Truly Honored Ceremonies
Wedding Officiant - Charleston, Summerville, Hilton Head, Savannah, and more
Every couple has their own unique love story and a Truly Honored personalized wedding ceremony is the perfect way to share it with your families and friends.
Truly Honored Ceremonies Most Popular Packages
Package #1
Your Love Story
One of a Kind and Fully Customized $495
Your guests become participants in the ceremony as we share the journey of your love that began when you met and brought you to your wedding day. So many parts of a wedding exist only on the day -the dress, the venue, the cake. Your ceremony is the reason for the celebration and will become a keepsake for a lifetime.
There are other options available depending on your needs. Truly Honored Ceremonies specializes in customized ceremonies and we offer a free, no-obligation phone consultation.
Rehearsal attendance and assistance is available for an additional fee of $125.
Package #4
Video Package!
Truly Honored Ceremonies is now partnering with Francis West Studios to offer weekdays only Monday through Thursday, combo package that includes your custom ceremony and a video of your ceremony including a one-minute shareable highlight teaser. This package is $900 and subject to availability.
Each package includes personal attention to detail, a heartfelt delivery, and a professional presentation. As a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant®, Dr. Barbara has access to many resources such as poems, readings, and sample vows, as well as a knowledge of rituals that can enrich your ceremony. She often creates blended ceremonies for couples with different faiths or cultural backgrounds, combining traditions from each. For couples who do not share a particular faith, a ceremony with overtones of universal spirituality or an entirely secular one might be chosen.
Destination weddings are one of Dr. Barbara's specialties. She will guide you through the process of obtaining your license and answer questions you might have about your chosen location. You will find a wealth of information on the FAQs page of this website.
Once you select a venue for your ceremony, contact Dr. Barbara for a free, no-obligation consultation.
A thoughtfully written wedding ceremony allows you to fully engage in the magic of crossing from a single life to that of a married person sharing your life with your one true love. Your ceremony can be religious, spiritual, secular, interfaith, multi-cultural or a combination of your beliefs. You set the tone- one that reflects your love and your vision.
No matter which package you choose, I promise that your ceremony will beautifully presented and professionally officiated. Please note that travel fees may apply for distances that are more than 30 miles from Charleston, South Carolina.
Wedding Officiant FAQs
What is a Life-Cycle Celebrant®?
A certified Life-Cycle Celebrant® is a ceremony specialist in your community trained to officiate, compose, and perform the highest quality personalized ceremonies for couples, individuals, and organizations. The celebrant’s mission is to create a ceremony that reflects your needs, beliefs, cultural background, values, and tastes. The hallmark of a celebrant ceremony is to always reflect the client’s values, views, beliefs, traditions and wishes. The celebrant’s personal views or beliefs are immaterial to the process.
The Celebrant Foundation & Institute is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to educating and certifying Life-Cycle Celebrants® . The Celebrant Foundation & Institute began in 2001 with headquarters in Montclair, New Jersey, and is a member of the International Federation of Celebrants. There are nearly 800 Life-Cycle Celebrant graduates who preside over 3000 ceremonies each year throughout North America and Europe. To learn more, visit www.celebrantinstitute.org.
What is the difference between a celebrant, an officiant, and clergy?
Life-Cycle Celebrants®are prepared to work with people of any belief – secular, religious or people for whom religious institutions do not serve their ceremonial needs. No belief system is ever imposed or presumed by the celebrant. A celebrant will work with you at length and in detail to co-create with you a personal ceremony that is unique to you.
Celebrants do not perform religious ceremonies that are reserved by a religion to be performed solely by the clergy of that religion.
Celebrants differs from many non-clergy officiants because celebrants are Ceremony Specialists. They have received specialized, intensive training in the theory and building blocks of good ceremony. In addition, celebrants provide ongoing consultation through interviewing their clients and, if needed, their client’s family. Many officiants do not provide this level of personal attention. Traditionally, celebrants stand to the side of the honorees during the ceremony, to physically bring the focus of the ceremony to the honorees; and the celebrant will provide a tasteful keepsake ceremony script to their client following the ceremony.
