A wedding officiant sometimes called an officiant or minister, is the person who performs your wedding ceremony and administers your marriage vows. These professionals can vary widely in their background, training, and style of service, so it’s important to do some research before choosing one for your ceremony. Here are nine things to consider when choosing a wedding officiant for your special day.
1) Do They Have Experience?
It’s important to choose an officiant that has experience. They will be able to adapt their ceremonies based on your preferences. Also, if you want certain things in your ceremony, make sure they are practiced enough to do them with ease. You want an officiant that knows what they are doing when it comes down to performing ceremonies because you are trusting them with one of the most important days of your life. If you aren’t sure how experienced an officiant is, take some time and call previous couples and ask about their experience with them; see if they would recommend another officiant or not.
2) Do They Speak Appropriate Languages?
Your wedding day is one of your most important days. It’s important that you find someone who understands that language isn’t just about words, but also emotions and gestures. For some couples, choosing an officiant can be quite difficult because they don’t know exactly what they are looking for in terms of personality and expertise. To ensure you choose someone who is right for you, ask yourself these questions: Do they speak appropriate languages? How long have they been officiating weddings? Are they affiliated with any organizations or religious institutions? What makes them qualified? What type of training do they have? These are just some of the questions that will help you find someone who truly shares your vision for your wedding day.
3) Is It Important to Them?
In choosing an officiant, it’s important to choose someone whose values align with yours. Don’t forget about their experience level. If you have any friends or family members that have been married recently, reach out and ask for recommendations. Your officiant will become an important part of your wedding day, so it’s worth putting time into making sure you choose someone you can trust! But don’t forget: Just because they were a great officiant once doesn’t mean they will be great again. While each ceremony is personal in its own way, some things need to stay consistent from wedding to wedding—that includes who leads them! You want assurance that your loved ones aren’t getting someone they wouldn’t approve of at their ceremony.
4) How Much Do They Charge?
Ask how much an officiant charges. If they do not have an exact price, ask for an estimate. Keep in mind that wedding officiants’ fees vary depending on how long you’re planning on having them speak at your ceremony. If it’s just a short phrase or passage, they probably won’t charge as much as if they are speaking for 20 minutes or more. An experienced wedding officiant should be able to give you an idea of what they charge upfront—you shouldn’t have to wait until after your first meeting with them before you know how much their services will cost you.
5) How Far Will They Travel?
Location is going to be key here. You don’t want to have your wedding on a Saturday and then have an officiant who lives more than 50 miles away. In some cases, you might even need someone who will travel as far as 100 miles. Be sure you know how far each officiant is willing or able to travel so that you can have someone on hand for your special day. You don’t want to get halfway through a beautiful ceremony only to discover that there isn’t enough time left for them to drive home again. It’s just not worth it. If you aren’t expecting out-of-town guests, consider hiring an officiant who resides in your area anyway. Sure, they won’t come very far but they should still get there on time and without any problems.
6) How Will We Communicate?
Establishing lines of communication with your officiant is an essential aspect of wedding planning. Ensure that he or she has all of your contact information so you can be in close touch throughout wedding preparations. Additionally, discuss whether you will communicate through email, text, phone calls or in-person meetings—or some combination thereof. For example, you might decide to text back and forth about logistics but conduct serious conversations face-to-face. There’s no right answer here; it simply depends on how comfortable you are communicating digitally versus personally. Just make sure to establish clear guidelines for each type of interaction up front.
7) Can I Visit Their Office/Home?
It’s important to meet with your officiant before your ceremony. Having them at home or in their office, rather than on-site, will help avoid last-minute panics and leave you with more time for fun and relaxation. You’ll also be able to ask any questions you might have and get an idea of how professional they are.
If they seem disorganized or unprepared, you may want to reconsider booking them. Before meeting with potential officiants, determine what kind of wedding you want (religious? Non-denominational? Ceremony + reception?). And then get recommendations from your friends and family. You can also reach out to local congregations churches often have links to recommended ministers. If your wedding is already booked but you’re not happy with your officiant, contact him/her immediately. Hopefully there’s still enough time for someone else to fill in!
- Make Sure They Can Do Both: While it would be nice if every officiant could perform every ceremony type, not all officiants are equally skilled at each one. For example, non-denominational ceremonies are different from religious ones—not only do different prayers need to be said during each type of ceremony, but some religions forbid mixed marriages altogether. If you know which religion/non-religion you’re choosing beforehand, plan ahead by contacting local churches/ministries for referrals.
