Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandy Bickham.
Hi Brandy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Where do I begin? My story is more of a personal one, it means something to me on a different level. In 2014, I remember the considerable controversy over gay marriage being available in all states. It would be huge for the states that it wasn’t legal. I remember listening to stories of people who wanted nothing more but to be equal and be married by a court of law like heterosexual couples. I researched and realized that notary public in SC could marry couples. I thought to myself, I need to do my part. If it became legal, I wanted to help in any way possible. The stories of couples being together for over fifteen years that couldn’t make it legal made me jump into action. I applied to be a notary to help those who didn’t have anyone to turn to if they wanted their marriage legal. Once it was approved, I applied for a notary license. Once, I was approved for a notary, and I remember putting on my Facebook page, “If you are gay, lesbian, or even straight and you need someone to marry you, contact me today. I was flooded with inboxes from all couples. Some couples in my inbox told me they had their marriage license, didn’t want to do a big wedding because they were saving to buy a house, or were having a child and just wanted to be married, wondering if I would sign their license. I was overwhelmed. So, I turned that into notaryservicesbybrandy.com. Today, I have blended the notary services with Be Wed By B (bewedbyb.com), and it has been a massive success since 2014. For the last nine years, not only have I been legally marrying couples in SC with my notary license, but I have also become an ordained minister to marry couples all over the United States. I have successfully married couples in more than 6 states to date and counting! For 2024, I have already booked two destination weddings! Within the last 5 years, I added on wedding director and coordinating services. I have directed weddings and married couples at the same time! Talk about dedication and work. I have even decorated, directed, and married a couple’s complete weddings. For future reference, I don’t recommend doing that again; it was fun, but I was tired. Today, I am always booked and busy, and I pride myself on the great work and reviews. My ceremonies are personalized, and I have never performed the same ceremony twice. To make sure of that, all couples answer a questionnaire regarding their love story. The questions allow me to perfect their special day. The ceremonies are handwritten per couple to increase the best possible personalized experience.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a small business owner, especially regarding weddings and being an officiant, has been challenging and rewarding. As a woman and a person who is not religious but spiritual, some are leery of my practices and validation. Although I am a licensed notary and an ordained minister, I do not force or practice a specific religion. I invite all, and I don’t require any pre-marital prerequisites. I am LGBT-friendly, and that can come with a lot of backlash. I have been booked and canceled several times due to my love for all. That has not stopped me yet! Wedding seasons are a real thing. So, some months, it could be so slow, and nobody needs you; that is why I use the notary for other purposes. I do loan modifications, address and school acknowledgments, mortgage loan signings, etc., to fill the gap of no-wedding seasons. It is important to me that I work full time and do this as a small business on the side and after hours. As a business owner who takes pride in her work, I will always make myself available to my clients.
Thanks for sharing that. Could you tell us more about your business?
I am a full-notary services business. With my notary, I specialize in all notary needs in SC. As a notary, I can do the following:
- Take acknowledgments
- Administer oaths and affirmations
- Execute attestations and jurats
- Witness signatures
- Take verifications of fact
- Perform marriage ceremonies (SC Code of Laws §20-1-20)
- Perform any other acts authorized by law
- Being a notary of SC, my specialty is performing marriage ceremonies under the business name Be Wed By B. My Be Wed By B is a spin-off of my notary services. With Be Wed By B, I specialize in wedding ceremonies, wedding director, and coordinator services.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Advice for networking is always to put yourself out there! For any networking events in the upstate, sign up for them, show up, and represent yourself and your company. I didn’t have a mentor; I did everything by myself and learned as I went. Along with some self-teaching, I did a lot of research and watched many self-help videos. I have also learned that marriage is something every couple is excited about. So, over the years, I have grown to take my business and personal professionalism very seriously.
Pricing:
- *Wedding Ceremonies $300
- *Wedding Director Day Of: $250
- *Wedding Coordinator: $1500
- Wedding License Signing Only: $60
- *Small ‘I DO” Ceremonies: $150
- Easy payment plan options available
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bewedbyb.com/
