How would you like to save $60 on your Tennessee marriage license

and at the same time make a huge investment in the future of your marriage? 

You can do both with my At-Home Marriage Preparation Guide. 

A marriage license in Tennessee now costs around $100 (varies slightly county to county).

UNLESS . . . you have a marriage preparation course completion certificate (official government form) signed by a certified provider. With a certificate the license is $60 less.

A couple of years, Tennessee added a sixty-dollar tax to the marriage license to encourage couples to get some kind of premarital preparation.

We do need to do something in Tennessee. We have the second highest divorce rate in the country.

But how many people do you suppose will go pay a professional counselor $100-$150 an hour for four hours to save $60? Not everyone has a church home either.  Many just don't know any minister well enough to feel comfortable going to see  them. These are some of the reasons so many couples in Tennessee (and more & more all over the country) are thrilled to hear about my At-Home Marriage Preparation Course.   

Here are some of the benefits couples are enjoying using my marriage preparation course:

• Do at your own convenience with privacy in your own home or at the park

• Cover same subjects as you would in a counselor's office

• Have fun learning together about each other and marriage

• Build confidence in your relationship strengths & explore need areas

• Save money & go out to eat!

Here's what couples are saying after using my marriage preparation course:

"It gave us an opportunity to evaluate ourselves as a couple - not as individuals - and helped us focus on what it will take for us to continue to have a successful friendship and partnership, as well as cultivate a successful marriage."

"It gave us the chance to get some big issues out in the open. It really allowed us in the end to be more confident in our decision to get married."

"We have nothing but good things to say about this course! I feel we were able to be completely honest with each other, something that would not have happened in a counselor's office."

Here's what's in my marriage preparation course:

• 2FUN LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Getting ready for marriage should be fun! You can pick from several fun activities to learn about each other & marriage. How does a field trip to the mall sound? What about watching a movie? Learn how to grow your marriage by having fun. These learning-through-fun skills will continue to help you over the years.

• THE 12 KEY RELATIONSHIP AREAS: Are you sure you've talked about all twelve of these areas? Do you know what your strengths are as a couple? Your growth needs? Wouldn't it be interesting to find out if your partner had the same answers as you?

• ASKING & LISTENING EXERCISE: Do you really know what your partner wants? Do they really understand what's most important to you? This is your big chance to say it outright.

• I FEEL LOVED WHEN... Couples tell me they really enjoy doing this exercise.

• AND MORE . . . Family of origin questions; communication & conflict resolution principles; resources for stepfamilies; and some passages for those looking for direction from scriptures.

• Note: This course is based on my masters & doctorial work in counseling, 30 plus years of ministerial experiences in working with couples, and 35 years of marriage.

I really do want couples to use my marriage preparation course.

As mentioned earlier, Tennessee has a divorce problem.

According to the last U.S. Census Report, there are 33,000 divorces in Tennessee every year. That's enough people to fill the stadium where the Titans play.

Why the high divorce rate? For one thing, too many couples spend far more time planning their wedding & honeymoon than they do their marriage. It boggles the mind. After all, a wedding is a day; a marriage is for a lifetime.

Some think they don't have time for marriage preparation, or it's going to be a  hassle. How about the time and hassle of running to a lawyer filling out separation papers?!

You don't have to choose between having a great wedding and having a great marriage. You can have both.

Think how much better things can be with a little effort on the front end. You'll get a heads-up to your relationship's tricky issues & have some compromises already worked out.  You'll know that  your mate cares enough about the relationship to put some effort into it. You'll begin your marriage with more realistic expectations.

And getting a good start to your marriage is very important.

Please go to my new website devoted exclusively to the At-Home Marriage Prep Guide to learn more.

