reasonable and fair chance to offer a ceremony that meets "your" needs and desires for a meaningful celebration of life together.

What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?

Do you offer marriage preparation before the wedding ceremony? If so, how many sessions do you offer? How important is the preparation? How long are typical celebrations you perform? How can I involve other friends and family in my wedding? When do I get my marriage license and where do I get the license from? Who fills out the license and could it be part of the ceremony too? Should we have a "Unity Symbol" during our service? What are some of the types of Unity Symbols used in the service?