Congratulations on deciding to begin the next chapter of your life together … and letting me help you say “I Do!”

savannah wedding

My goal at Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements is to help you feel excited- and relaxed- about your wedding or elopement, allow you to focus on what’s important about your commitment to each other, and celebrate the way you want.

You will find much of the information you need to make a decision about hiring me as your wedding officiant on this page. I’m excited to speak with you and provide any additional details you might need to help you make a decision!

My officiating and planning philosophy focuses on four principles: inclusivity, simplicity, approachability, and expertise. My officiating services are for you if you …

  • Celebrate modern love … and visualize marriage as being full of romance, adventure, AND empowerment
  • Believe that wedding ceremonies should be authentic, meaningful and joyful … and what that looks like may be very different for every couple
  • Value a consultative and highly-organized approach to your wedding ceremony or elopement experience … and words like “timeline” and “process” bring you a small (or big) sense of glee

Your special day should be stress-free and full of joy, love and memories for you, your partner, and everyone you want to share it with! 

If you’d like to know more about me, officiant Tracy Brisson, please check out my bio page. You can also view my testimonials page for reviews from couples I’ve worked with previously.

Frequently asked questions, including logistical information such as payment and scheduling, follow the package descriptions.

Wedding & Elopement Ceremony Package Overview

I have three groups of packages: Ceremony Only, Ceremony + Photography, and my Simple Signing Service.

My services are priced differently depending on whether you are booking your wedding during the week or on a weekend (considered Friday after 5PM through Sunday).  Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and New Year’s Eve and Day, are booked at the weekend rate.

All packages include a service that meets the legal requirements needed to be married in the state of Georgia or South Carolina, guidance on obtaining a marriage license, completion of the legal paperwork, and unlimited email consultations with Tracy and her team.

Ceremony Only Packages

savannah wedding at forsyth

I offer three types of officiating packages, depending on your celebration needs.

Forsyth Park Wedding, Fall 2016

Tracy’s Choice

(Partner Officiants & Tracy; <50 guests)

Weekend Weekday
$225$195

The Tracy’s Choice package is perfect for simple weddings. Feel free to review our ceremony examples to see if you like my writing style & thoughts on marriage.  You can also include your personal vows with this package.

PACKAGE FEATURES:
  • A pre-written ceremony chosen by Tracy based on your spiritual preferences

* Tracy’s Choice does not come with final approval of the script and does not include special readings or rituals such as the sand or handfasting ceremonies.

Greenwich Park Wedding, Fall 2015

Choose Your Own Adventure

(Partner Officiants only)

Weekend Weekday
$275$245

The Choose Your Own Adventure package allows you to participate in the ceremony creation process by sharing your ideas on how to make it meaningful and authentic to your experience, but keeps the process easy & simple.

PACKAGE FEATURES:
  • A customized ceremony based on an extensive questionnaire about your preferences, including requests for themes, special vows, rituals, and readings
  • An optional 15-minute video or phone review of the ceremony and your questions the last week before your wedding date
  • Final approval of the ceremony script

Create Your Story

(Tracy only)

Weekend Weekday
$500$450

With the Create Your Story package, I use my expertise to help you design a specific & personalized ceremony experience and provide extra support, especially for couples planning destination events, so that you can enjoy your day. 

PACKAGE FEATURES:
  • One-hour pre-ceremony consultation, in person or via video, to learn more about you, review your ceremony preferences, and make collaborative decisions about ceremony content, as well as plan ceremony venue logistics, if needed
  • Research on all of your ideas and proposals for tailored readings, rituals and vows
  • A personalized wedding ceremony crafted from the consultation
  • Final approval over the ceremony script
  • Any necessary in-person or phone consultations with your Savannah venue about your ceremony preferences (for destination couples)
  • Rehearsal attendance and coordination (if requested)

* Create Your Story Clients can also book our Client Concierge service as an add-on to help you source other vendors and permits with the City of Savannah or similar venues for your wedding for $250.

Client Praise

Tracy is that rare combination of a compassionate professional who also engages on a very personal level.
Paul & John, Create Your Story Package, April 2016
Tracy really listened to us, asked great questions and developed a ceremony that was a perfect reflection of what we wanted to say, and how we wanted to say it. Many of our guests assumed that Tracy was a close friend that we had known for years, because that is how it felt to everyone involved. She is that rare combination of a compassionate professional who also engages on a very personal level.

