Ceremonies By Kristi & Associates

Serves Kenner, LA

35244

Hired 224 times

12 employees

5 years in business

$900

4.8

This pro accepts payments via Cash, Credit card, PayPal, Square cash app, Venmo, and Zelle.

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Credentials

Background Check

Kristi Jarrett
Completed on 3/18/2021

Introduction

Our motto: We will perform personalized, unique (or short and sweet!) marriages for any couple consisting of 2 consenting adults entering into a lawful union. Our services are very affordable and all prices are given up front. As ministers, we will not turn away any clients experiencing difficult financial situations (if this is your situation, please contact us for a no cost, no obligation consultation where we can work out specifics). We do not discriminate based upon race, nationality, age, nationality, sexual orientation/preference, religious preferences (including none at all), gender identification, disability, sociology economic status, etc. Hello! I'm Kristi, an Ordained Universalist/Humanist Minister, licensed & qualified to perform most pastoral duties. I am the Founder of Ceremonies By Kristi & Associates as well as a certified wedding coordinator, consultant, & planner. We offer those services as well (inquire if interested). We are now offering wedding planning/coordinating services for couples interested in celebrating their union in the UK and Europe….often at a MUCH LOWER COST than the average wedding in the US. I am currently spending much of the year in Scotland, working on this aspect as well as my archaeologist career. In addition, we offer some decorating/floral services for weddings, corporate events, parties, etc. Several of our officiants are decorators, Planners, Day of Coordinators. We offer generous discounts for clients who use more than 1 of our services. We also “make things!” Do you want a specific decoration, sign, etc and just can’t find what you want? Let us know and we’ll help make it happen. We also make guest favors and are happy to personalize and offer every client a variety of gifts so there’s something for everyone. And I specialize in creating items for unity ceremonies. How are we different? 1) A. When the COVID-19 crisis started to slow down, demand for officiants went way UP. Wanting to continue personalized service, I limited myself to 1 ceremony per day and 3 per week. I ended up turning down many potential clients, most of whom were in desperate situations (for example, last minute cancellations & so many who could not afford the available officiants). B. Because of these factors, I personally chose 7 professional, experienced, highly rated officiants to work with me so that we could fill the need in our area. Since our business continues to grow, we have added more professionals to our team, including bilingual English/Spanish speaking officiants. Also, we all cover each other, in case of emergency. When you choose us, there will be at least 1 officiant on stand by, in case of emergency. I purposefully chose a diverse group with different talents. This model gives clients more choice. Yes, if your officiant has an emergency and cannot make it to your wedding, you will have a different officiant who is certified, experienced, and highly rated. A change maybe jarring for some, but we believe it is better than a last minute cancellation without a back up or a no-show. We have several 5 star ratings from clients who faced unforeseen circumstances and praised our seamless emergency plans. 2.) We don't pull ceremonies off of the internet 5 minutes before your ceremony. We almost never get "overloaded.” We make sure we have plenty of time time to spend with our clients, especially as their ceremonies come closer….then craft unique, highly personalized ceremonies that are about YOU and YOUR unique relationship. You can also choose a more traditional ceremony or a combination 3.) If you are not absolutely thrilled and comfortable with your officiant (whether you chose them or we “played matchmaker”), you can request an officiant change at any time. No hurt feelings, we are professionals! 4.) We don't "nickel and dime" our clients, charging for every little thing. You will never receive surprise charges. We will give you all fees up front. We take pride in our ability to work within almost any budget! If you require services that are near impossible to fit into a “one price fits all,” we will work with you to create the day you want, at an affordable price. We will work carefully with you and your loved ones to exceed your expectations. We happily celebrate LGBTQIA+ clients. Likewise, clients can expect that we will treat their LGBTQIA+ guests with dignity and respect. Many of our officiants are members of the LGBTQIA+ community (if you are more comfortable with an officiant within the community, let us know and we will match you appropriately). I am a retired RN and current anthropologist/archaeologist. We are familiar and comfortable with incorporating traditions from any religion (including no religion), culture, time period, etc into YOUR ceremony and will work to help your guests feel invested in your marriage. We have 3 officiants who are fluent in Spanish and English. Interpreting services do not cost extra….we consider this a basic human right. I speak/read/write passable French and German. We also offer any unity ceremony in existence (and can assist you in choosing one….or creating your very own from scratch!) Our group has quite a bit of experience with children of all ages. For couples with children, if you wish, we can write beautiful ceremonies that include the children in ways that are age appropriate and relaxed. Of course, you can make the day all about the 2 of you. We offer free, no obligation consultations to assist you in making the right choice. If you choose us to officiate for you, you will have unlimited free consultations. Once you have chosen us, we can help you find that perfect spot to hold your ceremony (we know many places that are free!) I, Kristi, do premarital counseling if the couple desires....at no additional charge. What type of ceremony fits your personalities as a couple? Serious and Spiritual? Entirely secular yet deeply meaningful? Humorous?Write your own vows? Allow family members (including children) to take active roles in the ceremony? The possibilities are endless. Whatever you want, we will do everything in our power to make it happen. You may take as much or as little control as you wish. The sky is the limit. After all, it is YOUR day! Our primary job is to ensure that your wedding….no matter how big or small….is beautiful and memorable. If a client desires a covenant marriage, we are happy to oblige but have to charge extra because of the significant amount of time and extra work that is involved (but our cost is still much less than if you engaged therapists and attorneys). We can do the premarital counseling, give you the state mandated reading materials, prepare the legal paperwork, and testify that you have met the requirements. For this, we charge an extra $200. When everything is ready, we then engage a notary, which will be an additional charge (typically $20-50). We are aware of some of the controversies surrounding covenant marriages. In our group, we have agreed to never allow any personal opinions to be a hinderance to the wishes of consenting adults, when those wishes are perfectly legal and within our scope of practice. Bottom line…we are not here to judge. We hope to meet you soon!

