Terms of Service

Booking & Payment

Full payment is required to reserve your date and time unless otherwise stated in your Service Agreement.

Your date and time are not reserved until payment has been received and your Service Agreement has been completed.

Once your booking is confirmed, that date and time are reserved specifically for you and I may decline other couples who request the same availability.

Payment Methods

Payment instructions will be provided at the time of booking.

Payments may be made electronically using the payment methods provided by Weddings By Aretha.

Cancellations

All payments are non-refundable.

If you decide to cancel your booking rather than reschedule, your payment will not be refunded or transferred to another person.

I understand that plans sometimes change. If you need to move your ceremony or signing to another date, please see the Rescheduling section below.

Rescheduling Your Date

Yes, you may request to change your date.

Rescheduling requests must be made in writing and are subject to my availability.

If I am available for your new date, your existing payment will be transferred to the new booking and a $100 rescheduling fee will apply.

Your new ceremony or signing must take place within 12 months of your originally scheduled date.

One date change is permitted per booking. Additional date changes may require a new booking and payment.

If your new location requires additional travel, a travel fee may also apply.

This policy applies whether the change is due to military schedules, work obligations, travel changes, personal circumstances or other changes to your plans.

Changes to Time or Location

Need to change the time or location but keep the same date? Contact me as soon as possible.

I will make every reasonable effort to accommodate the change based on my existing schedule.

Changes that significantly affect my schedule, travel time or service requirements may require an additional fee. Any additional cost will be communicated to you before the change is confirmed.

Communication & Booking Changes

Any requested change to your ceremony date, time or location must be communicated directly to Weddings By Aretha and confirmed in writing. Changes discussed with your venue, wedding planner or another vendor do not automatically change your booking with Weddings By Aretha.

Marriage License

You are responsible for obtaining a valid marriage license for the state where your marriage will legally take place.

Please carefully follow the marriage license instructions provided to you.

If you have not booked Weddings By Aretha, please do not use my name or Weddings By Aretha as your officiant when applying for your marriage license.

Weddings By Aretha cannot perform a legal marriage ceremony without a valid marriage license and the required witnesses. Couples are responsible for obtaining their marriage license and ensuring that all information provided to the issuing Registrar is accurate.

Ceremony Items & Rituals

If you would like to include a special ceremony tradition or ritual, such as jumping the broom, a unity candle, sand ceremony or another symbolic element, you are welcome to do so.

Couples are responsible for providing all items and materials needed for their ceremony. Weddings By Aretha does not provide ceremony props, supplies or ritual items.

If you are planning to include a special ritual, please let me know in advance so it can be appropriately incorporated into your ceremony.

Animals During the Ceremony

For personal safety and comfort, I do not interact with animals or participate in ceremonies that require interaction with animals.

I strongly request that animals not be included in the ceremony or positioned near the ceremony area while I am officiating.

If an animal will be present at your wedding or ceremony location, please let me know in advance so appropriate arrangements can be made.

Service animals are, of course, treated in accordance with applicable law.

Certified Marriage Certificate

A marriage license and a Certified Marriage Certificate are not the same document.

If Certified Marriage Certificate processing is included with your service or arrangements have been made for same-day processing, you will receive specific instructions regarding the process.

Same-day processing is subject to registrar office hours, location requirements and circumstances outside the control of Weddings By Aretha.

Any fees charged by the registrar or government office are the couple's responsibility.