You can read more of my reviews on WeddingWire, The Knot, Google, or skim highlights on my testimonials page.

Ceremony + Photography Packages

 

savannah elopement experience

Our three Ceremony + Photography packages include our ceremony services as described above, and photography provided by Megan Jones of It’s Megan Jones Photography. The Popup Elopement Package and the Savannah Elopement Experience are true elopement packages and are limited to 6 and 10 guests, respectively. We can accommodate up to 30 guests with the Intimate Destination Wedding package.

Our Savannah Elopement Experience and Intimate Destination Wedding packages also include dedicated planning support through our Client Concierge, Jennifer, who can set up appointments and services for your wedding, such as hair & makeup, flowers, dinner reservations, and other amenities to help you treat yourself. 

When you book a package with us, you will be working with an experienced officiant + photographer team. After having performed 550+ ceremony + photography packages together, and winning multiple awards for our work, we know the ins and outs of elopements- and Savannah- and how to make your day as special and enjoyable as possible!

You can also read more about our Ceremony + Photo packages, including frequently asked questions, and view our galleries of couples enjoying their experience. 

The Popup Elopement Package

(0 to 6 guests)

Weekend Weekday
$595$495

The Popup Elopement Package is designed to be simple & easy. We will “pop” into a Savannah park or square for your ceremony and the whole event takes less than 25 minutes!

  • The Tracy’s Choice ceremony package (a pre-written ceremony based on your spiritual preferences)
  • Photographs of the ceremony and portraits of the couple in the same location
  • An online digital gallery of professionally edited photos that you can use to view, share, download, and print your pictures from, within two weeks of your ceremony

* You can upgrade to include a more customized ceremony with the Popup Elopement Package for $50, as well as add on the Client Concierge service for $125.

The Savannah Elopement Experience

(0 to 10 guests)

Weekend Weekday
$995$895

The Savannah Elopement Experience is a unique and fun way to experience the best parts of getting married, and take photos amongst a variety of beautiful Savannah backgrounds.

  • A customized ceremony based on an extensive questionnaire, and includes any requested special vows, rituals, and readings, and final approval of the ceremony script
  • One hour of photography, including photographs of the ceremony, and a newlywed photo shoot among the beautiful trees, squares, and landmarks of downtown Savannah
  • An online digital gallery of professionally edited photos that you can use to view, share, download, and print your pictures from, within two weeks of your ceremony
  • A Client Concierge to take care of your elopement to-do items like booking hair and makeup, arranging dinner reservations, ordering your bouquet, and many other related tasks
  • An optional extra Adventure Hour of photography via pedicab, with cupcakes and champagne, as an add-on

The Intimate Destination Wedding Package

(<30 guests)

Weekend Weekday
$1995$1795

The Intimate Destination Wedding package allows a couple to experience the vibe of an elopement while sharing the experience- and the charm of Savannah- with up to 30 guests.

  • Customized ceremony, including a one hour consultation for ceremony and wedding planning
  • Two hours of photography including photographs of the ceremony, family and guest photography, and a newlywed photoshoot among the beautiful trees, squares, and landmarks of downtown Savannah
  • Pedicab transportation for 90 minutes to help you maximize your photo time in Savannah’s historic district
  • An online digital gallery of professionally edited photos that you can use to view, share, download, and print your pictures from, within two weeks of your ceremony
  • Complimentary champagne and cupcakes for your newlywed shoot
  • A Client Concierge to take care of your wedding to-do items like completing permit paperwork, booking hair and makeup, making reservations for your guest celebration, ordering your bouquet, and many other related tasks

* If you are interested in this package, we recommend that you read our Intimate Destination Wedding Planning Guide which provides cost averages per vendor and guest totals, as well as 13 stories from other couples who have chosen this package. 

The Simple Signing Service

I offer a marriage license signing service for couples who need to get married quickly and do not wish to have a formal ceremony called the Simple Signing Service. We’ll take care of the minimum necessary legal components so we can sign your marriage license in a relaxed and fun style.

