To schedule a wedding with Reverend Dabney, from 3 weeks to 6 months before your wedding, first you will need to see if your date is available by calling or e-mailing.  Book your officiant as soon as possible….it's very important, since dates and times are limited and fill rapidly.  You will be "penciled in" on Rev. Dabney's calendar's schedule for your special day and time.  If you leave a message or send an e-mail, PLEASE REMEMBER to include your day, evening and cell phone number, date, time and location of wedding and full names of both the bride and groom.

          If the date is available and you choose to schedule your wedding, a non-refundable deposit of $150 will be required to hold your date and time and you will be "inked in", on her calendar with assurance of your date and time.

         
Ministers Services: Reverend Dabney will meet with the bride and groom before the wedding…earlier is better … to organize the ceremony, decide on the theme and to discuss paperwork, location and "format" of the wedding. Vows will be created, rehearsal if desired, the wedding ceremony performed and all necessary paperwork taken care of by Rev. Dabney.  If you wish a rehearsal, please schedule it for 24-72 hours prior to the actual ceremony.  It will be necessary that all participants, including parents, be present at the rehearsal.

           Additionally: Rev. Dabney has a selection of several CD's, which have beautiful music appropriate for your ceremony. Selections include Wagners Wedding Chorus, Mendelssohn's Wedding March, Ava Maria, the Wedding Dance and the beautiful Pachelbel Canon.  If you would like to review these CD's to use on your wedding day, she is most happy to loan them to you, but you must mail them back within a couple of days for use by other brides and grooms.    

          She also offers a "loaner" silk bridal bouquet in one of 2 color combinations.  One is in a rose and crème color theme, the other in a violet and white.  There is a matching silk flower boutonnière for the groom in matching colors and if the bride wishes to provide her own fresh flowers, there is a hand bouquet holder with white lace and Styrofoam in while to place fresh flowers the day of the wedding.

           If the bride and groom wish to include a UNITY CANDLE CEREMONY in their vows, either to join each other as a new family, to include and welcome children into a new family or to honor their parents during the ceremony, I will be happy to loan the couple a silver colored Unity Candle Holder to use during the ceremony as well.

          About Your Minister: Reverend Dabney is an ordained, non-denominational minister and founder of International Unified Ministries, which is a voluntary ministry helping, primarily victims of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and fires. Believing in making the world a better place, Sylvia, as part of her efforts to that end, donates a portion of her wedding fees to several charity and relief foundations.  Reverend Dabney has performed wedding ceremonies for over 25 years from Texas, California, The U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, Annapolis Maryland, Oregon, several other states and through special Government permission, in Canada and Monaco.  She was formally presented before the Family Court of the United States Virgin Islands for her service there.

          Our Ministry has no traditional doctrine.  We believe in that which is right.  We believe that everyone has a right to his or her own conviction, a right to express it and we recognize everyone's personal beliefs. As with other Independent Churches, we believe in allowing individual responsibility for spiritual growth and development, and that each person should do God's work exactly as it is revealed to them.  We are legally recognized throughout the United States and by all other nations of the world, which allow their citizens freedom of religion.

          Reverend Dabney has performed some interesting ceremonies from the bow of a sailing yacht on the Atlantic Ocean, from the deck of a yacht in Catalina Island in California, for a Lt. Commander in the Coast Guard, in a private airplane, underwater with a scuba-diving bride and groom, from high on a mountain, where hang-gliding enthusiasts "soared" to the heavens after exchanging their vows, military weddings where the bride and groom and entire wedding party were in full military dress and walked "under the swords", to a Canadian Native wedding in the forest, where the bride and groom were "smudged" with the smoke of trees which were blessed by the elders. She has performed ceremonies encompassing children, family, pets and friends.

          Naturally, over the past 25+ years, there have been traditional weddings in chapels, yacht clubs, on beaches and with guests numbering in the hundreds.  Brides and grooms have been in their 20's to their 80's and there have been many vow renewals, baptisms and from the deck of a ship, services with scattering of ashes.

        Information for Reverend Dabney:

·         The original marriage license and accompanying documents. PLEASE remember to fill in the personal background information and social security number on the Health Department form.

·         A written confirmation of the date and time of wedding, from the bride and groom.  Rev. Dabney will plan on being there 15-30 minutes before the stated time.

·         Directions, map and contact phone number for the wedding location.

·         Names of two witnesses who will sign the marriage paperwork. They should be age 18 or older, or by special arrangements, if children of the couple will be witnesses, though you will need to inform the minister in advance.

·         Your phone number(s) and e-mail address

·         Make sure that you send a  final copy of your ceremony 2 full weeks before the wedding date, so that I have time to make changes and to read and understand the changes.

·         Reverend Dabney welcomes interpreters to participate in the ceremony, but PLEASE, let Rev. Dabney know well in advance, so she can arrange to speak with your interpreter.

         Ministerial Fee: Fees for officiating wedding ceremonies are dependent upon what is required of the minister, i.e. distances to ceremony, travel expenses, unusual locations or duration, such as a day on a yacht, ferry, plane etc. to perform a ceremony.

          A $150 non-refundable deposit is payable when the ceremony is booked and can be made in cash or by check to Rev. Sylvia Dabney, with the balance due in cash, prior to the ceremony.  

        Marriage Licenses: A wedding license must be obtained no more than 60 days prior, but at least three days before the date of the wedding.  You may apply in person to a Court House in Washington.  Different counties have different costs for their license, for instance, in King County, a license costs $54, and in Pierce County a marriage license costs $51, but …note that these rates may change at any time.  Wedding licenses obtained in any County in Washington, are valid throughout the State of Washington.

        Before the Ceremony: You will need to sign the marriage certificates on the day of the wedding. I prefer to have the bride and groom and witnesses sign before the ceremony, even if it means I must go from one location to another to obtain the signatures. If you sign the papers afterwards, please do so right away. The minister may have other obligations and should not be kept waiting while you socialize with your guests. You can discuss this with the officiant ahead of time so you are all clear about where and when the papers will be signed. The officiant will give you the ceremonial certificate to keep. Put it where you will find it.

        After the Ceremony: Reverend Dabney will mail the paperwork to the county for filing.  You will be presented with the "Ceremonial Certificate", the original is filed in the Ministers papers. After ten days, you may request a certified copy of the Marriage Certificate from the Marriage License Office OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE LICENSE WAS OBTAINED.  If you need paperwork for the military or immigration, it's best that you personally take the paperwork to the exact same counter within the License Department from which you obtained the license, and request 3-certified copies at that time.  Most County offices will make certified copies while you wait.

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