Suzanne L. Arbil

My interest in becoming a Wedding Officiant began when a good friend asked me if I would help her write her wedding ceremony. I could tell there was more she wasn’t saying so I waited until she finally broke down and asked if I could do the whole thing, marry them, As well. I must have looked at her a bit dumbfounded and a lot confused, because she asked a second time. She repeated herself and asked if I could look into becoming an ordained minister so that I could legally marry her and her fiancé at their wedding coming up soon.

I was completely floored! What an honor! Needless to say, I was deeply touched, and I readily understood the assignment, so I agreed to look into it and let her know. Two days later I had all the information I needed, and I was sold. I wholeheartedly agreed to do it! I then became an ordained minister with Universal Life Church Ministries so that I’d be able to legally officiate at her wedding and marry her to her beloved.

It turns out that fate was fast at work, because the stars aligned that day… the wedding was beautiful! It was a wonderful, blissful day. The ceremony was sweet and touching; it was exactly what the bride and groom expressed to me that they wanted. I even noticed a few of the guests dabbing their eyes as the couple pledged their lives to each other with vows they penned themselves, with only a little bit of help from me. I found out that day that I am good at weddings; very, very good at officiating them, and so my side-gig was born.

Discovering this latent talent of mine later in life has also been fortuitous. My husband and I are empty-nesting these days, and it has been hard figuring out what side-gig I wanted to get into, what part-time job could I do that would earn me a little extra cash, plus keep me happily busy? Officiating weddings melds skills I have honed from my many years in the legal field as a paralegal, and it also requires high levels of organization and professionalism, as well as excellent writing and communication skills. Officiants need also be sensitive, discreet, patient, creative, flexible, open-minded, have an authentic love for people, and an innate desire to spread love and happiness. It doesn’t hurt that I am a hopeless romantic, either! I have been happily married myself for almost thirty years so, YES! I’m Team Marriage! I believe in love and the sanctity of marriage and consider it a real privilege to be so involved and up-close to such life-altering events in a person’s life. It is a lot of fun for me, and I love doing it!

Here are a few things you should know before you contact me for services:

-I AM EXCLUSIVE. I do not need money; my husband and I do well financially. Due to this fact, I am very particular about the wedding ceremonies I choose to do, the vendors and people I work with, and those with whom I sign Contracts. By no means do I accept every potential client that contacts me.

-I AM HIGH END. My fee is a flat rate of $1,200 ($500.00 due at the time of Contract signing, and remaining balance of $700.00 due on or before Wedding Day).

-WHAT YOU GET.

1-First Meeting Interview: This will be over Zoom, FaceTime, or in person. This meeting is lengthy as it is our first contact. We will review and sign my Contract for Wedding Officiant Services. We will review the “Our Wedding” questionnaire you will have already completed in preparation for our discussion.

The work, though, will actually start months before the Wedding Day. It begins with this First Meeting Interview, as we get to know each other and I begin to understand what your Big Day looks like in your head. Every ceremony script I write is personalized to each individual couple’s unique love story and what it is you are envisioning. My goal for this meeting is to leave with a clear idea of what your tastes and intentions are for your Wedding. I will give you suggestions and descriptions for some ceremony “extras” you may opt to add. We will discuss how long the ceremony will be.

2-Original, Personalized Ceremony: I will draft an original, personalized ceremony for your review and approval. This written ceremony will be based upon discussions had and information discovered during our First Meeting Interview. These drafts will be submitted to you via email and will need to be returned to me by the date indicated on the document. These drafts will be submitted to you via email by the deadline dates noted in the Contract.

3-Newspaper Wedding Announcement: I will draft, submit and coordinate the publishing of a wedding announcement for the local paper of your choice, if you opt to do this as a Wedding Extra. You will be responsible for and will be invoiced for any fees this might incur.

3-Rehearsal Dinner: My travel, attendance and participation at the Rehearsal Dinner prior to Wedding Day. (PLEASE NOTE: mileage will be charged at the rate of $0.40 per mile for any distance over 10 miles from my home).

4-Wedding Day: My travel, attendance, participation, execution, and overseeing of the wedding ceremony on Wedding Day. (PLEASE NOTE: mileage will be charged at the rate of $0.40 per mile for any distance over 10 miles from my home).

I am willing to wear (most) anything you wish for me to wear on your Big Day. I will provide you with Officiant wardrobe options and you will choose what I wear. I will be as formal or casual as you would like.

I see my main duty on the Wedding Day is to execute the personalized plan the couple and I created and decided on together, typically months prior. I believe it is also the officiant’s function to ensure that everything goes smoothly during the ceremony itself, all according to the bride and groom’s predetermined wishes. My problem-solving ability and sharp, quick wits have saved me from disaster more than once.

5-Destination Weddings: Destination weddings will be considered on a limited basis. Please inquire further with the travel details. (PLEASE NOTE: you are responsible for any travel expenses I would incur, including but not limited to, airfare, hotel accommodations, and the like, per the specifics laid out in the Contract;).

6-Full-time Access: You will enjoy Full-time Access to me with anything wedding-related that is on your mind! (Monday-Saturday, 8am-8pm; NO SUNDAYS OR HOLIDAYS, PLEASE); I will be available to you telephonically, via video conference/FaceTime, via text, email or in-person meetings as necessary for anything and everything you’ve got on your mind regarding your Big Day. You may pick my brain for hundreds of wedding resources, helpful hints, aesthetic opinions, whatever you want… I’m all about YOU and your Big Day and will be there to support you and help you navigate through what can be a very hectic and challenging time.

if you have a Wedding Coordinator, I will work closely with them, at your discretion and instruction. If you do NOT have a Wedding Coordinator, I will do my best to serve you in this capacity without extra fee charges, within reason, common courtesy and goodwill.

7-Extra Fees: I will do as much as I can for you in relation to your wedding without charging extra fees, but in the event that it DOES become necessary to charge extra fees for an action or item that exceeds my scope of duty as Wedding Officiant, you will be notified of the fee for your approval PRIOR to any action being performed on your behalf. You will only be charged for what you have approved.

Contact me to discuss your upcoming nuptials and to check my availability. Securing a top-notch, industry-savvy Wedding Officiant to take charge and be responsible for the details of what is arguably one of the most important days you will have in your life is a wise thing to do, as early on in your planning as possible. I’m excited to launch this new endeavor and look forward to knowing all the folks I will soon meet and help.

Suzanne L. Arbil