Is a wedding performed by a celebrant legally recognized?
Yes! I am an ordained minister in the Universal Brotherhood Movement and also the American Marriage Ministries. I am also a Notary Public in South Carolina and legally authorized to perform weddings in most states since I have a Bachelor of Divinity Degree.
Here is the link to marriage license laws in different states. https://family.findlaw.com/marriage/marriage-license-information-by-state.html
Are you authorized to perform civil unions and same sex weddings?
Yes! I am an ordained minister. I am legally authorized to perform weddings in most states. Performing a wedding is truly my honor for any loving couple. I will work with you to be inclusive and welcoming to all your guests. I am particularly mindful of any areas that might be of a sensitive nature.
How does the wedding ceremony process work?
After we meet for a no-obligation consultation, and you book me by signing the contract and sending me a 50% non-refundable payment, I start the process of getting to know you as a couple. I learn what is important to you, how you met, and what you want your guests to walk away with after your ceremony. I do this by interviewing you in our conversations and with a questionnaire that you each complete.
From what I learn, I create a first draft of your love story and the ritual elements you desire to be included in your ceremony. I have many resources to suggest based on your cultural, spiritual, ethnic and life interests. The tone of the ceremony is reflected as well. Whether you are looking for a light, high spirited, serious, or all-of-the-above feeling ceremony, you and your guests will be caught up in the mood you want to create. No two ceremonies are the same. You then have full editorial rights.
I am available for your rehearsal prior to the wedding for an additional fee and I will coordinate with your other wedding vendors to help assure that your ceremony is smooth and worry-free for you. Throughout the process, you have unlimited access to me through emails and phone calls. Good communication is essential to the process and I pride myself in my openness and attentiveness to you.
How far in advance of the wedding should we contact you?
It is best to book six months to a year in advance to assure that your date and time are available. If I have an opening, and there is some flexibility, weddings can be scheduled with short notice. I do my best to be available.
How is the wedding service personalized for us?
This is your ceremony and almost anything goes! You can choose your own readings, vows, rituals, music and wedding choreography. You can incorporate traditions and customs from your ethnic or religious heritages, as well borrow and re-invent traditions that you find meaningful. You can include your guests, your family and even your beloved pet if the venue allows.
Should we have a wedding rehearsal prior to the ceremony?
This is optional but involves an additional fee. If there are multiple rituals, readings & participants involved, it is sometimes beneficial to do a walk through prior to the day of. If this is not practical or not needed, I can do an informal rehearsal prior to the guests arriving on the day of the wedding. There is an additional charge for the rehearsal as that time becomes unavailable for me to officiate at another wedding.
What will you wear to perform the ceremony?
I dress in clothes appropriate to the tone and theme of your ceremony. Often I dress in black and blend into the background. The focus is always on the client. If you have a special request for a color or a style you would like me to wear, we can discuss this during our planning.
How far will you travel to perform a ceremony?
There may be additional fees for travel beyond my general location. Generally any locatidon that is within a 30-45 minute commute is included in my fees.
Are we required to sign an agreement for your services?
Yes. After we meet and you decide to book me for your ceremony, I have a simple agreement that protects us both and clearly outlines what my services include. When this is signed and a 50% payment is received using Venmo, your date is secured and our planning officially begins.
What are you fees for weddings?
There are so many things that go into the determination of my fees. For a full custom wedding ceremony, my rates range from $495 to $650 depending on travel and the complexity of the ceremony. I also offer simple ceremonies, elopement ceremonies, and licensing signing options on a case-by-case basis To secure the date, a non-refundable payment of 50% of the agreed fee is due upon signing of the contract. The balance is due in cash at least one month prior to the ceremony.