For contact information, click on the text below:

Phone numbers & email - Ralph Griggs, minister - Performing wedding ceremonies in Nashville, Tennessee - Murfreesboro, Dickson, Lebanon, and throughout Middle Tennessee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nashville Wedding Information:

Reviews of Nashville Wedding Locations  -   Nashville Wedding Service Providers  -  Free Bride's Name Change Guide   

Choosing a Nashville Wedding Minister (video)  -  How to Get Your Tennessee Marriage License

Nashville Wedding Elopement

Nashville Wedding Venues Reviews:

Riverwood Mansion  -  C.J.'s Off the Square - Springhaven Mansion - Union Station Hotel  - Centennial Park Sunken Garden -

Two Rivers Mansion - Opryland Hotel Weddings  - Buchanan Log House - Nashville Wedding Chapel -

Historic Cedarwood - Legacy Farms - Houston Station - Country Music Hall of Fame - Hermitage Hotel -

Carnton Plantation - Cool Springs House - Rock Castle - The Baber House - Blackhaven Gardens - Loveless Cafe

Belle Meade Plantation - Cheekwood Gardens - The Nashville Zoo - Front Porch Farms - Nashville Parks

Scarritt-Bennett Center - Skinner Chapel

Updates!!

• I've finally written some new posts that I've wanted to do for some time for couples. They are listed on my Free Wedding Guides page. There are some other posts there written by wedding pros you might like too. The free guides include an info-graphic on getting your license, 3 ways to write your own vows, real-world wedding ceremony ideas, and more.

• If you'd like to see a video brief segment of a wedding ceremony I officiated, go here. This was a wedding at Scarritt-Bennett, and there's a humorous out-take during the vows (about two minutes and a half in). Very nice couple and family!

• I was the "pretend" wedding minister on the TLC show What Not to Wear at the Hermitage Hotel as a surprise for a local wedding florist. If you like, watch here.

Thank-You Notes

<sub>Hi Ralph, I wanted to write to let you know how thankful Sam and I are for you! The ceremony was perfect in every way. We received so many compliments afterwards about how wonderful it all was. The wording of the ceremony especially. It would not have been possible without you. Thank you...from the bottom of our hearts. We are truly blessed to have found you. I also wanted to give thanks to you for the promptness of our marriage certificate. When we got back from our honeymoon on Monday 10/12 it had come in the mail that day and was waiting for us. I was able to go the next day and get my name changed on my license before going back to work on Wednesday. Thank you again SO MUCH for everything!!! Sincerely, Audra & Sam

Ralph, We just wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being the minister at our ceremony! We loved how fun and easy the marriage counseling was. I really enjoyed being able to write our own ceremony online with you as well. I loved your style, and it wasn't your typical cookie cutter ceremony! The sand art turned out great and my favorite was when TJ and I read our vows. That was a very important day for us, and you made it so special to be the presenter of our love! God Bless you and your family. Keep up the great work in all you do for the future. You have shared a special time in our lives, and we appreciate it! We will definitely refer you to anyone we know getting married in the future! Thanks! TJ and Selina

Ralph, We are running off to our honeymoon, but wanted to send you a quick photo of our BEAUTIFUL wedding. You did such a great job - we received so many compliments about your service. Literally, everyone was moved to tears by the service. And, you made the whole process easy and FUN! Thank you so much. You have a true gift and we are so pleased you could share it with us! Thanks, Nicole

Just a note this morning to thank you so much for your wonderful addition to our daughter's wedding. Everyone there felt your warmth and kindness throughout the ceremony - it felt as if you had always been our pastor!  We are so happy we found you, and now you are forever a part of our cherished memories of the day... -Matt & Regina

Mr. Griggs, I just want to tell you how thankful we are to have had you as a part of our special day. Everything was so easy and went smoothly. We are certainly going to tell everyone of you fantastic service. It was a pleasure to meet you. We wish you all the best in the upcoming holiday season!
Thanks a bunch, Jacqueline and Philip

Dear Ralph....we cannot thank you enough for playing such an important role in our most special day. Without us knowing you very well, you really seemed to fit us as a minister. The ceremony was more than we could've ever asked for. I felt a calm spirit come over me that I'd never felt before...you didn't just marry us, you allowed our family & friends the genuine opportunity to experience what we feel in our hearts....and we thank you for that." -Bethany & Josh</sub>

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