You pay for the service?

[transferred post]

This is a thread that was started in our old BlissWeddings.com forums by prunella on 10/02/05.

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posted by prunella

Hi girls! After reading your posts, I have been wondering how much you pay for the celebrant of the wedding....We give a donation to the church and for the city hall, we pay for the booking ( from 80 to 600 dollars!). Have a good day, here it is raining.....


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posted by Marge129

Since I was a member of my church, I only had to pay a $30 janitorial fee. But, we did end up giving the pastor either $75 or $100 as a "tip." We also had to pay the organist and tip the soloist. I think we gave each of them $75-$100 also.

~Margie

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posted by syringa

In most U.S. churches, either the minister's fee is included in the cost of renting the church or the minister is paid separately. If the wedding is not being held in a church then the minister or judge is paid for their services. We do not have city hall weddings unless it is a quick trip to a judge's chambers. People hold weddings in all kinds of places, including parks, historic buildings, museums, hotels, botanical gardens, back yards, beaches, and much more. A wedding can be held anywhere that the owner's (including city and state) will allow.

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posted by NovemberGal

My church has a set fee for the organist--and you must consult with him on the music. His fee is $300. We're having a good friend (also a member of the church and former interim organist and choir director) play for us, be we still have to pay the organist his fee. Oh well. There is a recommended donation of $200 to the pastor. Our church only allows members or immediate relatives of members to book the church for weddings, and there is no cost for it, as far as a building rental fee.

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posted by prunella

Thanks! Now I have more clear ideas!

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posted by Lizbet

I wasn't a member of the church where I got married. The chapel rental fee was $300. The organist was paid seperately, $100. There was no fee for the officiant, since we used the pastor of the church we were renting, but we did "tip" her the expected amount of $100. The guidelines for marriage in the church we used made a point to say that since Saturday is usually the pastor's day off, a small sum of money in recognition of her time is appreciated.

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posted by ComplicatedWoman

I am sort of in a jam on this one...I'm employed as a youth pastor at the church where my fh and I are getting married...I highly doubt that a site fee is expected from me, but I think we should pay anyway. My fh says no and that it will insult my boss (who is a very dear friend), our administrator (one of my bridesmaids) and the board. I still feel like it would be polite. Am I being overly mindful of ettiquite here? Someone give me an opinion. (I feel hopeful that someone will!)

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posted by wynelle

Since someone will have to come in and clean up behind you, and someone will have to come in and help get everything set up- then why does your FH think it will be "insulting" to pay the same fee for those services that any other church member would pay?

In our church, the bridal party has to complete some paperwork, and provide a deposit check. If the senior pastor doesn't feel you should pay, or that it is the church's gift to you, he will return the check.

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posted by ComplicatedWoman

Thank you, that is exactly what I think. I really appreciate it.

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posted by TheaterDiva1

We had our ceremony and reception in the same location. There was a $200-$250 ceremony fee (I forget which). My uncle officiated, so no fee there, but we did make up a nice gift basket as a thank-you.

-Maggie
TheaterDiva1

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posted by JennPaz

I am sort of in a jam on this one...I'm employed as a youth pastor at the church where my fh and I are getting married...I highly doubt that a site fee is expected from me, but I think we should pay anyway. My fh says no and that it will insult my boss (who is a very dear friend), our administrator (one of my bridesmaids) and the board. I still feel like it would be polite. Am I being overly mindful of ettiquite here? Someone give me an opinion. (I feel hopeful that someone will!)

I'm also employeed at the church where I will be getting married. However, it is just known that staff gets to use the facilities for free. Just countit as a blessing!

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posted by ljeagle

The church we have found so far is kinda expansive in my eyes.
A wedding service in the sanctuary $200
a wedding service in the chapel $100
a reception in page Hall $250
The minister $150
The Organist $75
The Custodian $75
The Soloist $50

The chapel only holds 20 people so that is out of the question. We are not using there minister but we will give the minister $100. I think it's crazy to ask 250 for the reception hall and only 200 for a place of worship. We won't use there organist but will give $50 to a friend of ours. And are solist are really good friends and part of the wedding party. So we don't have to pay any thing for that.

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posted by wynelle

The deposit/cost of the reception hall is higher than that of the sanctuary because you (hopefully) won't be eating and drinking in the Sanctuary. The clean-up is more expensive where-ever you have food.

The costs you have identified are *very inexpensive* compared to our area, especially for someone who is not a member of the church.

I live in the Southeast, which is considered one of the lower Cost-of-living areas, and those prices are lower than many in our area.

ALso, be sure the church will allow an outside organist to play. At my church, there are a list of "acceptable" organists. We have a 40-rank pipe organ, and not everyone can play it correctly.

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posted by sparklesweetie

Let me see....
our chapel/gazebo is $510
the pastor is $90
sound person is included in the price...using cd's for all music there
our reception hall will be $350 after return of $100 deposit
Does that help any for comparison?

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posted by syringa

Ljeagle, your prices are very reasonable. In my area the more popular churches charge $1,500 for 4 hours use and no reception. That includes the minister's fee, sound system, organist/pianist, and a church coordinator who usually opens the doors and is in the building during the rehearsal and ceremony.