Dorrie books up quick so inquire about your date today!
Dorrie books up quick so inquire about your date today!
Hi, I'm Dorothy "Dorrie" Arthur. I love being a wedding officiant and write and perform weddings in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, North Carolina area. My creativity allows me to personalize a unique ceremony for your special day! Ceremonies last no more than 20-minute whereby I can share your story, make your guests laugh, cry and even, occasionally, think. Let’s celebrate together. I’d love to hear more about your upcoming wedding!
As an ordained non-denominational minister, I work with couples from across the spectrum including religious, spiritual and non-religious. The majority of my couples identify as non-religious, and are seeking a ceremony that is meaningful and full of love. My ordination with Universal Brotherhood allows me to legally wed couples in North Carolina and in many other states as well. I also welcome the LGBTQ+ community.
I do a variety of ceremonies from legal signings, elopements, romantic micro-weddings, and large ceremonies. Custom weddings allow me to work with a couple months ahead of time where we get to know each other, and together write a ceremony that knocks it out of the park. Seeing a couple’s love in their eyes and on their faces is so special to see. Their nervousness turns to relief as the ceremony progresses, and it’s heartwarming to see the guests laugh and cheer and make them feel loved. It's a great job.
Yes, I create personalized ceremonies – this is what separates me from a lot of officiants. I will personalize and create a ceremony that your guests will say is special and the best they've seen. Many ceremonies people have gone to are boring, heavy, slow, and sound like every other ceremony they've ever gone to. NOT MY CEREMONIES. Working with me, you have a creative writer whose goal is to make something specifically about you and your story, one you'll love, one that satisfies what's important to you, and will give your guests a happiness and joy they will carry with them into cocktail hour and clear through the reception, if not longer.
My fees vary depending on where and when your wedding is happening, the kind of venue, whether it's an elopement or a big wedding, time of day, etc. This will be money very well spent. Think about it: flowers are pretty, sure - but the nuance of a wedding ceremony – the only wedding ceremony you will ever have – should be handled by someone who knows what they're doing. It's a lot harder than we make it look!
The earlier a couple contacts me about their wedding, the more leisurely we can be as we prepare the ceremony. On average, I'd say couples contact me 3-9 months ahead of their wedding. But I can create ceremonies quicker as I've worked on weddings with as little notice as 7 days! It's not ideal, but life is full of surprises. EXCEPTION: Couples who wish to hire me for elopements, a legal signing, or micro-weddings may book me on short notice.
I don't have requisite 'sessions'. It’s great to meet in person, but if that’s not possible or comfortable due to Covid, I meet my wedding couples via Zoom video chat. It’s nice to be comfortable with one another before the Big Day! Most of my work with couples is over email, and occasionally the phone. EXCEPTION: I do not meet with couples that book me for elopements and micro-weddings in person. Communication is through email only, and occasionally the phone.
I recommend and gently insist on a rehearsal if you are having a custom ceremony – that’s why it’s included in my services! If your venue is not available for a rehearsal, don’t fret! We just need a space where we can imagine a “front area” and practice walking down a mock aisle and standing in a line. We want to do everything we can to make sure everyone is as relaxed as possible on your wedding day. A rehearsal – anywhere – goes a long way towards that.
As a rule, I do not like to travel more than 50 miles from my home in Holly Springs. I occasionally travel to weddings further away with an additional travel fee.
This has never happened, but fortunately I have a deep bench of several ordained and experienced colleagues who I know would knock your ceremony out of the park as well as I would. Your ceremony will already be completely written by me, of course, and I would call on one of my colleagues to seamlessly step in and read and perform what you and I have created together.
After we’ve talked and you decide to hire me, I will prepare a contract and invoice. I will send them to you in an email with a link to an online payment portal. You can pay by credit card, Venmo, or Zelle. After you have signed your contract and paid your invoice, your date will be reserved in my book.
Serving Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Wake Forest, Louisburg, Clayton, Smithfield, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Apex, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Pittsboro, Sanford, Wilson, Wake County, Durham County, Orange County, Johnston County, Lee County, Hartnett County, Chatham County, North Carolina and beyond.
Photos courtesy of Ariel Kaitlin Photography, Klear Reflection Photography, El Pictures, Sarah Elizabeth Photography
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