Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions page.
If your questions remain unanswered, please click to contact Cris and she’ll be able to answer any question you might have.
I provide a custom service, which often includes travel and rehearsals, so my fees vary depending on your needs. Call or email me or fill out one of my contact forms. I’ll need a few details to provide you with a likely price range for your ceremony. Later we can visit in person or via Skype to chat about your ceremony in detail and I’ll quote a final fee for my services so you can make an informed decision. Call Cris to discuss your wedding ceremony today! Planning a baby naming or other family ceremony? Tell me about it! We don’t want to mention God in our ceremony, is that okay? I work with all kinds of clients: atheist, agnostic, spiritual but not religious, religious, and interfaith. Every ceremony is written with respect to your beliefs. If you want a completely secular wedding ceremony, it’s my pleasure to create it for you. Have you every been to a church wedding where the minister’s ceremony didn’t reflect the couple at all? That won’t happen with me. You’ll get to read your ceremony and make changes. Most ceremonies go through 3 drafts, including the final draft, but if you need to make more changes, I’ll work with you to make sure it’s right. Can you help us find wedding readings? Yes. I can suggest readings for you and even research readings that fit your philosophy, interests or beliefs. Readings can be anything from poetry, to prose, song lyrics, or even something written for your ceremony. If you find readings you want, I’ll work to fit them seamlessly into your ceremony! No time like the present! Contact Cris about your wedding today! Read more about custom weddings here. There are lots of ways to involve your family and friends in your ceremony; whether you want to honor a few extra special people in your life or include everyone present. We can even create something new just for your ceremony. Include your parents by offering them gifts or honoring them with a few words. Ask all of your guests to do a ring warming with your wedding rings or ask someone special to present the rings. Ask the person who introduced you to assist with your handfasting ceremony. Include 3 generations in sand ceremony that celebrates all the love in your family. Extend your unity candle to include all of your guests or ask your guests to voice their love and support. There’s no limit to what you can do! Do you file the marriage license? Yes, after your wedding ceremony, I will file your marriage license in accordance to NY or NJ laws. Contact Cris about your wedding today! Do you do same sex weddings? Yes! Inclusive Ceremonies is 100% LGTB friendly. I came up with the name Inclusive Ceremonies before NJ even had civil unions, in hopes of the day when marriage equality would be the law. Now that it is, I’m thrilled and honored to help all couples tie the knot! I encourage wedding rehearsals* and will attend if I am available.** This gives us all a chance to run through the ceremony and make sure everyone is comfortable with their roles. If I’m not available for your rehearsal, I can give you a cue sheet including the order of the processional and the rest of the ceremony. The most effective wedding rehearsals happen in the same space as the ceremony. If you’re not able to have your rehearsal in the ceremony space, I recommend gathering everyone in the space before the ceremony. (For couple’s who aren’t seeing each other before the wedding, a trusted family member can be a stand in for you!) Tell me about your wedding and let’s set up a time to chat! *For very complex ceremonies other than weddings we can discuss whether a rehearsal would be useful for you. **There is a charge for rehearsals. I’ll include that information when I quote my fee. What areas do you serve? I perform wedding ceremonies in all of New Jersey and parts of New York. If you’re getting married in the Big Apple, I am registered with New York City. For weddings outside of New Jersey and New York, I have to check local laws, but we can talk about it.* We can also talk about my ceremony writing services, if you have someone to officiate but want a highly personal, professionally crafted ceremony. For other ceremonies (e.g., baby namings, adoption ceremonies or memorials) I can travel outside of New Jersey and New York.* Contact Cris about your ceremony today! *Travel fees apply. There are so many factors that go into choosing a wedding officiant and they include legal, logistical and If you decide a Life-Cycle Celebrant® is right for you, click here to contact me about your wedding today! Thanks to New Jersey’s new Civil Celebrant law and my training at the Celebrant Foundation & Institute, I am now able to solemnize marriages in New Jersey as a state certified Civil Celebrant. This means that I can sign your New Jersey marriage certificate as a Civil Celebrant without using my ordained title, Reverend. You can have a truly secular/civil ceremony without having to have a courthouse wedding. I will probably recommend using a microphone for your wedding ceremony if one or more of these describe your ceremony and ceremony space: Ceremony Planning Tips: Don’t assume your venue