Marriage Business? Get Ordained to Marry People

“We are all children of the same universe”

The Universal Life Church offers a unique opportunity for anyone to become ordained as a minister with the qualifications to perform weddings as a small business. ULC guiding principles state that everyone has a right to freely practice any beliefs they see fit, without the dogma and other aspects that have traditionally cast churches in a negative light. Prospective ministers are able to get ordained to marry people through the Universal Life Church website at no upfront expense, and the ULC offers a wide range of resources to help get started in this rewarding wedding business.

Beginning a marriage business requires the same careful planning and dedication as with any type of business. In order to draw the most customer interest, an ordained ministerneeds to have a wide range of knowledge concerning all types of belief practices when it comes to marriage. This is especially true in the Universal Life Church, where wedding clients are welcome from all denominations from Christian to Pagan and many others as well. Being able to communicate with brides and grooms from a broad spectrum of practices creates a sense of spiritual trust that their special day is in good hands. Indeed, one of the first things to find out from a couple is the type of wedding they wish for, namely traditionally religious, nonreligious but traditional, or non-traditional.

For a newly ordained minister just starting out, one of the most effective marketing strategies to build a wedding business is to network with others within the ULC. The Internet has made this approach quite easy, particularly since such ordained ministers are located in every corner of the world. Though some who become ordained choose to start their own ministries or even their own churches, this is not a requirement to officiate weddings. Some ministers prefer to begin with some localized advertising if they live in smaller communities, such as placing ads in the local newspaper or posting printed flyers. However, the age of social networking is here; a healthy base of client contacts for this type of marriage business is increasingly coming from online sources.

Creating a web presence for a new wedding business may seem daunting at first, but the process is actually rather simple. Once the choice has been made to get ordained to marry people, it is a good idea to share some of the spiritual journey with others. Some popular online places for ordained ministers include:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Digg

The first two social networking sites are effective tools to reach a wide range of contacts quickly. When reaching out to others, a new minister could talk about the universal experience of marriage as one of love and commitment regardless of belief systems. He/she could also research and write about the ceremonies from different religions and the significance of each one. These writings can then be included in a collection along with sermons in a free blog from Wordpress, Blogger, or similar. This gives potential wedding clients some good insight to one's philosophies as a minister. A blogging minister should also include linked advertising of availability to perform customized marriages for all clients of all creeds and from all walks of life.

How to manage clients can be a multifaceted part of the marriage business. Once a good client base has been built, any minister with a busy wedding schedule needs to be able to keep track of all types of client information and preferences. It is also essential to keep complete records of each performed ceremony to ensure each complies with all local and state marriage laws. It is important to have a working knowledge of all particular marriage laws for the state where a minister is starting this new business.

During the initial wedding planning stages, it is recommended to keep detailed notes on the clients' type of wedding desired and any special requests for the ceremony. Many ministers keep a dossier on each wedding with the help of contact management software programs such as Outlook. The added convenience of one of these is a quick way to keep in touch with clients via email throughout all of the planning phases.

Expected earnings from performing weddings can vary by the type of wedding as well as its location and any added extras. If a couple wants to hold their wedding in a church that is special to them, there may be a fee for the facility use that should be included. Beginning ministerstypically charge between $100 and $200 for a basic ceremony, which can include one or two pre-wedding meetings to learn a bit about the clients. Ministers who need to drive more than a certain distance to the ceremony can include a travel fee, usually around $0.40 per mile.

It is also a common practice to charge for weddings according to the level of officiant experience. Ministers who have built up a few years of wedding experience are able to increase their prices to around $300 to $500 while offering additional services. These can include a few sessions of pre-marital counseling for those couples who wish to do so, help with writing personalized vows, and a wider range of choices for ceremony structure. Before the ceremony, each couple will also need to pay their marriage license fee, usually to the county clerk's office in most areas. This fee can differ by state and even by county; some are as low as $10 while others can be as high as $90.

Successful ministers include those with a high rate of online visibility and marriage ceremony services that make them stand out from the rest. Rev. John Buff is one such minister who specializes in holding wedding ceremonieson the beautiful beaches of the Pacific Ocean. He also has a website with past client testimonials that are often the best form of advertising. Other examples of accomplished wedding officiantsare Reverends Debra Tipton and Norma Rasmussen. These and many others have web-based outreaches for the spiritual growth of others, including possible future wedding clients.