We are adding an incentive if you send a contribution. From today, May 10, 2010 to May 17, 2010, you can show your support to our troops and help us with our church.
For every $10 contribution, we will send a pin that you can wear to show your support for our troops this coming memorial day.
go to the link here and contribute: http://www.centralohioweddings.net/memorialday
We are still seeking contributions to start our church and gardens. Any contribution is accepted. Be it $5 or $50. Help move us forward. Our goal right now is only $1000. Let’s see how fast we can get there using the power of the Internet.
Ready, GO!
Here is the link to go to: http://www.centralohioweddings.net/firstlight
Your engaged and have set a date, congratulations. Many things are flying around your head while you think about the wedding. Many things are discussed: the dress, tuxedos, wedding and reception venue, catering, flower arrangements, the cake, photographer, etc. But wait, aren’t we forgetting one person. The person who sets the tone of the ceremony and (don’t take this the wrong way) makes the whole affair a wedding. Let’s face it, without the wedding officiant (minister, judge, etc.) no one is going to be married (officially). It becomes just a big party.
DON’T WAIT
It is very important that you don’t wait to hire your wedding officiant. Many officiants start booking a year in advance. Especially for the peak months of the summer. It is currently December. In Ohio, June, July, August, September are the peak wedding months. If your wedding falls in one of those months in Ohio, you should already be searching for your officiant if you haven’t already booked one. These months go fast and if you really want to get the person you want book them now. If you are using your church minister or priest, check with the church to make sure they will be available. During non-peak months, you still should start to look at least 6 months out if not sooner. If you hire them early enough, your wedding officiant can be a source of suggestions on vendors who they have worked with in the past. Don’t lose out on this wealth of information.
HOW MUCH
Many people base their decision on how much the officiant cost. This is the wrong way to shop. You may pay a cheaper price but you may also get a ceremony that you didn’t expect. If you are going to look at the cost of the officiant, do this first. Take the prices for all your separate wedding professionals, and venue. Look them over. Now look at the fee for the officiant. Many will find that their officiant is on the lower end of the cost if not the lowest. In Central Ohio (2009) the average cost for an officiant for just the ceremony was about $200. Rehearsals may have cost extra as they take just as long as the wedding in some cases. One thing to take advantage of is if the officiant takes payments. Some only need a small deposit to book your day and time with the rest due on the wedding day or just before. Doing this, the fee will not look so big as you pay some now and the rest 6-12 months later.
LICENSED TO PERFORM WEDDINGS
In Ohio, your officiant must be licensed by the Ohio Secretary of State. Each officiant by law must show their license if asked. Even though they are ordained by thier church or organization and authorized by the same to perform wedding ceremonies, they still must have a license to solemnize weddings from the government If you want to be sure you will be married once the ceremony is over, ask to see their license. Remember, this is for Ohio only. Check with your State for local marriage and officiant laws.
Remember to select an officiant that you are comfortable with as they are going to be the one who guides the wedding in a way that reflects your beliefs and desires. If this person cost a little more than you thought, talk to them and work out a plan. Hire that person because they took all worry from you about how the wedding ceremony will flow. Start your search online at google, yahoo, or any search engine. Try a few keywords if you are from Columbus Ohio (or just call me….lol).: wedding officiant, Columbus Ohio, wedding minister.
Good Luck
-Rev. Joe Henry
Central Ohio Wedding Services (Wedding Chapel, Officiant)
We are now working toward building our chapel and garden. We have looked into this for quite some time and now we are moving forward with our plans. The name of our church will be: First Light Affinity Chapel. Although we are a Christian Church, we welcome everyone from any faith. Once we are fully operational, we will still support the community and offer our wedding services illregardless of denomination or religious affiliation. By doing so, we hope you may become a future member, contributor, or volunteer.
For now, we are in the planning stage and need donations to meet our goal. Even though a church is already considered a charity and does not need to file with the IRS, we prefer to get the determination letter to soothe the minds of those who want to contribute lump sums that are…lets say “generous”. Once we receive our 501c3 letter from the IRS, we will post here and let you know. In the meantime, you can donate with faith. Small contributions add up so if you would like to help us now, send $1, $5, $20; whatever you can spare.
You can go to http://www.centralohioweddings.net/firstlight.htm and find out more.
Ever wonder if your officiant is legit? Assumed that your minister at your church can perform your wedding? In some States, being an ordained minister is enough but each State has their own rules. Here in Ohio, all ministers who solemize marriages (or plan to) are licensed by the Ohio Secretary of State. Each minister receives a license after presenting their ordination paperwork for verification. Once your minister has a license, they are (or should be) presentable on demand. Our licenses are at our office and we offer this for viewing to every bride and groom that walks in. At ceremonies outside our office, we take the license with us so it may be viewed by those who may question the validity of the marriage we are to perform. You can also check the Ohio Secretary of State’s website to see if your minister has a valid license. (Go to our links page on our website.) Moral to the story, if your not sure, ask.
After performing many wedding ceremonies. We have found that when you write your own vows for your wedding ceremony makes the wedding special, more intimate for the bride and groom. There are those who like the “repeat after me” vows and that is OK as sometimes nervousness takes over and writing your own vows may not workout. But as you observe the bride and groom speak their most intimate words of love that they have written from the heart, it makes that wedding one to remember. Many people ask, “what should we say if we write our vows?”. I can only say this, draw from your past, look to your future, what makes you complete…..write from the heart. You will know what to say.
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