Ceremonies By Alex

I simply charge a flat fee of $275 for performing a wedding in the Charlotte region any time and any day except for Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, when the price is $375. If you wish to have me conduct your rehearsal that's a separate charge which I'd be more than happy to discuss.

I start by arranging for a deposit payment to reserve the date, and I immediately send them a legal contract as my bond and promise to do what I say I'll do. Then I'll ask questions to get the information I need to custom write their ceremony. I provide any information they need about marriage licenses and other legal details. I love getting questions from clients, and never tire of answering them. I want my customers to be totally comfortable with me, and confident they have made the best choice for their ceremony. I will always share the benefit of my experience in any area. I've helped with reception menus, stocked the reception bar, and provided hotel and restaurant recommendations for couples' honeymooning plans. None of that was part of the ceremony, but it's the help they needed from me.

Of course there's my formal religious education and ordination, but most of what I've learned about marriage and wedding ceremonies has come from hard-won experience. Over time you learn what works and what doesn't, and I'm constantly writing new material to meet the requests of my clients, I'm always on the lookout for new trends in weddings in order to share ideas with my clients. Unity candles and unity sand are still big right now, and the hand fasting ceremony is very popular with both religious and non-religious ceremonies. Fads come and go (no more zombie or Game of Thrones weddings), but the heart of the service--the promises, the joining of two lives--stays the same.

The first thirty or so weddings I performed were for family, friends, and co-workers. Only in the last nine years has this been my primary way of making a living. While I have never had a desire to pastor a church, I'm so very glad to have invested the time I spent in my religious studies. A large part of my spiritual journey has focused on missions and the scholarly side of things--getting ordained was just the icing on the cake! In 2020 I had the novel experience of officiating at a wedding where the bride learned about me by watching me officiate her sister's wedding. Her sister in turn learned about me by attending the wedding of a friend, who before that learned about me by attending the wedding of yet another friend!

My clients are seeking something different than a standard church wedding or the very impersonal and plain service performed by a civil magistrate. I give my clients the opportunity to choose exactly what they want in their wedding to make certain it reflects their dreams and desires. I am here to give my clients the kind of wedding they want, and I will help them choose what suits them best. Some folks want to write their own vows and tweak every word of the ceremony, and others just want to be sure the wedding ceremony is short and sweet without worrying about the content. Most folks are somewhere in between. Whatever your level of interest, I can produce a ceremony you'll not just be satisfied with; you'll be excited about it! I have performed weddings from Pittsburgh to Tampa, from Atlanta to Charleston, and all over North and South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.

It was a chilly November night, the weekend before Thanksgiving, and the wedding ceremony took place in the barrel room of a winery. The soft light of candles glowed on the wood of the giant casks behind me, and the wine helped ensure a happy mood. The bride was radiantly beautiful in a stylish yet traditional gown, the groom so handsome and relaxed, and everyone there was just beaming with joy. It felt great to be in a place with so much positive energy! Afterwards we had a delicious supper in the same space, and I had the privilege of blessing the happy couple's first meal as husband and wife. Music and dancing followed, with much laughter and love. A perfect evening, and I was able to help make it happen! The setting was a December evening at a big log cabin in the woods, far from anywhere. A fire blazed in the rustic stone fireplace providing the only light as the bride and groom said their vows before two dozen family and friends. Afterwards there was supper and dancing to a fiddle and guitar. It was an evening that could easily have taken place two centuries ago. Spring was in full force in rural Alamance County. The setting was a gazebo in the bend of a stream, caressed by a cool breeze that alleviated the bright sun. Blooming all over the hillsides and the banks of the babbling stream, the wildflowers matched the color of the bridesmaids' dresses exactly. The elegantly dressed bridal party processed across a bridge and surrounded the gazebo. At last the lovely bride made her grand entrance and joined the dashing groom, surrounded by friends and family. They were all smiles as they said their deeply heartfelt vows. Great natural beauty was matched by great human joy that day!

Be very careful about hiring someone with an "online" ordination. No matter what various websites say, such ordinations are not legally recognized in North Carolina, Virginia, and several other states. Ask questions! If an officiant does not have the time to answer them properly and thoroughly they will not have the time to help you when you need it. A lot of folks who seek out officiants wish to avoid the premarital counseling sessions that most church pastors require before they will agree to marry a couple. While I have no such requirements, I still think premarital counseling is a very good idea. If nothing else it can help you face the "Big Three" issues that put a tremendous strain on marriages--money, children, and in-laws. As my wife says, people spend a lot more time planning their wedding than planning their marriage!

Some folks who seek out wedding officiants are looking for the lowest cost possible. I cannot compete with the price charged by the County Magistrate's office, which has not changed in over sixty years. Remember that if you want a professional job done, hire a professional, someone who does this for a living. When you hire me you have also hired all my skills and expertise. I give my clients one hundred percent of my abilities and resources! Make certain that your officiant has the personality, vision, and commitment to make your ceremony memorable; one that in ten (or more) years will make you say "I am so glad we did not just have a courthouse wedding!" Actually, there aren't any "courthouse weddings" any more, as the Magistrates do all their work (including marriages) at the County Jail. "Jailhouse Wedding" just doesn't sound very romantic, does it?