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Trends come and go. Nowhere is this more evident than in wedding planning. One of these trends is inviting a loved one to officiate your ceremony. Certainly, having a friend or family member perform as your wedding officiant is a great honor for them and a precious memory for you. They can bring their unique connections, viewpoints, emotions, and stories to your wedding ceremony. However, there is much they cannot contribute to the wedding ceremony which an experienced officiant is qualified and ready to provide.
Familiarity with license application options and instructions
Laws and regulations vary and change. Paperwork can sometimes create a problem for friends and family who do not officiate weddings for a living. An officiant steps right in and handles everything smoothly and efficiently.
Poise, confidence, and public speaking ability
A professional wedding officiant chooses to stand in front of people for a living and is not only comfortable but enjoys what he or she does. They have learned the art of conveying the myriads of emotions expressed by the couple in a warm, sensitive, personal, and humorous (when appropriate) manner.
Adaptability
What if it starts to rain? What if there is a last-minute change with readings, logistics, or location? What if the microphone or speaker fails? Entrusting your ceremony to a seasoned professional ensures that these variables will be handled smoothly.
Attitude
It has been said that an officiant sets the tone for the ceremony, and the ceremony can set the tone for the entire wedding day. She will settle nerves, lighten moods, and balance emotions. She will prevent or diffuse the occasional uncomfortable moments. With her experience from countless previous ceremonies, your officiant brings the ability to keep
calm through barking dogs, restless babies, sudden gusts of wind, power outages, ‘difficult’ guests, etc.
Knowledge base
We are a global community, and there are countless cultural, social, religious, and historical traditions, rituals, and customs available for weddings. A pro will know and/or have access to this knowledge easily and, in many cases, be able to relate how she handled them before. This will include a vast library of readings, poems, selections, and quotes.
Writing skills
Your wedding ceremony must be fresh, personal, custom, and creative. Your prospective wedding officiant will present this through her website, social media, written communications, and work samples. With her skills, she will not have to pull down from the internet so that your guests hear what they have heard at every other wedding. Your ceremony will reflect you and your preferences because she will ‘get you’ and know to convey that in words.
Familiarity with the ‘business’
A friend or family member will not have relationships with the planner, vendors, or venue managers. They will not know the routine of the wedding day or what to expect. They will not have an established checklist of the small details that can make all the difference for your
wedding ceremony. We offer all this and more.
Preparation
Your professional wedding officiant will have an established system that will provide you with all the necessary resources well in advance so you are not rushed. She will ensure everything is approved, proofread, and pronunciations confirmed. She will dress appropriately, arrive sufficiently early for check-in, do a sound check, etc.
In short, we highly recommend including a wedding officiant in your “Dream Team” of contracted vendors. Basing your choice on the above factors and not just the
emotion of selecting a loved one will ensure you and your guests will experience a
memorable and unique wedding ceremony.
To find the ideal wedding officiant, insist on the following:
- Reviews from previous couples that are consistent and current
- Recommendations from other wedding professionals
- Active and numerous social media posts
- Available videos that highlight her work.
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