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maria
Super August 2011

How much are you paying/paid for a officiant/justice of the peace?

maria, on March 24, 2011 at 5:15 PM Posted in Planning 0 23

I'm just wondering so I can get an idea for prices ... how far is yours traveling to your ceremony site? Is he/she doing a rehearsal the day before? How big is your wedding party? Etc etc ... Thanks Smiley smile

23 Comments

Latest activity by Shelbie, on February 25, 2023 at 4:15 PM
  • Stephanie
    Dedicated May 2011
    Stephanie ·
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    We are paying $200 for ours...that includes premarital counseling (6 Sessions), the "chruch rental", programs (chruch provids these and we can have them made the way we want to), and a 2 hour long rehearsal the day before. We have 5 BMs and 5 GM (including MOH and BM).

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  • Dani
    Expert April 2011
    Dani ·
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    My officiant is $300 and that includes the rehearsal, plus he files the marriage license after the ceremony. He's only one town over so not much travelling required.

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  • Jaemi C. fka Jaemi S. :-)
    Master October 2010
    Jaemi C. fka Jaemi S. :-) ·
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    I paid $150 for rehearsal and ceremony. I tipped him $50, so $200 total and we met with him once before everything.

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  • Hayley C™
    Master March 2008
    Hayley C™ ·
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    $200 ... quick ceremony 20 - 25 min. .... Welcome, consent, address, vows, exchange ring, blessing, pronouncement, kiss....

    100 guests. No rehearsal. MOH, 1bm, Best, 1 gm, 2 flowergirls

    and he files the paperwork.

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  • His Rib
    Super August 2011
    His Rib ·
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    Ours is not charging us anything but I was planning on giving him $300. We are getting pre-marital counseling with books to read and the use of the church for free.

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  • FMS, the barefoot wife!
    Master August 2010
    FMS, the barefoot wife! ·
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    Well, when pricing out ours she would of travelled 200 km there and back, no rehersal and it was going to be around 300. Thankfully, we got my grandpa appointed for the day, for free, and he did a wonderful, legal, ceremony. First one ever, I felt so special having my Grandpa do it, and he even asked f he could add a reading at the the end he found. Smiley smile

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  • FMS, the barefoot wife!
    Master August 2010
    FMS, the barefoot wife! ·
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    Oh, wedding party, 6 adults including me and DH, then 5 kids, FG's & RB's

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  • DDDRosie
    Super May 2011
    DDDRosie ·
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    We are paying for his round of golf at a very sheeshee golf course. Of course he is my MOH husband and my current pastor, so I am sure we will get him something else too, but he is using our wedding (which he would have come to anyway as a guest if he weren't marrying us) as a reason to have a golf vacation. :o)

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  • Meghan
    Master August 2011
    Meghan ·
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    We are paying our officiant $100, and that includes the counseling. She is really cheap for the area though. The average prices I have seen were $250-400. Of course, some areas are higher.

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  • Danielle
    Just Said Yes April 2011
    Danielle ·
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    Wow I feel screwed. We had to pay ours a "suggested donation" of $900 and that doesn't include any counseling and he won't even show up to the rehearsal. Oh well. These Southern California prices are killing me!

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  • Jessica
    VIP June 2011
    Jessica ·
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    Mine was $450 for just the ceremony. I think it varies greatly according to where you live. (I am an East Coast girl.)

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  • Anita
    Super August 2014
    Anita ·
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    Mine is $100 normally $200 but I got a discount for sending him other brides.

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  • desirae
    Dedicated July 2012
    desirae ·
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    Wow I think mine is the most expensive. haha we paid 550 for our wedding officiant. That includes rehearsal, writing the programs, wedding (he does not stay to eat or anything), getting information and scheduling appts for applying for the marriage licenses, meeting with us once before the wedding, writing a "love story" ceremony and rituals. Plus he is also an event coordinator so he contacts the DJ, photographer, ceremony hall to make sure everything is set and they are all on the same page with what I need and what he will need them to do (such as stand where to get the best picture, to start and stop playing the ceremony music for his speaking parts, etc).

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  • Karen & Rene
    VIP March 2012
    Karen & Rene ·
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    Ours was $475 for the ceremony and meetings before it to plan, the ceremony is customizable to whatever we like to add, he files the paper work after we get married and if we want he can play the guitar too (for an extra $100) It depends where you live I am in NJ and the prices range anywhere from $300 up.

    I know its pricey but I do not feel ripped off, I want my ceremony to be memorable!!!

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  • Shana
    Master October 2011
    Shana ·
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    We're paying $475 for the wedding and rehearsal. Considering how great she is, I think that's perfect. I felt really comfortable when we met with her and I think she's going to make our day really nice, classy and special.

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  • Natalie
    Devoted May 2011
    Natalie ·
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    We looked at several churches since neither one of is a memeber of a church any more. Their prices were CRAZY! On average I would say they were $1000. I found one that was $600 but you had to jump through hoops. Also we were not allowed to live togeher. The most expensive that we looked at was $1700.

    We ended up going with a chapel for $625. That included the space for an 1.5 hours, an officiant for $150, rehersal for $50 and we have to pay $25 to bring in our own photographer. The chapel is already decorated and they provide the music or will play a cd if we want.

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  • HollyKnoxville
    VIP November 2011
    HollyKnoxville ·
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    Where I live a notary is allowed to perform the ceremony... so we're having a close friend (who's a notary and has done a few weddings) marry us as a wedding gift. We will do a rehearsal the day before. I plan on giving him a gift to thank him.

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  • *alliecat*
    Dedicated October 2011
    *alliecat* ·
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    Our Ceremony Venue is $1,100 total, and that includes the $150 tip for the officiant. The church has a Chapel and a Sanctuary in it, and we will be having ours in the Chapel since we are having 200 guests. We have an hour for rehearsal the day before. and not only is the church beautiful, it's right down the street from our reception venue...another reason why we picked that church.

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  • Kristin
    Dedicated November 2011
    Kristin ·
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    $375 for ceremony, multiple phone calls, and one in person meeting. And we'll probably tip him $50.

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  • Victoria C. Hernandez
    Master July 2011
    Victoria C. Hernandez ·
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    My Uncle is my officiant so nothing! I did buy him a nice watch thou..

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