Phoenix Rising Ceremonies

(832)458-5072

Wedding FAQ


Weddings/Renewals

  • Weddings and vow renewals may be done anywhere allowed: beach, cemetery, parking lot, park, bar, venue, chapel, pier, pretty much anywhere.

  • I will use my iPad during the ceremony to read from unless otherwise noted on the questionnaire.

  • Fee shown on the fees page or contract is what you pay. There are NO hidden fees (fee shown is $360. You pay $100 non-refundable retainer at contract signing means you only owe $260 no later than 30 days prior to the ceremony/rehearsal).

  • The contract MUST be filled out! No ifs, ands, or buts. No contract no wedding (regardless of retainer paid or not).

  • From a quick I DO to a full-blown Ceremony, I do it all!

  • I fully support marriage equality no matter what your race, religion, sexual orientation.

  • I mail the license in for you so you don't have to worry about it.

  • If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

  • Will we have input or be able to read the ceremony before the wedding? Yes. Your ceremony is that: YOUR CEREMONY. As long as I have the legalities covered, everything else is fully customizable. And I always email it to you for approval or changes.

  • Can we write our own vows? Of course. That is actually one of the questions on the questionnaire I email to you.

  • Do you have a video of any of the ceremonies you have done so we may be able to see you in action? Of course. While it is hard to get any video (or photo) of me while in the capacity of doing a ceremony, they may be found on my Videos and Photos page.

  • How do you handle a guest talking during the ceremony or a cell phone ringing? I have been known to stop the ceremony and ask the guest to please step away from the ceremony or call the person back. That is just rude of any of your guests to do that.

  • Can we meet you in person to get to know you before we decide to book with you? Of course. If we are close enough where we can meet in the middle that is fantastic. I also can do a meeting through Skype, FaceTime or Zoom. Most of my couples prefer texting though. But it is completely up to you.

  • Do you get the marriage license for us? NO. You are responsible for getting that yourself from your local Texas County Clerks office. Check online for the one nearest you. You can get your license in ANY Texas county and use in ANY Texas county. (BTW: Galveston County has some really pretty and colorful ones). Remember, there is a 72 hour waiting period in Texas once you get your license before your wedding can be done (unless you are active military and get that period waived). I can mail your license back to the county clerk for you after the wedding. (UPDATE: With COVID-19, please call the county clerk for instructions)

  • How much is the ceremony going to cost? I have a flat fee per county, venue or prison unit. Those fees can be found on my Fees page. I have no hidden fees.

  • What forms of payment do you accept? My preferred form is to invoice you through Square. But I also accept ApplePay through text, and Venmo. I will also accept cash in person. I will NOT accept checks/money orders and I will NOT accept payment the day of the wedding.

  • Do you offer discounts? Yes I do. 15% off for military, first responders, teachers and nurses. I also run specials throughout the year.

  • Do we need to fill out a contract? YES. No matter if you are friend, family or someone I don't know, YES. I will email the link to you as my contract is online.

  • Do we need to give you a tip? It is not needed, but greatly appreciated. I would prefer you leave me a review though. I email a link for reviews at the end of every month for a wedding performed that month or you may go to my reviews page and click the link to leave a review.

  • What is included with the fee? Initial meeting (by phone or in person), custom-written ceremony, unlimited calls, texts, emails, skype, travel fees (hotel included in some), signing and mailing of license, arrival 30 minutes early to ceremony to get license and see if you have any last minute questions/changes.

  • What is not included with the fee? Rehearsals or priority mailing of license.

  • Will you perform a same-sex wedding? Yes. I am happy to announce that I have done several and am very LGBTQ friendly.

  • Where do you perform wedding ceremonies? Anywhere allowed (up to a point). I have done them in parks, bars, prisons, venues, chapels, parking lots, boats, backyards, in homes, forests, lakeside on a pier, Starbucks, Cockrell Butterfly Exhibit. I will not do one jumping out of a plane or at extreme heights (afraid of heights). I would love to do a cemetery wedding. I love things out of the ordinary. ;)

  • What do you wear during wedding ceremonies? That is one of the questions on the questionnaire. You actually get to pick from photos my attire for your ceremony.

  • Are there any additional charges for my ceremony? Yes. I allow a 30 minute grace period from the given contract time for the wedding to start. If it starts after that grace period, there is a fee of $25 per every 15 minutes to be paid BEFORE I will sign the license. If there are any parking/entrance fees for the venue, you will be responsible for that. If wedding is on a boat in the middle of the water, of course I can't leave, but you will be billed $25 for every hour (this is on the contract) I am on board and you will provide a meal and drinks for myself (this also applies to anywhere else that I cannot leave immediately after the ceremony).

  • Do you stay for the reception? Not usually. I will stay (for an extra fee) to say grace over the food if requested.

  • Do you exclude anyone because of gender, religious beliefs or skin color? No I do not. Love is love. I am not one to stand in the way.

  • How far in advance should we book you? As far out as you can. I have booked up to 1.5 years out before. Remember, I am your MOST IMPORTANT VENDOR, so book me as early as you can.

Prison Weddings

  • The contract MUST be filled out! No ifs, ands, or buts. No contract no wedding (regardless of retainer paid or not).

  • The name your loved one puts on the I-60 for the person performing the marriage is Candi Johnson.

  • $100 will be due as a non-refundable retainer due when contract is filled out. (The retainer is part of the fee. So if the fee you see is $250 and you pay the retainer, then the balance due no later than 1 week before ceremony would be $150). Fees can be found on the Fees page.

  • Fee must be paid in full 1 week BEFORE the date given. If given date is within a week after notice, then payment MUST be made in full at that time. If payment is not in full by the date on the invoice, the invoice will be edited and an additional $50 late fee will be added. If this full payment is not made by 2 days before the wedding, then you will have to have you call the chaplain or warden secretary to reschedule. That way you will have time to pay in full. I'm sorry, but no payments will be taken on the day of or after. I have been burned too many times now for having a good heart.

  • If Unit is over 175 miles from zip code 77355, then an extra fee has been added into the ceremony fee for a hotel room.

  • If the ceremony falls on a special day such as Valentine's Day, there will be an extra fee of $50 for which you will be invoiced as soon as you notify me of the date. (I do not think they do weddings on National Holidays but if, by chance they do, the extra fee will be added as well.)

  • There will be no deviation from the wedding ceremony that I have pre-written unless you pay the extra fee ($35) and fill out the short questionnaire. You are able to write and say your own vows either way, but you will have to email me yours so I can type it in. You are not allowed to take paper in, but I can and you can read off the same paper I do for your vows.

  • Make sure the inmate does not already have someone listed as common law wife/husband because this will cause the marriage to be denied. If YOU are the one listed as common law, the the I-60 should not be denied.

  • I have been approved through July 11, 2020.

  • YOU MUST obtain marriage license before the absentee affidavit expires. Affidavits are only good for 30 days after notarized in the unit.

  • The exchange of wedding rings is NOT allowed.

  • Only the intended spouse (you) and the officiant (me) are allowed in the unit. You may not bring anyone else inside with you.

  • As soon as you find out the date from the prison Chaplain, let me know so I can block off the date and send invoice for remainder of fee.

  • Non-refundable retainer is non-refundable for any reason.