Creating a Wedding Ministry

Times have changed! The days of the Minister at the local church performing wedding ceremonies for congregants and receiving a small financial token of appreciation in return are over. Generations of couples, not associated with a church, find themselves in a dilemma when it comes time to “tie the knot.” Many couples tell me they spent hours making phone calls in a desperate search for a Minister fearing they would be forced to settle for an impersonal ceremony at the office of a local justice.

In school, most Ministers learn about creating the wedding ceremony and little about creating a wedding ministry. As a Minister you have a valuable skill, legal authorization and a waiting audience. In my first year in ministry, I performed 1 wedding. After eight years of finding out what worked and identifying what did not work, I created a wedding ministry that has increased more than 300%. Last year I had the joy of marrying 200 couples. I also referred more than 24 weddings to other ministers in my area, for a referral fee. Creating a wedding ministry has been rewarding personally, professionally and financially. I have identified a few of the many successful techniques I use below:

As a Minister you have a service to offer: the ceremony. Performing the ceremony is the ministry side of the job. The business side is defining, creating and promoting your ministry services.

The first step in any business is to define your product. Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself. Will my services include pre-marital counseling? Will my ceremony services be a set standard service or will they include a variety of ceremony styles: traditional, spiritual, religious, interfaith or multicultural? In what types of settings will I offer my services: churches, back yards, homes, parks, banquet halls, recreational facilities? How far will I travel to perform my services?

Now that you have defined your product, how much will you charge for your services? Like other service products, fees are determined by geographical area, cost of living, supply and demand. The best way to determine your fees is to do some research in your local area. You may choose to phone other Ministers, ask friends how much they paid the officiant or visit local web sites for fees listed. Some Ministers fees are based on the variety of services, the needs of the couple, the amount of travel involved, the days of the week and the type of ceremony performed.

Promoting and marketing your services is the final step in creating your wedding ministry. Networking is always an excellent marketing tool. Visit other businesses in the wedding industry. Drop in on your local florist, banquet halls and bridal shops, making a personal contact and leaving a few of your business cards for referrals. As an independent Minister, joining an association or organization that will get your name on the web in a larger scale is always a great idea.

Above are the basic tools to get your started in creating a wedding ministry. What better vocation can you have then one that celebrates love!

Rev. Sharon Marquart is a Non-Denominational/Interfaith Minister in Pennsylvania. She is the author and publisher of a new book, Creating A Wedding Ministry available at Borders, Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Sold at a discount through her web site www.creatingaweddingministry.com.