Q&A

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

Our fee of $250 is low compared with others in the Greater New Orleans area. For a 1-2 hour wedding, the average prep time is 6 to 14 hours plus. If my daughter does photography work, she is an extra $75. We do not charge for “extras” like helping to write vows, unlimited communication with clients, premarital counseling, etc. There may be nominal equipment charges for materials required for sand ceremonies, handfasting, stone blessings, etc. Generally, if there is an extra charge, it includes something you can keep (like the sand jar or hand fasting cord). Of course, this would be something you request. If you provide your own supplies, we do not charge extra to perform the ceremony. Another possible extra fee mostly applies to weddings in the French Quarter, New Orleans….if we have to pay a fee for parking, we ask the clients to reimburse us. Of course, we only use paid parking as a last resort. We will first search for free parking. If there is none, we will try to find parking within walking distance of your venue at the lowest price. Until recently, the hotels did not charge us for parking as long as we showed them our pastoral credentials and were there for under 2 hours. Now, most hotels will charge full price….which can easily be $50-60. If you are concerned about paying for parking for vendors, etc, it’s a good idea to ask this question (preferably before hiring) to your contact at the venue. If they do charge, ask your contact if they would offer discounted or group rates and how those using it would go about getting parking under what you have worked out with your contact. If we have parking charges, we will provide the receipt or other proof of our payment. The bottom line is that you will know the exact fee and what that fee covers BEFORE we commit to working together. Our refund policy is very liberal. An exception? If you want to proofread a physical copy of your script before the wedding, the fee must be paid in full before receiving a copy of the script. We recommend arranging this about 5-7 days before your wedding to give plenty of time to make corrections before your big day. This is a fairly new policy for us that we had to incorporate after 5 of our handwritten scripts were stolen within a few months (clients hadn’t paid….we sent over the scripts only to have the client disappear. They would have a friend or family member get ordained online, then use our script). Considering the amount of time and work we put into these scripts, having them stolen creates a HUGE problem for our small business. We do not believe that any person, couple, or family should be denied access to a quality officiant due to difficult financial circumstances. Our prices are low for this reason. If a potential client wants to hire us but is having trouble coming up with the fee, we urge them to discuss this with one of our officiants in private. This information is 100% confidential. We can discuss lowering the fee, a payment plan, or, in extreme cases, waiving the fee altogether. Some clients donate to a fund to help people with tough financial circumstances. Please keep in mind that weddings are just a small part of the services we offer. I officiate funerals and make hospital/hospice/prison visits. I do not charge for these services, which I see as essential duties for Clergy.