Our Simple Signing Services are currently performed at the Forsyth Park and in Lafayette Square. Here is a quick overview about this service.

  • The cost is $125 on weekdays or $150 on Saturdays (limited availability).
  • You must have a valid marriage license that we can sign.
  • We allow up to four guests.
  • Signing Services must be booked at least 24 hours ahead and cannot be booked more than three weeks in advance.
  • Payment must be made in advance via our online system and is non-refundable to avoid no-shows. 
  • During the week, you can also add a mini photoshoot with limited digital images with one of our photographers for an additional fee

Couples who use our Simple Signing Service are eligible for a 10% discount on future officiating services.

You can text us to schedule a Simple Signing Service after reading all about them. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Scheduling, Booking and Fees

We’re so glad to hear that! Please contact us with your date, time, venue (if known) and package option, and we’ll go from there. Your date and time will be locked in once you provide a retainer and sign your contract.

I also work with amazing Partner Officiants who perform ceremonies and conduct Simple Signing Services when I am booked so we likely have someone available for your event, even if it is not me personally. Partner Officiants write ceremonies I prepare and I handle all client service until the script is delivered.

Because we work with so many couples, my Scheduling Manager & Client Concierge, Jennifer, answers our initial inquiries to make sure everyone gets timely responses. You will likely work primarily with her through the booking process until you become our client.

We are closed every year from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through the Friday following, and a few days before Christmas through the 26th. We also close for the St. Patrick’s Day parade. 

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Yay! Once you let us know that you’d like to move forward, Jennifer will send you a new client email with a link to an order form, contract, and invoice and it is due back to us within three days. We’ve made it an extremely simple process, so you can focus on more important things!

A 50% deposit is required to book your ceremony. You’ll pay online and I accept every major credit card. Your balance is due seven days before the ceremony, unless you are paying your balance in cash. I do not accept checks.

Because we turn away potential customers for your date and time once we book you, and begin work immediately on preparations for your weddings, deposits are non-refundable if you cancel your package with us.

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Our most popular dates and times are usually booked out at least six months in advance. For example, we usually begin turning away weddings for popular October dates in April. However, if you are flexible about the day of the week and time for an elopement, you can book us closer to your wedding date.

We take bookings up to a year in advance, or further in the future if you already have a contract with a venue. If you are planning to rent a square or park for your wedding, the City of Savannah will only rent it out a year in advance.

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We do, frequently! I do charge an additional travel fee for ceremonies that take place on Tybee Island, St. Simon’s Island, and Jekyll Island, or in Richmond Hill, Hinesville, Statesboro, and Hilton Head in South Carolina. Other locations in Chatham County do not require a travel fee. I will also travel out-of-state and to other locations in Georgia. Contact me for customized travel estimates.
Travel Fees
Tybee Island and Richmond HillBeaufort CountyHinesville and StatesboroSt. Simons and Jekyll Islands
$25$50$50$60

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If you would like me to attend a rehearsal to review the ceremony cues with your wedding party, the fee is $75. I can also run and coordinate the rehearsal for $125 if you are not working with a wedding planner. We can give you advice on whether we recommend a rehearsal for your event. The Create Your Story package includes a rehearsal.

Following the ceremony, I can also expedite marriage certificates at the courthouse for an additional fee of $50. This add-on service is only available for couples using a Chatham County marriage license.

If you are choosing to include any rituals in your ceremony, you will bring your own ritual kits and I give you advice on where to buy those, if needed.

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I’m a business nerd so I love this question! If you do not work in the wedding industry, you may think that an officiant’s main job is to show up on a Saturday and read a ceremony for a few minutes. In reality, the performance part of the job is usually the least time intensive of all the work I do for my clients.

Most of my time on any project is spent writing your ceremony and preparing for your day, as well as answering questions leading up to your ceremony. If you read our reviews, you can see that we are there every step of the way and it is not unheard of to exchange 60 emails with a client before I actually meet them in person! Compared to other officiants, I also spend a fair amount of money on technology and staff to make the process easy and seamless for you. This is my full time job and it shows in the level of service we provide.

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You can visit our elopement and intimate wedding packages page for more information on our Ceremony + Photography options. I also recommend reviewing our planning guide to help you decide which package would be best for your celebration.

