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Some Common questions I'm asked
Marriage License:
Your marriage license must be obtained in the state in which the
wedding is taking place. Please check in advance for any necessary
details.
Optional Pre-Marital Preparation:
I will help you prepare for your life together by use of the
Prepare/Enrich©
pre-marriage inventory. This exercise helps in your couple awareness and
provides additional objective input into the strengths and weaknesses of
your relationship. It is not a “pass/fail” test. What you do with the
results is your decision. There is a fee of $150 for the administration
of the inventory and follow up session to interpret the results.
Thousands of couples have found this inventory helpful.
Optional, but recommended!
Music
for your ceremony:
Is your choice. Your band or DJ may be able to provide wedding ceremony
music, or our Church Music Ministry director, Debbie Adams, is available
if you desire. Please feel free to consult with her by calling (302)
998-9521.
Divorce:
is not normally an impediment to weddings, assuming the final divorce
decree has been obtained and there has been sufficient time to bring
closure and healing from the previous relationship.
Financial
Guidelines:
$385 is the customary fee for Pastor Howes for the wedding
ceremony. (Pastor Howes sets
aside the funds he receives from weddings for his children's educational
needs.) Also see above paragraph regarding Pre-marriage preparation.
Photography:
Pastor Howes has no objections to the photographer of your choice
taking pictures during the service, either still or video. Be cautious
in selecting your photographer. I've seen more than one wedding ruined
by overly aggressive photographers. This is why most clergy do not allow
pictures during the service.
Children:
If you would like to include children in the service, please ask
Pastor Howes for suggestions. There are several possible ways to
acknowledge and honor them. Children serving as flower girls and ring
bearers are most common.
You may also wish to honor your parents during the service.
Pastor Howes can provide you some options. Please feel free to ask
Pastor Howes about any other questions you may have!
A Brief Biography of Rev. Howes:
The Rev. Howes graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1977 with
a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He graduated from Westminster
Theological Seminary in Philadelphia in 1981. He has served as Pastor
in Delaware
continuously since 1981. He is married and has two sons and lives in Wilmington. Besides church
work, he is involved with several local non-profit groups. Rev. Howes
has officiated at over 200 weddings since his Ordination.