has a microphone available. And if they do, how many mics, are they wireless, and can you see what the PA sounds like? Not all PAs are created equal. You want your friends and family to be able to hear your ceremony. Ask your officiant about how many mics and what kind are recommended. I usually recommend at least 2 microphones for your ceremony, one near you for your vows and one to the side for your officiant and your readers. Inclusive Ceremonies has a PA system available for an additional fee. Some DJs provide a microphone, you should check to see how many mics are available, what the additional cost is. if any, and if the mic is wireless. Let’s talk about your wedding ceremony today! A wedding rehearsal is a wonderful opportunity to double check the little details of your ceremony like, where will everyone stand? Is there enough room for our planned processional? Or are we sure we won’t need a microphone? Most importantly, your wedding rehearsal is a chance for YOU to get comfortable in the ceremony space and do a run through, so on your wedding day you can enjoy the experience. Does every wedding NEED a rehearsal? No. Here are some of the reasons I recommend having a wedding rehearsal: Tips: Have your ceremony at the ceremony site. In my experience, having your ceremony at another location isn’t as effective. You don’t have the advantage of getting to know the “landmarks” of the ceremony space. Instead, I suggest either checking to see if you can arrange the rehearsal at the venue for an earlier date or seeing if the venue will allow you enough time to do a run through on early on the day. Get your friends organized. Make sure your rehearsal participants know to arrive a few minutes early so everyone is ready to go, on time. In most cases, I find rehearsals can be done in as little as 30 minutes if everyone is on time, focused, and ready to participate. Bring props. Practice passing your bouquet to your Maid of Honor. See what it’s like to tie the knot during your handfasting. Your rehearsal gives you a chance to practice your ceremony in as much or as little detail as you want. A wedding rehearsal isn’t the same thing as the rehearsal dinner. You CAN have one without the other. So, if you want to just do a run through with just your officiant, so the two of you are comfortable with everything and then just go home after, you CAN do that. And if you don’t need a rehearsal, but want to gather everyone for dinner the night before your wedding, you can do that too! Not sure if you need a wedding rehearsal? Let’s talk about your wedding ceremony to find out. Do you file the marriage license? Yes, after your wedding ceremony, I will file your marriage license in accordance to NY or NJ laws. Contact Cris about your wedding today! I’ve added a new page describing my wedding services and fees. I provide a custom service, which often includes travel and rehearsals, so my fees vary depending on your needs. Call or email me or fill out one of my contact forms. I’ll need a few details to provide you with a likely price range for your ceremony. Later we can visit in person or via Skype to chat about your ceremony in detail and I’ll quote a final fee for my services so you can make an informed decision. Call Cris to discuss your wedding ceremony today! Planning a baby naming or other family ceremony? Tell me about it! What areas do you serve? I perform wedding ceremonies in all of New Jersey and parts of New York. If you’re getting married in the Big Apple, I am registered with New York City. For weddings outside of New Jersey and New York, I have to check local laws, but we can talk about it.* We can also talk about my ceremony writing services, if you have someone to officiate but want a highly personal, professionally crafted ceremony. For other ceremonies (e.g., baby namings, adoption ceremonies or memorials) I can travel outside of New Jersey and New York.* Contact Cris about your ceremony today! *Travel fees apply. There are so many factors that go into choosing a wedding officiant and they include legal, logistical and If you decide a Life-Cycle Celebrant® is right for you, click here to contact me about your wedding today! Can you help us find wedding readings? Yes. I can suggest readings for you and even research readings that fit your philosophy, interests or beliefs. Readings can be anything from poetry, to prose, song lyrics, or even something written for your ceremony. If you find readings you want, I’ll work to fit them seamlessly into your ceremony! No time like the present! Contact Cris about your wedding today! Read more about custom weddings here. There are lots of ways to involve your family and friends in your ceremony; whether you want to honor a few extra special people in your life or include everyone present. We can even create something new just for your ceremony. Include your parents by offering them gifts or honoring them with a few words. Ask all of your guests to do a ring warming with your wedding rings or ask someone special to present the rings. Ask the person who introduced you to assist with your handfasting ceremony. Include 3 generations in sand ceremony that celebrates all the love in your family. Extend your unity candle to include all of your guests or ask your guests to voice their