Greetings and Congratulations!
As a Justice of the Peace, I am authorized to conduct marriages anywhere in CT.
The first step is to meet in person, where we can discuss your needs! I usually meet you at your home, or the local coffee shop (like "Starbucks").
Please consider what kind of ceremony you want – simple, elaborate, non-religious or religious or a little religious. The more elaborate ceremonies require my meeting the couple at least a month before the ceremony.
For your reference, here is a little timetable of what needs to be done:
About a month before the ceremony, both of you need to apply for your Marriage License at the Town Clerk’s office in the town where either one of the wedding couple resides OR from the town in which the wedding will be taking place. The Town Clerk can also give you a flier of information on Marriage laws. The application fee is $30. The license is only good for 65 days. You both need to sign it in the presence of the Town Clerk. This procedure generally takes around 20 minutes. Although it’s best that you both apply for the license at the same time, in some cases (i.e. the parties work different hours, one of them is away on business, etc.) it is acceptable that the parties can sign the application at the Town Hall on different dates. In that case, the 65 days starts at the earlier date.
Two weeks before the ceremony, you must send me the filled-out wedding license so I can have enough time to check it for errors and begin my recording procedures. I cannot perform the wedding without it. After the ceremony, I will complete and sign it and return it to the town hall in the town where the ceremony took place to have it registered.
Ok, ok, I know you want to know my fee. All I can say right now is…. It depends on what you want, how much work it requires on my part and many other factors. Your ceremony can be simple vows lasting 5 to 10 minutes to elaborate services lasting up to an half an hour. I can write the entire ceremony or we can work together on it. Larger weddings generally take more time than short “backyard” ceremonies and therefore will be more expensive. We can discuss that when we meet.
I do perform all my ceremonies in JP robes. If you would rather I wear something different, let me know. For example, in August 2005 I performed a special medieval-themed ceremony dressed as Friar Tuck, in a monk’s brown robe, where I performed a Wiccan Ceremony known as a “Handfasting” (see below left and middle). In 2006, I performed a "Harry Potter" theme ceremony dressed as a Wizard (see below right).
I am looking forward to hearing from you and working with you on your most happiest of days!
Sincerely,
Joe Lantiere, P.O. Box 162, Oakville, CT 06779-0162
Phone (860) 274-6115 ~~~ E-Mail: Lantiere@aol.com