Love Knot

 

 

Many couples have expressed their desire to be married by a wedding minister instead of a clerk of the court or a justice of the peace.  However, they felt ministers were only available for large church ceremonies or customized ones that cost more than what they where in a position to pay.  

As a minister of the holy sacraments, it is my responsibility to provide a wide range of services regardless of a person's financial status.  I am not a justice of the peace, but I will offer a fee that is comparable to one.

Therefore, I am willing to perform lakeside weddings at a lake adjacent to my home in Bowie, Maryland for those who wish to enter into holy matrimony quickly, privately, and without the scrutiny and energy of a courthouse ceremony.  

This is not the only wedding service I provide.  As a traveling minister, I will come to your location (yacht, country club, house, park, church, banquet hall, etc.).  For more details, please visit the wedding page.

All marriages at the suggested lake will require a valid Prince George's County marriage license from the Prince George's County Circuit Court, where they no longer have a justice of the peace performing PG County civil ceremonies; rather a court clerk now performs them from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon.  

If those hours are not convenient for you and the courthouse process and environment is too intrusive for you, consider my evening schedule and weekend availability.  

For a small outdoor wedding, I suggest the lake below: 

 

This lake is only a suggestion.  There are many lakes in Maryland for your wedding ceremony.  This one is convenient for me.  Therefore, my fee to come to this location is less. 

Please keep in mind that this is a public area.  Therefore it cannot be decorated,  reserved, or treated as a wedding venue.  

Things to know:

1. Do not drop silk flower pedals (they are not biodegradable) on the ground.  This is considered littering.

2. Do not park, block, or turnaround in private driveways.

3. Do not block or stand on the walking path surrounding the lake.

4. Do not set up chairs, arches, or other items.

5. Remember that there is no privacy or personal rights to using a public space.  Therefore, your ceremony can be disturbed by people cutting their grass, children playing, people talking, skaters, walkers, or bikers using the trail. 

I suggest this place only to those who have a limited budget and want an outdoor wedding with a few family members or friends.  This is an alternative to a courthouse setting. 

The decision to use the suggested location will be yours.   I take no responsibility for that decision.  As a minister on call, my job will be to perform your wedding at the location you choose.  Fee varies according to distance.

The above suggestion is not for a Cinderella wedding with unlimited guests or cathedral seating.  Kindly check the vendors page for other venues.

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Premarital coaching is available, but not required.  For additional information, kindly click the coaching link below.

 

 

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Fee:  $225 (suggested lake only)

You may choose one of the following prewritten  ceremonies that can include: mentioning new family members, departed loved ones, or the adding of rituals.

Ceremonies

Christian

Civil (Nonreligious - Secular)

Commitment Ceremony

Nondenominational 

Spiritual

Vow Renewal

 

Rituals

Jumping the Broom

Tasting the 4 Elements

Libation Offering

Rose Exchange

Honoring those who have crossed over

Readings from family members or friends

Gift or Embrace to the stepchild/children

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The above fees are based on the suggested wedding location, a personalized ceremony, my officiating the wedding, filing the county marriage license, my time corresponding with you, other logistics, and (if applicable) a holiday wedding fee ($60 is added to the base cost).

 

Upon booking your wedding with me, you will receive a personalized draft ceremony and a sweetheart ceremony selection booklet.  There is a $50 nonrefundable deposit required to secure your wedding date and time.  This deposit is subtracted from the total cost.

 

Please Note:  there is no backup plan for inclement weather.  You will have to reschedule your sweetheart ceremony for a date and time when I am available.  Otherwise, umbrellas will have to be used.

The Sweetheart Ceremony fee (for a non-customized wedding) is not available for any other wedding services or location.   

For weddings at your venue of choice, kindly visit the Weddings  page.  

Since the sweetheart ceremony takes place at a neighborhood lake adjacent to my house, I must limit the number of guests to a maximum of 8 or less.  

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Private Weddings for Two

For details, click the rose

 

If you are looking for an alternative to a courthouse wedding or a quick elopement; a private  ceremony for two, may be for you.   

 

It  provides the privacy many couples seek and the days and times they wish to have their ceremony especially, if they are in the military.

 

This package is not a backup plan for inclement weather.  It is for a private celebration with no guests.

 

 

Sweetheart Weddings

Prince Georges County Ceremonies

Prince George's County Marriage License Required

Ask about Valentine's Day Weddings 

 

 

 

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Sweetheart Weddings - Civil Ceremonies

Reverend Starlene Joyner Burns 

Wedding Minister and Officiant   

Monday - Sunday

(Including Holidays)

Please call between

1o:00 am - 9:00 pm

to check my availability for your wedding.

202.253.3629

or submit the email form.

When booking your Prince Georges County wedding in March - November, kindly be aware of night fall. 

So, check out the time zone for your special day.  Just click the sky.

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I am, Reverend Starlene Joyner Burns a Nondenominational - Interfaith wedding minister, wedding celebrant,  and wedding officiant.   In addition, I am the founder and director of SJB Ministries LLC; and the founder of God's Center for Divine Healing.  The healing center is dedicated to providing distant healing energy and prayer to those outside the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. 

 

I studied four consecutive years to become an ordained minister of Spiritual Science.  Prior to that I was ordained in the Christian faith.  With more than six years of ministerial experience, I am prepared for the responsibilities of an interfaith - nondenominational wedding minister.  I received further training in the administration of the holy sacraments, under the direction of a well known master administrator of the rites of passage.   

 

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SJB Ministries LLC 

 Reverend Starlene Joyner Burns 

MD Wedding Minister and MD Officiant 

4722 Morning Glory Trail

Bowie, MD 20720

202.253.3629

revsjb@comcast.net

Weddings and meetings are by appointments only.

Serving MD, Northern VA, and Washington DC

Love Knot