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

First, we confirm the date/time of rehearsals and the wedding. We make a firm commitment to provide services and block the date. Then, we provide multiple ways that the client can reach us. We offer a free, no obligation consultation, to assist the couple in choosing the officiant that is right did them. The couple will have the opportunity to ask questions, voice their expectations, and clarify any potential concerns. We encourage prospective clients to take advantage of free consultations offered by any officiant they are considering. For our consultations, we will do our best to work around the couple’s schedules. We are happy to meet in person or via FaceTime/Zoom....whatever the couple decides. We want all potential clients, who choose to bestow upon us the honor of serving as their officiant, to feel confident they made the right choice. We will discuss their desires for the ceremony, and we will help the clients through aspects they may not have considered. We ask clients to fill out a detailed form, which serves as a guide for preparing their unique ceremony. We also have a detailed contract and very liberal refund payment and refund policies. In over 5 years, we have only refused refunds twice....and in both instances, the clients had already cost us MUCH more than they had paid (with some performing deceit/dishonesty that "came out in the wash.") We will listen carefully and/or read their written words, ensuring that the ceremony has all the elements the client desires while also being legally binding. We usually check in with our clients throughout the process, updating them on how the ceremony is coming along and sometimes asking questions to "fill in the blanks." Of course, I am available 24/7.

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

I am a minister in good standing with the Universal Life Church. These credentials allow me to officiate weddings in all 50 US states, as well as perform other pastoral duties such as Vow Renewals, hospital, hospice and prison visits, funerals, baptisms and generally offering support to people in need. I can perform these services for people of any faith, as well as those who hold no religious beliefs at all. All of our officiants are similarly credentialed and registered. During my 25 year nursing career, I often performed ceremonies when no pastor was available. These ceremonies were as varied as Muslim, Catholic, Native American and even Voodoo (while working in New Orleans). As an anthropologist/archaeologist, I have professional training and experience working with people from around the world. I am comfortable working with any client and skilled in learning from the client what he/she/they need from me. I have performed/assisted with ancient rituals rarely seen in the US. I have first hand experience with hundreds of such ceremonies. As officiants, we have been fortunate enough to perform wedding ceremonies among a very diverse clientele. We’ve found that couples today don’t want the same, traditional ceremony repeated millions of times over decades. They want their ceremonies to be meaningful, personal, and reflective of their relationship. We work very hard to ensure that each client has a ceremony as unique as they are. Of course, we are happy to offer more traditional ceremonies, based on the clients’ wishes. Qualifications of the associate officiants are offered as well.

How did you get started doing this type of work?

Several personal & professional experiences over the years made me realize that finding a qualified, caring officiant for people who may not attend church regularly, may have different beliefs from most in their community, or who often live lonely lives on the edges of society can be very difficult and often painful. I decided to do what I could to help those people who often “slip between the cracks.” As a Universalist Minister, I value every life and do not judge my brothers & sisters in humanity. Every person is precious and deserves quality, dignified, respectful, affordable and loving pastoral services during life and after. We will never refuse my services due to issues such as (but not limited to): religious preference, race, nationality, language, political affiliation, mental or physical afflictions, sexual preference, gender identity, poverty, etc. We will never judge anyone or treat them differently. Instead, we rejoice when 2 consenting adults find each other, experience the miracle that is love, and choose to commit their lives to one another. Our team shares this ethos.

What types of customers have you worked with?