love and support. There’s no limit to what you can do! Can we see the ceremony script? Absolutely! I’ll send you a draft of your ceremony for approval. Sometimes I’ll ask for more information. You’re welcome to make any changes you want. If I know a better way to do something, I’ll let you know, but in the end it’s your decision. Generally ceremonies go through three drafts, but if more are needed, I’ll work with you to make sure your ceremony is what you want it to be. Get started on your custom ceremony, contact Cris today! Planning a baby naming or other family ceremony? Tell me about it! What areas do you serve? I perform wedding ceremonies in all of New Jersey and parts of New York. If you’re getting married in the Big Apple, I am registered with New York City. For weddings outside of New Jersey and New York, I have to check local laws, but we can talk about it.* We can also talk about my ceremony writing services, if you have someone to officiate but want a highly personal, professionally crafted ceremony. For other ceremonies (e.g., baby namings, adoption ceremonies or memorials) I can travel outside of New Jersey and New York.* Contact Cris about your ceremony today! *Travel fees apply. We don’t want to mention God in our ceremony, is that okay? I work with all kinds of clients: atheist, agnostic, spiritual but not religious, religious, and interfaith. Every ceremony is written with respect to your beliefs. If you want a completely secular wedding ceremony, it’s my pleasure to create it for you. Have you every been to a church wedding where the minister’s ceremony didn’t reflect the couple at all? That won’t happen with me. You’ll get to read your ceremony and make changes. Most ceremonies go through 3 drafts, including the final draft, but if you need to make more changes, I’ll work with you to make sure it’s right. There are so many factors that go into choosing a wedding officiant and they include legal, logistical and If you decide a Life-Cycle Celebrant® is right for you, click here to contact me about your wedding today! Thanks to New Jersey’s new Civil Celebrant law and my training at the Celebrant Foundation & Institute, I am now able to solemnize marriages in New Jersey as a state certified Civil Celebrant. This means that I can sign your New Jersey marriage certificate as a Civil Celebrant without using my ordained title, Reverend. You can have a truly secular/civil ceremony without having to have a courthouse wedding. What areas do you serve? I perform wedding ceremonies in all of New Jersey and parts of New York. If you’re getting married in the Big Apple, I am registered with New York City. For weddings outside of New Jersey and New York, I have to check local laws, but we can talk about it.* We can also talk about my ceremony writing services, if you have someone to officiate but want a highly personal, professionally crafted ceremony. For other ceremonies (e.g., baby namings, adoption ceremonies or memorials) I can travel outside of New Jersey and New York.* Contact Cris about your ceremony today! *Travel fees apply. I encourage wedding rehearsals* and will attend if I am available.** This gives us all a chance to run through the ceremony and make sure everyone is comfortable with their roles. If I’m not available for your rehearsal, I can give you a cue sheet including the order of the processional and the rest of the ceremony. The most effective wedding rehearsals happen in the same space as the ceremony. If you’re not able to have your rehearsal in the ceremony space, I recommend gathering everyone in the space before the ceremony. (For couple’s who aren’t seeing each other before the wedding, a trusted family member can be a stand in for you!) Tell me about your wedding and let’s set up a time to chat! *For very complex ceremonies other than weddings we can discuss whether a rehearsal would be useful for you. **There is a charge for rehearsals. I’ll include that information when I quote my fee. Do you file the marriage license? Yes, after your wedding ceremony, I will file your marriage license in accordance to NY or NJ laws. Contact Cris about your wedding today! I’ve added a new page describing my wedding services and fees. I provide a custom service, which often includes travel and rehearsals, so my fees vary depending on your needs. Call or email me or fill out one of my contact forms. I’ll need a few details to provide you with a likely price range for your ceremony. Later we can visit in person or via Skype to chat about your ceremony in detail and I’ll quote a final fee for my services so you can make an informed decision. Call Cris to discuss your wedding ceremony today! Planning a baby naming or other family ceremony? Tell me about it! What areas do you serve? I perform wedding ceremonies in all of New Jersey and parts of New York. If you’re getting married in the Big Apple, I am registered with New York City. For weddings outside of New Jersey and New York, I have to check local laws, but we can talk about it.* We can also talk about my ceremony writing services, if you have someone to officiate but want a highly personal, professionally crafted ceremony. For other ceremonies (e.g., baby namings, adoption ceremonies or memorials) I can travel outside of New Jersey and New York.