The Process of the Initial Wedding Consultation

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Upon contacting Dr. Prince, your initial consultation will be informal yet professional and will confirm your wish for marriage counseling, the wedding date, time, wedding venue, thematic thrust of your wedding, the wedding party as well as professional program participants. It will also confirm whether you wish to integrate a rehearsal dinner and whether you have expectations of having the wedding celebrant involved in your wedding reception. 

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Wedding Celebrant FAQs

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1. What qualifies Dr. Prince to be a wedding celebrant? 

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As an American cleric, Dr. Prince is wedding celebrant certified. He is University of Oxford educated in theology, Howard University terminally trained, and a licensed and ordained Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) cleric.    

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2. What is the difference between a secular wedding celebrant and a spiritual wedding celebrant?

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Secular celebrants such as justices of the peace are not necessarily spiritually focused. Spiritual wedding celebrants such as pastors or other spiritual leaders are spiritually focused on God and spiritual principles.

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3. Can clergy who have not been ordained serve as spiritual celebrants? 

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No. Clergy wedding celebrants must be certified celebrants. They must be licensed and ordained to wed. 

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4. Is marriage counseling required? 

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Marriage counseling is not required. However, it is highly recommended that prior to becoming husband and wife that both the bride and groom, fiancée and fiancé respectively undergo premarital counseling as the spirituality and legality of marriage should never be entered into unadvisedly. When performing weddings, Dr. Prince generally suggests a minimum of a three marriage counseling sessions with a two months’ notice for scheduling.

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5. Does Dr. Prince perform weddings locally and nationally?

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Regardless of the wedding venue, Dr. Prince performs wedding ceremonies between a man and woman only and he does so nationwide.  

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6. Is Dr. Prince open to performing intercultural wedding ceremonies?

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As a Christian wedding celebrant, Dr. Prince performs weddings of all races, religions and cultures who wish to be wed.  As such, all wedding themes and cultural elements from African, Asian, Grecian, Indian, Italian, Jewish, Latin, Parisian and other cultures are welcome to be part of the wedding ceremony.   

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7. May we write our own wedding vows? 

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Both traditional and personal wedding vows are affirmed by Dr. Prince. So, couples are given a choice to choose between the two. 

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8. Is poetry allowed in the wedding ceremony? 

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Poetic expressions are allowed in the wedding ceremony. 

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9. How soon should I book my wedding?

 

Weddings dates should generally be booked three months to a year in advance to secure your wedding venue, wedding date and wedding celebrant. 

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10. What is the average compensation for a wedding celebrant?

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If you desire premarital counseling, wish the wedding celebrant to travel over 10 miles, require the wedding celebrant to be involved in your rehearsal dinner or expect the wedding celebrant to attend your wedding reception for several hours, your wedding cost may escalate as such professional time is considered billable hours.

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11. How did Dr. Prince become involved in the role of a wedding celebrant?

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Dr. Prince was called into the Gospel ministry and the role of wedding celebrant is essential to that role.

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12. What type of wedding venue appeals to Dr. Prince most, a large urban church wedding, small rural church wedding, sports complex, hotel ballroom, country club, community lodge, back yard or poolside wedding?

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Over the years, Dr. Prince has been involved in all these venues and has no preference if the bride and groom are comfortable.

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13. What immediate question and advice would Dr. Prince ask and give to a prospective bride and groom?

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Dr. Prince would ask if they were certain that they really wanted to do this? This is a question that must be critically thought through prior to marriage. If they really want to get married, he suggests that they seriously pray about it and wait on spiritual confirmation.

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14. When should we get our marriage license?

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Your marriage license should be received thirty (30) days prior to your wedding day.

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15. What is the elephant in the room of every prospective wedding day? 

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The elephant in the room is the wedding cost that no one wishes to talk about as weddings today can be costly from the engagement ring to the wedding rings, hair stylists for both the bride and groom, the nail salon, bridal gown, wedding planner, wedding venue, venue decorator and decorations team, wedding celebrant, limousine services, photographer, videographer, streaming services, decorations wedding reception dinner, entertainment musicians and much more. These are expenses couples need to plan for, yet no one ever wishes to talk about for compensation purposes.