Tips for Choosing Your Perfect Officiant for Your Wedding

With all of the effort that goes into planning the wedding, there is one key factor that might be overlooked: selecting the right wedding officiant. In some cases, it might be as easy as asking your priest to help you get hitched. However, you might have to do a little searching to find an officiant who will perform the type of ceremony you desire.

Decide on the type of ceremony you want. Your choice of officiant will be based partly on whether you want to have a religious or secular ceremony. Consider whether you will want to write your own vows and have readings or special music. Some religious ceremonies aren't flexible, and you will need to have a secular ceremony to incorporate more of your personal elements. If you and your partner come from different religious backgrounds, you might choose to hire a non-denominational minister to perform the ceremony.

Consider the venue. If you are having your wedding in a church, you may want to select a pastor from that particular church. If you are having a wedding on a beach, you will need to find an officiant who is willing to travel to your preferred location to perform the ceremony. Some pastors won't conduct a wedding outside of a church. If you are struggling to find a religious official to conduct your ceremony, there are other options. Consider searching for a justice of the peace or anyone else who can legally perform the ceremony.

Begin your search. If you are looking for a justice of the peace, you can visit your local county clerk office for a list. If you would rather have an ordained minister perform the ceremony, you can ask a pastor from your home church. If you don't have a home church, you can call around to churches in the area you are getting married, and ask if they have a minister available to suit your needs. Whoever you choose, make sure he is licensed to perform the ceremony.

Choose at least a few different officiants to interview. Schedule a time to meet with each one. During these interviews, you should find out how long the officiants have been performing ceremonies and more about their individual style. Find out if they are open to the ideas you have, such as reading personal vows, and find out if they have any requirements. For example, a Catholic priest will usually require you to attend premarital classes. If you don't want to attend classes, you will need to continue interviewing until you find an officiant who offers what you want. You will also need to ask about the total cost to perform the ceremony including travel and rehearsal fees.

Brief yourself on wedding etiquette. Some ministers will refuse to accept payment for performing the wedding. In those cases, it is good etiquette to make a donation to the minister's home church in lieu of personal payment. It is also customary to give a tip and invite the officiant to the reception.
References

• Wedding Etiquette
• Emily Post - Wedding Etiquette