An interfaith minister is trained in the world’s major and many minor religious traditions. They are non-denominational which means that they are not required to perform a prescribed ceremony. Anyone can use an interfaith minister. However, they are particularly well suited for mixed-faith couples who want to combine elements from both their traditions (e.g., Jewish and Christian or Hindu), or for couples who consider themselves spiritual but not religious.
A Justice of the Peace usually has a single stock wedding format provided by the state. There is no spiritual aspect to the service and it is not customized. An Interfaith Minister works with you to create a unique wedding especially for you. Your wedding can be traditional or non-traditional; it can include more than one religious denomination, or no denomination, or it can be an expression of your personal spiritual beliefs.
In addition, as your family grows, an Interfaith Minister can perform baptisms or naming ceremonies, funerals or memorials, house blessings, and spiritual counseling ¾ things that a Justice cannot provide. An interfaith minister can be there with you and your family over the years. Yes, a Justice may be a bit cheaper, but an interfaith minister offers you so much more.
First and foremost, you should be happy with your minister and have a comfortable working relationship. We usually start by gathering basic information by phone such as the date of the wedding, the couple’s names, the general wedding theme and size, and so on. Next, we meet in person to discuss the details of your wedding, what you envision, your ideas, and so on. To help guide you, I provide samples of services from many traditions, as well as wedding elements to choose from such as vows, prayers, and readings; candling lightings, handfasting, and other options. When you are ready to go ahead, a deposit of one half the fee is required. This reserves your wedding date and officially starts the process of creating your special wedding ceremony.
After the first meeting, I should have enough information to create a draft of the ceremony. This allows us to see how well your ideas, readings, and so on flow in a full ceremony, and gives us a starting point to discuss further ideas and options. We develop the ceremony together until it is just right. During the week before the wedding, we will have a dress rehearsal at your wedding location to ensure that the ceremony fits the space you have chosen and that everyone knows where they should be and what to do. The second half of the fee is required at this time. This saves you from having to worry about such details on the Big Day.
A typical wedding costs $250 (2004). This includes working with you to design the right ceremony, the wedding rehearsal, and the actual wedding. More elaborate ceremonies can be negotiated. For weddings beyond a 10-mile driving radius, there is an additional travel fee set at the current IRS reimbursement rate. Check the Website for the most up-to-date rate information.
Interested in learning more? Call one of the numbers at the bottom of this fact sheet and set up your appointment with Reverend Tomlinson today! You can visit our Website or write us at KALTomlinson@bluelink.andover.edu and request a brochure. I look forward to working with you on your wedding!