| ~ Fees and Services ~ |
| Church of Ancient Ways Home ~ Sample Wedding Ceremonies ~ Sample Marriage Readings & Poetry ~ Our Philosophy ~ Testimonials ~ New York State Marriage License Information Fees ~ Articles ~ Wedding Ceremony & Reception Locations ~ Contact ~ Newsletter ~ FAQ Empire State Building Valentines Day Weddings ~ Funerals ~ Videos ~ Site Map If you have not found what you are looking for try the key words below Wedding Officiant, Wedding Minister, Wedding Officiants, Wedding Ministers, Wedding Ceremony, Marriage Ceremonies, Wedding Services, Marriage Officiant, Wedding Officiate, Wedding Pastor, Wedding Pastors, Wedding Celebrant, Reverend, Wedding Clergy, Justice of the Peace, JOP, Priest, Rabbi. Serving New York City / NYC, Long Island, LI, L.I., Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn, Westchester, and Surrounding Areas Copyright © 2000 - 2012 Marie April Gismondi |
| Click on the Church banner to email me or call 516-785-4191 Anytime! |
| Full Custom Ceremony Writing and public speaking are my strong points. This is where I do my best work and you get the most value for your dollar. Anyone can give you lists of things to copy and paste from, let you choose readings and vows and then call it "custom". But if it's not your own thoughts and feelings which speak for and about YOU... then it is just assembled and not truly custom. My ceremonies include a meeting where I paraphrase your thoughts and feelings and create a first draft of your ceremony. Then we tailor it until it fits as perfectly as the dress does! |
| Choose a Pre-written Ceremony from my web site Do you see something on my website that is perfect for you? Do you want to pick a few elements or give me a few guidelines and let me handle the rest? Well then let's give you a discount for the time that we're saving by skipping the meeting! This is how many officiants do all their ceremonies. The only difference is that everything is on my website for you to look at in advance. It's not a secret as if I only have one good ceremony in me. |
| This page is the hardest for me to compose. Every ceremony that I do is different and all couples have different needs. Location is a factor, whether we are writing personal sections for you, if you are flexible as to your ceremony start time, if you need a rehearsal on a day other than the wedding... My fees are based on the real time spent to get you married. If 20 minutes is all you want from me, meaning I can marry another couple a half hour before and after you, then "Just Marry Us" is the ticket for you. |
| Just Marry Us! $75.00 Perfect for those who don't want to marry at town hall. You come here to my house in Kings Park with 1 or 2 witnesses, make your vows and you're in and out in 20 minutes. Monday - Thursday day and evening hours Weekends - check for limited availability. For larger than this, perhaps with more guests than just the 2 witnesses, yet less than the above packages, ask about the Argyle Gazebo, Babylon Town Hall Gazebo and Northport Harbor options. |
| All the above services include the changes and fine tuning that make the draft into your ceremony, and as much email and phone support that you need to be comfortable with every aspect of your ceremony. On the day of the wedding I don't schedule closer than 3 hours in between weddings, unless of course they within a couple of miles of one another or at the same venue. I get to the site 45 minutes to 1 hour early to make sure that any one who has a part is comfortable, and to coordinate with the other vendors and such. I stay for approximately 45 minutes after the scheduled start time, with the ceremony ending 30 minutes after scheduled start time, and the final 15 minutes to break down my sound system, congratulate you and your families, and finish up any paperwork that's left.. I bring my own PA and even electricity if necessary. ( this can be an additional fee of $250.00 - $300.00 if not supplied by the hall or officiant. Mine is also smaller than my pinky nail so it is almost inviable in photos) You get the printed ceremony book that I read from with a keepsake Certificate of Marriage. I sign and process the real Marriage License, always sent certified mail, with a tracking number. If there is a copy machine on site, I copy the Marriage License for your records. If not a scan can be emailed to you. Cash on the day is my favorite method of payment. For those who wish to pay by postal money order I take those any time prior to two weeks before the ceremony date. After that it is cash on the day only. There is a $50.00 pr 15 minutes late fee for any ceremony starting 15 minutes after the scheduled start time. (Why? Because sometimes couples lie to me, or quite by accident they give me the gathering time and not the ceremony time. There are also the couples who negotiate the lowest price they can, assuring me "They only want 20 minutes" of my time - which is never the case unless they come to me - and then they run late. So the fee is really to protect my couples from being inconsiderate to one another. Truthfully I don't want the extra money. I just want everything to be perfect and running close to schedule helps that happen.) |
| Heidi and Ryan chose the Fulton Ferry Landing for their ceremony for the wonderful view of the Brooklyn Bridge April, I finally got around to getting you a few pictures from Heidi and my wedding. Thank you again for performing such a beautiful ceremony. All the best, Love Heidi and Ryan Resky. |
| Minister & Rabbi Duo Interfaith ceremonies are a huge part of our rich cultural heritage in this area. We love taking the best of what the world has to offer and calling it our own, celebrating both the differences and the commonality. For the couples who choose a two officiant ceremony, there should be a fluid dynamic to the rhythm with which the ceremony is delivered. Balance, respect and knowledge of cultural differences are the key to choosing the right officiant team. This package includes everything in the "Full Custom Ceremony", a meeting with both CoAW officiants, and new writing. While the entire ceremony time could be filled with religious structure, for a warmer friendlier ceremony, we suggest a formula of 1/3 of each religion and 1/3 personal to the couple themselves. |
| Full Day Service This works well for couples who want to be the only wedding scheduled on their day. Some like to rehearse not an hour before but 3 hours before and then do pictures. Some weddings, Up State New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in particular require the time that two or three local weddings could be performed in. The fee will be based on traveling and time spent both on the day and for what ever levels of preceremony service you choose. |
| Destination Weddings As my home page says I'll go anywhere, especially if the flight is on you! The fee will be based on real time spent to make your day amazing and perfect! Air and lodging, if necessary, for destination weddings are provided by the couple |
| Stay for a Meal Blessing Most couples have a family member perform this function, However if you would like me to stay and give a blessing before dinner I would be honored! I am scheduled to leave after concluding the ceremony so small fee is required to reserve this extra time on the calendar |
| Even smaller weddings still need photos! For those not wanting to leave this to friends and family I recommend Chris from As You Wish Photography He has hourly rates and will give you all your photos on a CD Click here to see one of his Argyle Gazebo weddings |
| Argyle Gazebo is rarely in use mid week, However on weekends it has become very popular and a permit is a good idea. |
| Babylon Town Hall has a few really nice spots. There is a small gazebo, and 2 landscaped areas by the lake. The nice thing about having the ceremony here is that once we are done I run the license right inside to be filed. Babylon is also very accommodating to active military in expediting the Marriage License. |
| Northport Harbor has multiple gazebos to choose from with the quaintest little harbor around! Great for photos and convienance. |