Each of our Ceremony + Photography packages have specific guest limits and services included by design, based on our work with hundreds of couples and families, and knowing what it takes to have a successful event. If you are not interested in a bundled services package, you can always book us for your officiating needs with a Ceremony Only package and get custom quotes from photographers and other vendors.

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I am an ordained Reverend through the Universal Life Church (ULC) The ULC certification is recognized in 40 states, including Georgia and South Carolina.

The Universal Life Church believes that all people are naturally endowed with the right to control their own spiritual life and so do I. As an officiant, my job is to facilitate a wedding that reflects your faith, not mine. It is also an inclusive organization that advocated tirelessly for marriage equality over the last decade and that makes me proud to be a member. 

The Universal Life Church credential allows me to work with couples of all spiritual and cultural backgrounds, including those who identify as atheists or prefer a secular lifestyle. In Georgia, unlike other states, a Justice of the Peace is a magistrate judge who deals with court matters and not someone who oversees legal marriages. That makes Universal Life Church Reverends essential for couples in our region who want to marry outside the traditional church structure.

What really qualifies me to be your wedding officiant is my experiences from marrying 1,500+ couples, as well as those I gathered before I married the first one. I am focused on your needs as a couple. As a writer, I have tons of resources to pull from to reflect your desires in your ceremony, whether they are spiritual or modern in nature. As a trained coach, I can help you make decisions about your wedding and help you with any anxiety you may have leading up to your big day.

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Ceremony Information

That is a great question! I wrote a blog post that explains how we work with our clients, including communicating with them, and when I do specific types of tasks in the preparation timeline, like check in with you or write your ceremony. Each client receives a link to a personal Document Center to keep track of invoice due dates, questionnaires and event details, too.

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We perform ceremonies (almost) everywhere! The location is your choice. With the exception of the Tracy’s Choice package (50 or fewer guests), there is no limit on guests for your ceremony unless you are purchasing a Ceremony + Photography package. Limits on guests for Ceremony Only packages are only constrained by the location or venue you choose. Clients are responsible for choosing their location and securing permits if required.

I have galleries that serve as guides to squares, parks, and other wedding and elopement locations in Savannah.

Because of crowds, we do not officiate weekend elopements in Whitefield Square or at the Forsyth Park fountain. However, we are happy to grab some photos of just you in one of those locations as part of one of our newlywed walks or pedicab adventures with the Savannah Elopement Experience or Intimate Destination Wedding.

If you are planning a large wedding (more than 30-50 guests) and need planning assistance, I am happy to refer you to my favorite wedding planners and vendors.

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One of my favorite parts of being a wedding officiant- especially in a town that services couples from all of the world- is that I work with a very diverse group of couples who come from all sorts of cultural backgrounds. About 50% of couples choose a custom ceremony package, which could include personal touches, rituals, or special vows, and about 50% choose my Tracy’s Choice package which includes a pre-written ceremony from my personal library that I choose for your day.

To prepare your ceremony, I’ll take inspiration from an extensive questionnaire about your ceremony preferences, as well as notes taken during an in-person consultation if one is included in your package.

About 50% of my couples request a spiritual ceremony that mentions God in some way, and about 50% request a non-religious ceremony. I believe in modern marriage and my ceremony content reflects that by focusing on themes like romance, adventure, friendship and teamwork. I also love including pop-culture and literature references if they resonate with the couple. My Harry Potter inspired ceremony is the most visited page on my entire website!

All my clients have access to a password protected Client Portal with ceremony planning tips, including exclusive tips on preparing personal vows and choosing rituals and readings, collected from my experience.

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I work with couples of all faiths, whether they identify as Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Pagan, Humanist, an atheist, or something else. If you would like to include your spiritual beliefs in your wedding ceremony, I am happy to create a ceremony that calls in and includes God, or whoever you believe in. That could include an opening prayer, a closing blessing or simply mentioning that we are in God’s presence.

While I shy away from complete, standard ceremonies that come from specific religions, I am also happy to include biblical quotes that you identify, and weave them into the ceremony text. However, I do not write custom religious content for my ceremonies and do ask that any religious content provided to me is inclusive and optimistic in tone. I do not replicate ceremonies you might hear in a church since you are not choosing to get married in a church.

