Originally from the Bay Area in California, I have lived in Grants Pass for over 7 years and I love it here. One of my greatest joys as an ordained non-denominational minister is working with couples in designing the right and perfect ceremony that celebrates their love, their joy, their dreams, and the combining of their spiritual paths into a glorious journey of togetherness.

A ceremony should be as unique as the individuals and as timeless as their love. I have had the honor of officiating weddings for well over a decade. I remain passionate about helping couples create their perfect ceremony. I have never, in over a dozen years, used the same exact ceremony twice.

Over the years I've also had the opportunity to experience and learn about many different traditions and cultures. I have officiated ceremonies incorporating traditions such as:

• Filipino - Candle, Veil, Cord, Coin
• Serbian - Honey & Bread
• Jewish - Breaking of the Glass

One of the most unique experiences was officiating an absolutely beautiful ceremony, together with a Hindu Priest, combining both Christian and Hindu traditions. I've even learned a wedding prayer in Chinese.

I welcome the opportunity to learn about different customs, traditions, and cultures. I'm more than willing to work with each couple to incorporate aspects of their cultures that are important to them.

For those who wish, I also offer pre-marital counseling. Separately and then together, we deeply explore various aspects of marriage in which conflict often arises; we discuss where there is alignment, and we'll identify and talk about those areas in which there may be potential conflict.

I am pleased to officiate and celebrate all marriages founded on love for both 'straight' couples as well as 'same-sex' couples. Ceremonies offered include Traditional and Contemporary Weddings, Blended Family, and Renewal of Vows.

Finally - a note about pricing. The average in our area is around $200.00 for the wedding and $50.00 for the rehearsal. I don't have a set fee for service. Some couples have paid a little less, and some have paid much more. The most I've received is $600.00. My personal average is between $300.00 and $400.00. Things to consider:

• Experience - I've been officiating weddings for over a decade.
• Service - I work personally with each couple to plan every detail of the wedding ceremony. I strive to go 'above and beyond', providing a level of service that other vendors have told me they have never seen with any other officiants with whom they have worked.
• Time - I generally devote between 10 and 15 hours into each wedding: meetings, document preparation, and travel time; as well as the rehearsal and ceremony times.
• Budget - The officiant is one of the most important people involved in the wedding. Without an officiant, you're simply having a party. Weigh the fee for the officiant against what you're paying for other aspects of the wedding - food, music, photographer, venue, decorations, flowers, etc. Consider the level of service you're receiving, the time your officiant is devoting to your wedding, etc. Keep in mind that even a 'courthouse ceremony', when they're available, costs over $100.00.
• Pre-marital Counseling - While I don't require pre-marital counseling, I do recommend it. There are generally three 2-hour sessions. I don't have an additional fee for the sessions, I simply ask that the couple factor its value and the time commitment into the fee equation. A 'rule of thumb' is $25.00 per hour - approximately $150.00 in total.