* Contact Cris about your ceremony today! *Travel fees apply. There are so many factors that go into choosing a wedding officiant and they include legal, logistical and If you decide a Life-Cycle Celebrant® is right for you, click here to contact me about your wedding today! Thanks to New Jersey’s new Civil Celebrant law and my training at the Celebrant Foundation & Institute, I am now able to solemnize marriages in New Jersey as a state certified Civil Celebrant. This means that I can sign your New Jersey marriage certificate as a Civil Celebrant without using my ordained title, Reverend. You can have a truly secular/civil ceremony without having to have a courthouse wedding. I will probably recommend using a microphone for your wedding ceremony if one or more of these describe your ceremony and ceremony space: Ceremony Planning Tips: Don’t assume your venue has a microphone available. And if they do, how many mics, are they wireless, and can you see what the PA sounds like? Not all PAs are created equal. You want your friends and family to be able to hear your ceremony. Ask your officiant about how many mics and what kind are recommended. I usually recommend at least 2 microphones for your ceremony, one near you for your vows and one to the side for your officiant and your readers. Inclusive Ceremonies has a PA system available for an additional fee. Some DJs provide a microphone, you should check to see how many mics are available, what the additional cost is. if any, and if the mic is wireless. Let’s talk about your wedding ceremony today! A wedding rehearsal is a wonderful opportunity to double check the little details of your ceremony like, where will everyone stand? Is there enough room for our planned processional? Or are we sure we won’t need a microphone? Most importantly, your wedding rehearsal is a chance for YOU to get comfortable in the ceremony space and do a run through, so on your wedding day you can enjoy the experience. Does every wedding NEED a rehearsal? No. Here are some of the reasons I recommend having a wedding rehearsal: Tips: Have your ceremony at the ceremony site. In my experience, having your ceremony at another location isn’t as effective. You don’t have the advantage of getting to know the “landmarks” of the ceremony space. Instead, I suggest either checking to see if you can arrange the rehearsal at the venue for an earlier date or seeing if the venue will allow you enough time to do a run through on early on the day. Get your friends organized. Make sure your rehearsal participants know to arrive a few minutes early so everyone is ready to go, on time. In most cases, I find rehearsals can be done in as little as 30 minutes if everyone is on time, focused, and ready to participate. Bring props. Practice passing your bouquet to your Maid of Honor. See what it’s like to tie the knot during your handfasting. Your rehearsal gives you a chance to practice your ceremony in as much or as little detail as you want. A wedding rehearsal isn’t the same thing as the rehearsal dinner. You CAN have one without the other. So, if you want to just do a run through with just your officiant, so the two of you are comfortable with everything and then just go home after, you CAN do that. And if you don’t need a rehearsal, but want to gather everyone for dinner the night before your wedding, you can do that too! Not sure if you need a wedding rehearsal? Let’s talk about your wedding ceremony to find out. I encourage wedding rehearsals* and will attend if I am available.** This gives us all a chance to run through the ceremony and make sure everyone is comfortable with their roles. If I’m not available for your rehearsal, I can give you a cue sheet including the order of the processional and the rest of the ceremony. The most effective wedding rehearsals happen in the same space as the ceremony. If you’re not able to have your rehearsal in the ceremony space, I recommend gathering everyone in the space before the ceremony. (For couple’s who aren’t seeing each other before the wedding, a trusted family member can be a stand in for you!) Tell me about your wedding and let’s set up a time to chat! *For very complex ceremonies other than weddings we can discuss whether a rehearsal would be useful for you. **There is a charge for rehearsals. I’ll include that information when I quote my fee. I will probably recommend using a microphone for your wedding ceremony if one or more of these describe your ceremony and ceremony space: Ceremony Planning Tips: Don’t assume your venue has a microphone available. And if they do, how many mics, are they wireless, and can you see what the PA sounds like? Not all PAs are created equal. You want your friends and family to be able to hear your ceremony. Ask your officiant about how many mics and what kind are recommended. I usually recommend at least 2 microphones for your ceremony, one near you for your vows and one to the side for your officiant and your readers. Inclusive Ceremonies has a PA system available for an additional fee. Some DJs provide a microphone, you should check to see how many mics are available, what the additional cost is. if any, and if the mic is wireless. Let’s talk about your wedding ceremony today! A wedding rehearsal is a wonderful opportunity to double