As for content I will not include, I stay away from messages that encourage the submission of a wife to her husband, including rituals and biblical quotes that emphasize that dynamic. I will also not use words like “obey” in a ceremony.

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Great question. The Tracy’s Choice package is simply the way it is described- I choose the ceremony. Every season, I prepare 1-2 pre-written scripts and I offer a package at a lower cost with these scripts because they take less preparation time. They will be like the samples on my Ceremony Example page, but not those exact ceremonies. You will get a final copy (no changes) of what I will say via email before your ceremony and if you’d like, you can include personal vows. I’ll send a questionnaire and you’ll let me know that, as well as your basic spiritual preferences.

If you would like to add a ritual (like a sand ceremony or handfasting), a reading, or make some edits, you can upgrade to our Choose Your Own Adventure package. If you are looking for something more custom or a very personalized experience, the Create Your Story package is the way to go. 

Finally, we limit this package to small events with 50 or fewer guests. 

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In 2018, after analyzing our business trends, I decided it made the most sense for me to focus on elopement experience packages and the Create Your Story package and have our Partner Officiants officiate other types of events. I also sometimes officiate Tracy’s Choice packages, but that is because most happen during the week and book just a few months out.

In 2019, I officiated half of all of our engagements based on my own goals for work and life balance, as well as when most events take place. Very often, we receive requests for different weddings that are happening at the same time (i.e., Saturday at 5PM) and it is not unheard for all of us to be working on a popular weekend!

All of our Partner Officiants are awesome! When you are booked with a Partner Officiant, I still prepare all the scripts with the clients and Jennifer and I provide account management leading up to the day.

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I am an advocate for marriage equality and I am excited to help honor your commitment or that of your friends. When same-sex marriage became legal in Georgia in 2015, I threw a celebration in Forsyth Park that was covered by the local media and even appeared on the national edition of NPR’s All Things Considered!

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I also love doing vow renewals and commitment ceremonies! I’d be very happy to help you create a ceremony that reflects your relationship. All of my packages can be applied to a vow renewal or commitment ceremony. If you were legally married before your ceremony, that is okay too, even if no one knows except me.

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As long as the location allows dogs, absolutely! We love dogs. Here is a photo of my dog. 

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Absolutely! Let us know which packages you are considering when you send in your inquiry and we can definitely give you guidance. I would ask myself these questions, also, and give us your answers, which can help us provide suggestions.

  • How important is the ceremony content to me? Do I have personal touches that I want to contribute?
  • How personal of a touch do I want from my officiant? Is it important that I meet with her- and when and how often- in the process?
  • If I am planning a destination wedding in Savannah, how much time do I personally have to spend on planning the ceremony?

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Marriage Licenses

In Georgia, you must obtain a valid marriage license on your own prior to the ceremony by applying together at the courthouse with your government ID, and if you have been married before, a certified copy of your divorce decree. In Georgia, and specifically our county, Chatham, this is relatively easy. You can get your marriage license the same day as your ceremony, or years in advance as they never expire.

After the ceremony, I will sign your marriage license. In Georgia, only the officiant signs the marriage license and there are no witnesses required.

If you are using a Chatham County license, filing your marriage license with the courthouse after the ceremony is free, but you may not receive your certified copy for 3-6 weeks after your ceremony through their mail service. If you need your certified marriage certificate sooner, and cannot file it in person, you can elect to have me file it for you at the courthouse and then express ship the certified copy of your marriage certificate within one week for an additional fee of $50.

If you are a permanent resident of the state you can use a marriage license from another county in Georgia. If you choose that route, I will return the marriage license back to you after the ceremony for you to file on your own.

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Yes! I have married many international couples, including those who have visited Savannah from Canada, Mexico, Sweden, the UK, China, Nigeria, and Australia, among others. You will need the same documents to apply for a marriage license- a government ID and a certified copy of your divorce decree, if you have been married before.

If you are in a country governed by the Apostille Convention, you will need to take an extra step to have your marriage certificate notarized and receive an Apostille certificate, which is usually easy.

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Book your service or send me your questions!

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