How much to charge to officiate a marriage?
This is one of the most common questions we get: What to charge for one’s services? Of course, you don’t want to undervalue yourself. Nor do you want to price yourself out of work. And, nobody likes it when someone is low-balling to undercut the “competition.” So, what’s a JP to do?
Time is Money
Think about your time. How much do you invest for each couple? Are you crafting personalized vows based on a lengthy interview process or do you have a boilerplate and couples get what they get and (you hope) they don’t get upset? Your fees should reflect your worth
- Interviewing the couple
- Writing the vows
- Performing the ceremony
- Don’t forget your practice time
- Travel
- Filing the paperwork
Don’t forget the paperwork. Returning the signed certificate to the Town Clerk. Build in any extra communication that may arise. You may not need to add extra time onto each individual event; instead, think about an average if there is a problem. For instance, if every ten ceremonies ends up being an hour extra work, then average out the costs across all.
Expenses – Include in Fees
What do you spend on a ceremony?
- Do you FedEx the signed certificate back to the town clerk’s office, or use regular stamps?
- Mileage to get to/from the wedding ceremony. Don’t forget rehearsals
- Time for out of town weddings
- Wardrobe: An officiant robe or a custom stoles; a suit or a specific dress
- Mementos for the wedding couple? Do you present their vows or gift them a wedding certificate?
Finding Value
No one can tell you how much to charge. This is a personal decision. So, in addition to the above, think about what YOU bring to the ceremony. Besides adequately valuing your time, what makes you most proud of the work you do? Can you make the audience cry tears of laughter? What is your niche?
For some perspective on what others are charging, checkout the results to our survey on the topic.
Related Links
- What is the preferred ceremony length?
- Contracts: Part 1 in our 4-part series
- The law – are vows required?
- Avoid cancelation crises
- How much do you charge? survey results