Terms and Conditions

Please refer to the Officiant Contract in PDF form attached for additional terms, deposits, and policies. $50.00 Deposit for bookings 31 or more days before the ceremony 100% Deposit for bookings 30 days or less before the ceremony Full-Day Bookings are an additional $300.00 Fee $1.00 Per Mile for distances over 50 miles round trip from our postal address. All mileage is calculated via Google Maps®. Example: If the wedding venue is 55 miles away from our postal address, a $10.00 mileage fee will be added. All travel expenses should be included in the total ceremony cost and need to be paid two weeks prior to the ceremony. All parking fees, tolls, and entrance fees to your venue are to be paid by The Couple and shall be included in the total ceremony cost. A one or two-night hotel stay may be required if the rehearsal and/or wedding are more than 90 miles away for the night before the wedding. These accommodation details MUST be discussed and arranged prior to signing the contract. Hotel accommodations are required for any of the following conditions: A.) If the wedding is before 11:00 a.m. and more than 90 miles away (for the night before the wedding); B.) If the wedding is after 6:30 p.m. and more than 90 miles away (for the night of the wedding); C.) If the wedding is more than 90 miles away and service is requested for rehearsal the night before the wedding. OUR POSITION SAME-SEX MARRIAGE DIAKONOS INDEPENDENT MINISTRIES OF MARYLAND DOES NOT PERFORM SAME-SEX MARRIAGES. THIS IS VIOLATION OF OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH. WE HOWEVER AS PART OF OUR CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS DO NOT JUDGE THOSE WHO HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW. ALL ARE WELCOME TO WORSHIP AND LEARN WITH US, IT IS OUR JOB TO LOVE EVERYONE, BUT NOT COMPROMISE GOD’S DESIGN OF MARRIAGE. WE HAVE INVESTED A GREAT AMOUNT OF TIME RESEARCHING THE BIBLE IN REGARD TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, AND HAVE FOUND NO BASIS SCRIPTURALLY THAT WOULD PERMIT ITS PRACTICE. WE UNDERSTAND WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE EVERYTHING IS EXPECTED TO BE “ALL-INCLUSIVE”, BUT WE ASK THAT YOU RESPECT OUR BELIEFS. “ALL-INCLUSIVE” DOES NOT LIVE UP TO ITS MEANING IF IT VIOLATES OR ALIENATES ANYONE ELSE’S BELIEFS. –REFERENCE: LEVITICUS 18:22-24 (NLT), LEVITICUS 20:13 (NLT), 1 CORINTHIANS 6:9 (NLT), 1 TIMOTHY 1:10 (NLT), ROMANS 1:24-27 (NLT)