I have worked with many couples who came from very religious families; but, as adults, the couples were not religious….and their families did not know. I am very good at writing scripts for these types of situations: completely secular scripts where the religious guests did not realize the ceremony was non religious. Our client base is VERY diverse. I'll list a few examples: *We have clients who want traditional Christian ceremonies. *Many clients are agnostic/atheist who want a strictly secular ceremony. *We’ve also had multiple interfaith clients, the most recent being Jewish/Lutheran, Atheist/Muslim, Hindu/Catholic and Pagan/Catholic Druid/Catholic (yes, Pagan, Druid/Catholic! They were beautiful and I actually received much praise from the Catholic family& friends!) *Wiccan *Native American *Secular Chinese *Mayan/Hispanic * We have done large, formal, elaborate ceremonies in ballrooms with hundreds of guests. We regularly do secret elopements where and provide witnesses. Some clients are "last minute" sort of folks. We regularly perform marriage ceremonies within hours of the client’s initial contact with me. So from weddings with 200 guests to private elopements, We’ve also officiated for all those in between the elaborate and the most simple weddings. *Many of our clients have children. If the clients desire, we can add age appropriate ways to incorporate the children into the wedding. *We have performed same sex /transgender weddings where couples had been TURNED DOWN from several other officiants. We bend over backward to reassure these couples that A. We fully support their union and B. the clients and their guests will be treated with the upmost respect. *Our clients are racially and culturally diverse. We do our very best to incorporate traditions particular to their cultures. These are just a FEW examples. I have been fortunate to have travelled all over the world. The best part is meeting and working with new people who are so diverse....and at the same time, so similar. People are beautiful.

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

I recently married a lesbian couple and kept in touch with them. One of the ladies was diagnosed with cancer and passed away about 8 months after the wedding. I performed her funeral. It was heartbreaking, but I was thankful that I could be there to help soothe her loved ones and say goodbye in a beautiful, dignified manner.

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

Different people choose to be officiants for different reasons. Most officiants are genuine, hard working, committed to their clients, and take pleasure from their work. Anyone you consider hiring should happily agree to meet you and your family/friends/support people to ensure that the officiant “checks all your boxes” prior to cementing your decision to hire. After all...this IS a job interview. One of the most important questions to ask an officiant before hiring is, “What is your back up if, for some reason, you cannot make it to my wedding?” Planning a wedding is stressful enough without having to try and find a replacement officiant in a short amount of time. If you ask this question to an officiant you are considering and they say something like, “It won’t happen. I’ll be there”……RUN! I work with 7 other experienced, qualified, highly rated officiants. We cover for each other, should unforeseen circumstances happen. We will never leave you empty handed. Ask what is included in their fee. Some officiants advertise a low fee. But when clients sign with them, they quickly discover the officiant charges for every little thing….like gas mileage (even for short drives), filling out your paperwork, phone consultations beyond the first “free” consult, using certain types of scripts, unity ceremonies (even if you bring your own supplies), etc etc. The officiants should have these items detailed in their contracts. Ask what their refund policy is. We have had several clients first hire officiants who are not associated with us, and they have to pay the entire fee upfront. Then, after a few weeks of working with that officiant, the client decides they are not comfortable with them, or the officiant misrepresented important things during the consult. Even if the wedding is MONTHS away and the only “work” the officiant has done is take 15 seconds to write you on their calendar, most will not give a full or even partial refund. What happens if you have to delay your wedding because of catastrophic circumstances? Their refund policy should also be detailed in their contract. They should also be glad to allow you to read over their contract before you decide to hire them….if you so wish. Ask each officiant how they choose what ceremony to use and if they will handwrite a personalized, unique script (if you desire this). If they say yes, ask if it’s an extra charge. Your officiant should be personable, kind, reliable and committed to performing the ceremony that YOU want. The officiant should be committed to discovering your unique needs for this important day and crafting a ceremony that will provide decades of joyful memories.

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

What are your credentials? Are you legally permitted to perform our ceremony in our chosen location? May we see your credentials? How do you create the ceremonies you perform? If clients are planning an “unconventional” wedding, explain these elements to the officiant, then be very upfront in asking, “Are you completely comfortable participating? Do you have experience officiating very unconventional ceremonies?” Also, agree on the officiant’s fee that you will pay, as well as what method you will use to pay, when payment is due, what is included in that price and what they charge extra for, and what is the officiant’s refund policy. Ask to review their contract before you commit.