WHAT IS YOUR HONORARIUM AND HOW DO WE SCHEDULE OUR WEDDING?

         What does it cost?

• For scheduled & planned weddings, the total honorarium is $200. (price holding steady for over 5+ years now)*

• The couple mails a check for $35 to confirm their wedding date/time. This $35 retainer is non-refundable & is meant to protect the couple...this gets it set so they know they can depend on me.

• The couple sends the rest ($165) by check at least two weeks before the ceremony, or in cash at the wedding. Note: it might be easier just to mail the entire amount. If for some reason, you don't need my services come the wedding date, I will refund $165.

• Couples often tell me this is the most reasonable of their wedding expenses. I've tried to add enough value to what I do so that you will feel the same way.

Here are the things I do for you to save you time, money, and frustration.

• Email you my Ceremony Planner & then discuss your ceremony preferences. If you are able to come out to my home in the Bellevue area, we can discuss your preferences face to face. If you can't make it out, we can work out the ceremony details by phone/email.  The Ceremony Planner gets rave reviews. Couples find it very helpful in planning & personalizing their ceremonies.

• Offer my At-Home Marriage Preparation Course which saves you $60 on your Tennessee marriage license. There's no charge for the Course. It's included in the honorarium. You don't have to use it, but most do and have a blast with it. Plus, it saves you $60 (not counting the few hundred dollars it would cost to see a licensed counselor or attend a program somewhere). I will email you the link for the Course.

• A free download of my Name Change Guide for Tennessee Brides. Other people sell these online for around $20.

• Prompt registration of your marriage license following the wedding. Your signed license goes right back to the county clerk's office where you got it. The clerk in a few days will mail you the certified copy, or you are able to request it from them in writing or by phone (check with the county clerk's office where you get your license - policies vary from county to county).

If you are having a rehearsal, I can attend if I don’t have a wedding scheduled at your rehearsal time. However, in most cases it’s not essential, and the way I do things can save you some money. Once the couple has received the Ceremony Planner and we’ve gone over it in person or through phone/email conversation, most are comfortable that the ceremony will go as planned. Rehearsals are primarily for the attendants and working out logistics. For couples who would like it, I can make a brief video walk-through of their ceremony and email the private YouTube link to them. If a couple still feels the need for me to attend the rehearsal, there is some additional fee that varies some depending on the time/location.

If you don't have a wedding planner/director, you might consider hiring a day of wedding director - that is, someone to direct your rehearsal and the ceremony. Find more info here: Nashville Wedding Rehearsal and Ceremony Direction Service

The schedule fills fast especially on popular dates, so if you think you would like for me to help, please contact me as soon as you can.

Let me know if you have questions about anything. 

*received this nice email this year (Jan 2012): I just wanted to send a note to you to say thank you.
You were the minister at my wedding in 2004.  You did a great job and helped make it a very special and memorable day.
I also really appreciate your affordable and extremely reasonable pricing.  The amount you offer for the price is unbeatable....
I have a family member in another state that is getting married later this year and she can't find anyone like you for her wedding.  Every minister charges 300+ for the wedding and adds extra onto the price for every extra thing (including personalizing the ceremony).
I loved my wedding and you were very  helpful at making it fit us perfectly without squeezing our wallet dry.  I thank you very much for that. -Heather M.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME, IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING

• I am a non-denominational minister (serving local churches full-time for the past 30 years) and most recently a minister for an 800 member non-denominational church in Nashville, Tennessee. I've served mostly as the Senior Preaching Minister.

• Education background includes a B.A., Masters of Theology, & doctoral course work in biblical studies & counseling.

• See me & my bride the day we married, us today & our family>>>

•  I do not try to sell people on my church. That's not the reason couples contact me & it would be taking unfair advantage of them for me to do so. Of course, I am always happy to discuss faith matters with people when they ask & show an interest.

• Also see about.me/RalphGriggs

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

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"Good afternoon. My fiancé had contacted you previously about our wedding date, and you were already booked. The problem is that everyone we ask without fail mentions you. I even asked a family member that married five years ago, and once again it was you . . . if you have a cancellation, please keep us in mind." -Christy S.

"Ralph - Thank you for taking care of the certificate so quickly [marriage prep completion certificate] and for your prompt and  professional responses over the past few days. You have a good reputation on theknot.com tennessee local boards and I look forward to being another of your happy brides." -Jessica.

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>

Read all of our Wedding Ministers Reviews at

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