FAQ

You will need to apply for a marriage license from the Register of Deeds office in any county in North Carolina 60 days or less before your wedding date to get your marriage license. During Covid you should be able to make an appointment in advance, and you will walk out with it on the same day. It costs $60 and both of you need to go, bringing primary ID for both of you (driver's license, birth certificate etc.) and your social security cards (or W2 forms). The license is valid for 60 days. After your wedding, I will mail both copies back to the Register of Deeds office where you obtained the license and it will be recorded. You can then request certified copies to prove you are married. Some counties provide you with a copy of their required form to order copies. You can also download the necessary information and the form any time from the county where you got your license. You can find all North Carolina Register of Deeds offices here.  

You need two witnesses, and your photographer can be one of them. Witnesses need to be at least 18 years of age. If you are not able to provide witnesses for your Simple or Romantic Elopement ceremony, I can provide them for an additional fee.

I have been a Wedding Celebrant since 2014 when I moved here from New Jersey. I write and perform weddings in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, North Carolina and the surrounding areas. I love my job, which is to marry couples to each other and more importantly to celebrate why they are getting married. I am a creative writer who makes the most of my 20-minute ceremonies, making guests laugh, cry and even, occasionally, think. Wedding ceremonies should be celebrations. Maybe I can help you with your wedding ceremony! 

It means I am a highly trained ceremony professional, extensively schooled in the art of ceremony by the Celebrant Foundation & Institute. The Celebrant Institute's gold standard, college-level coursework means that all Celebrants begin their careers as master co-creators and performers of ceremonies that reflect the needs, beliefs and personalities of their couples. It also means your ceremony can be just as fun, creative and joyful as you are – and that there are “no rules” or things we have to do – we truly get to make it all about you and your love! 

As an ordained non-denominational minister, I work with couples from across the spectrum of religion, spiritual and lack thereof. The majority of my couples identify as non-religious, and are seeking a ceremony that is meaningful and full of love. My ordination allows me to legally wed couples in North Carolina and in many other states as well. 

Yes absolutely! You deserve to work with someone who fully accepts and celebrates who you are. I work with each of my couples to make sure I am using language that feels right to them and reflects their beliefs. My ceremonies are modern, fresh, fun and embrace gender equality and fluidity.

We start with a video call or an in-person meeting to get to know each other. There is usually lots of laughter – it is so important that we feel comfortable together! Once you have signed your contract and paid your booking fee, I have homework for you – questionnaires that you fill out separately, telling me your love story, what you love about each other and what this commitment means to you. I then take your answers and our conversation, and create a personalized ceremony that includes your love story and fun rituals. You get to read it over and make unlimited edits, and I keep working on it until it feels perfect! 

After you book me for a Romantic Elopement or Microwedding, I send you a mini-questionnaire so I can lightly personalize your ceremony. Your ceremony will include sweet words of love and marriage, your vows, ring exchange and pronouncement. The process is very easy; the main thing is that you show up with your marriage license and two witnesses! 

Yes, always! This is YOUR wedding so you can do whatever you want! 

I recommend and gently insist on a rehearsal if you are having a Celebrant Ceremony – that’s why it’s included in my services! If your venue is not available for a rehearsal, don’t fret! We just need a space where we can imagine a “front area” and practice walking down a mock aisle and standing in a line. I’ve done rehearsals in city parks, living rooms, condo party rooms, and restaurants. We want to do everything we can to make sure everyone is as relaxed as possible on your wedding day. A rehearsal – anywhere – goes a long way towards that.

As a rule, I do not like to travel more than 50 miles from my home in Holly Springs. I occasionally travel to weddings further away with an additional travel fee.

In 7 years, I have missed only one wedding due to illness, and I was able to call an officiant friend, bring them a printed copy of the script, and connect them with the couple in less than 24 hours. I have a wide network of trusted colleagues who I can call upon in case of emergency. You will have your ceremony script in advance so if needed, a friend or relative could perform the ceremony for your guests, with the legal part done at a later time. 

Don’t sweat the small stuff – your attitude is the #1 determining factor of the experience you will have. I have seen couples get completely thrown off track by things going “wrong” – and I have seen couples laugh and shrug off the exact same things. It is pretty much guaranteed that your wedding day will not go exactly to plan, and being able to let go of the small things and focus on what truly matters  – this amazing human you get to explore life with – is all you can do. I like to think that your wedding day is a good example of what your marriage will be: you can’t control the weather, or other people, or so many little details, but you know that you with your person by your side, you can make it through anything. And that’s what really matters.

After you decide to hire me, I will prepare a contract and invoice. I will send them to you in an email with a link to an online payment portal. You can pay by credit card, Venmo or Zelle. Once you have signed your contract and paid your invoice, your date is reserved.