check the little details of your ceremony like, where will everyone stand? Is there enough room for our planned processional? Or are we sure we won’t need a microphone? Most importantly, your wedding rehearsal is a chance for YOU to get comfortable in the ceremony space and do a run through, so on your wedding day you can enjoy the experience. Does every wedding NEED a rehearsal? No. Here are some of the reasons I recommend having a wedding rehearsal: Tips: Have your ceremony at the ceremony site. In my experience, having your ceremony at another location isn’t as effective. You don’t have the advantage of getting to know the “landmarks” of the ceremony space. Instead, I suggest either checking to see if you can arrange the rehearsal at the venue for an earlier date or seeing if the venue will allow you enough time to do a run through on early on the day. Get your friends organized. Make sure your rehearsal participants know to arrive a few minutes early so everyone is ready to go, on time. In most cases, I find rehearsals can be done in as little as 30 minutes if everyone is on time, focused, and ready to participate. Bring props. Practice passing your bouquet to your Maid of Honor. See what it’s like to tie the knot during your handfasting. Your rehearsal gives you a chance to practice your ceremony in as much or as little detail as you want. A wedding rehearsal isn’t the same thing as the rehearsal dinner. You CAN have one without the other. So, if you want to just do a run through with just your officiant, so the two of you are comfortable with everything and then just go home after, you CAN do that. And if you don’t need a rehearsal, but want to gather everyone for dinner the night before your wedding, you can do that too! Not sure if you need a wedding rehearsal? Let’s talk about your wedding ceremony to find out.Weddings (12)
Why aren’t your wedding ceremony fees listed on your website?
Let’s talk and I’ll describe my wedding ceremony fees.
Yes! I believe your wedding ceremony should reflect your beliefs.
You’ll even have full approval of the script to make sure we get it right.
Do we have to pick from wedding readings you suggest?
We don’t want readings, but we do want to involve our friends in our wedding ceremony, can you help?
Include a few special people or include everyone!
That’s why it’s “Inclusive Ceremonies”.
Do you come to the wedding rehearsal?
What if our wedding rehearsal isn’t at the venue?
Weddings
Family Ceremonies
How do we find the right wedding officiant for us?
personal questions that you have to ask about the type of ceremony you want and the services the officiant provides. To help you find the right wedding officiant for you, I wrote this guide to help you figure it all out. The guide includes:
We want a completely secular, nonreligious wedding ceremony. Do you have to sign our marriage certificate minister or reverend?
Do I need a microphone / PA for my ceremony?
Do we need to have a wedding rehearsal?
NY Weddings (4)
Why aren’t your wedding ceremony fees listed on your website?
Let’s talk and I’ll describe my wedding ceremony fees.
Weddings
Family Ceremonies
How do we find the right wedding officiant for us?
personal questions that you have to ask about the type of ceremony you want and the services the officiant provides. To help you find the right wedding officiant for you, I wrote this guide to help you figure it all out. The guide includes:
Ceremony writing (4)
Do we have to pick from wedding readings you suggest?
We don’t want readings, but we do want to involve our friends in our wedding ceremony, can you help?
Include a few special people or include everyone!
How many times can we see the ceremony script?
Weddings
Family Ceremonies
Secular weddings (3)
Yes! I believe your wedding ceremony should reflect your beliefs.
You’ll even have full approval of the script to make sure we get it right.
How do we find the right wedding officiant for us?
personal questions that you have to ask about the type of ceremony you want and the services the officiant provides. To help you find the right wedding officiant for you, I wrote this guide to help you figure it all out. The guide includes:
We want a completely secular, nonreligious wedding ceremony. Do you have to sign our marriage certificate minister or reverend?
Family Ceremonies (1)
Weddings
Family Ceremonies
NJ Weddings (8)
Do you come to the wedding rehearsal?
What if our wedding rehearsal isn’t at the venue?
Why aren’t your wedding ceremony fees listed on your website?
Let’s talk and I’ll describe my wedding ceremony fees.
Weddings
Family Ceremonies
How do we find the right wedding officiant for us?
personal questions that you have to ask about the type of ceremony you want and the services the officiant provides. To help you find the right wedding officiant for you, I wrote this guide to help you figure it all out. The guide includes:
We want a completely secular, nonreligious wedding ceremony. Do you have to sign our marriage certificate minister or reverend?
Do I need a microphone / PA for my ceremony?
Do we need to have a wedding rehearsal?
NY Weddings (3)
Do you come to the wedding rehearsal?
What if our wedding rehearsal isn’t at the venue?
Do I need a microphone / PA for my ceremony?
Do we need to have a wedding rehearsal?