HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING OFFICIANT

Religious ceremony:

If you are planning to be married in a house of worship where you or your finance is a member your choice for an officiant is an easy one. However, you may both be practicing different faiths, you may be protestant and your groom may be Catholic. You will need to determine if you will  be having an interfaith ceremony. Itcould be that you are a member and your groom is a non- member. It could be that neither of you belong to a particular church but would like to have a religious ceremony or you want to have a religious ceremony at a secular site. If you find that you do not have an officiant, try getting referrals from family or friends that may know of an officiant that would be willing to conduct your ceremony. Inquire with your ceremony or reception site as well as your wedding consultant. If all else fails, scan the yellow pages for officiants who may advertise that they conduct weddings.

Regardless of your membership status or if you already know of an officiant, you will need to meet with and talk with him/her prior to your ceremony. Some officiants may require that you have premarital counseling before he/she will marry you. Others may require that you become a member or get baptized in a certain faith so you will want to make your appointment as early as possible. Don’t officially set your wedding date or reserve your reception site until you have spoken to the clergyman or officiant.

Meeting with the clergyman or officiant:

·                   Use “Clergyman Interview” at the end of this section when meeting with the clergyman or officiant. These are general questions that will help get you started and add any additional questions you can think of.

·                   Be sure to ask about premarital counseling and any rules or regulations regarding wedding ceremonies. Also, ask in particular about restrictions in regards to photography or videography. If there are restrictions, it’s your responsibility to pass this information on to the proper vendor.

·                   If you are planning to personalize your service, be sure to ask the officiant if this can be done and ask that he/she include your thoughts and feelings in the ceremony.

·                   If everything goes well, be sure to schedule your rehearsal while you’re there. Don’t take a chance on this date being opened later.

Religious Clergyman or Officiant Fees:

If you are a member of the church, you will just probably be required to give a donation to the officiant. If you are a non-member, there may be a fee.

Religious Ceremony Fees:

·                   If you are a member of the church, you are normally not charged a fee but you will probably need to make a donation to the church.

·                   If you are a non-member, you may be required to pay a church fee, which usually start around $100.00.

·                   You may be charged a fee for premarital counseling, the organist, pianist, vocalist, or choir.

·                   If you are planning to have your reception at the church, you may have to pay a fee to have the reception at the church if you are a non-member.

Etiquette tips:

·                   Invite your clergy or officiant and their spouse to the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception in advance.

·                   Send a wedding invitation to the clergy/officiant, his/her spouse, and family.

·                   Request that the clergyman or officiant attend the rehearsal before the fee is set.

·                   Begin your ceremony on time so the officiant may have the time to attend to other duties.

Civic Ceremony:

In choosing your officiant, check with friends, relatives, or your wedding consultant for referrals. Also, contact your county clerks office who can tell you who in your area is qualified to perform a ceremony. In addition, check the yellow pages for Justices of the Peace or Judges.

Meeting with the Justice of the Peace or the Officiant:

Regardless of the site you have selected or whether your ceremony will be held indoors or outdoors, you will want to set-up an appointment to meet the Justice of the Peace or the officiant. Your interview with him/her will not be as in-depth as with a religious officiant. Review “Clergyman Interview” at the end of this section when meeting with the clergyman or officiant, as there may be questions that could be relevant to your meeting. Be sure to ask about any requirements need to conduct the ceremony, the length of the service, and your ability to personalize the service.

Civic Officiant Fees:

Officiant fees normally run between $50 and $500 and this does not include a gratuity.

Civic Ceremony Fees:

Ceremony fees range between $100 and $800 and are normally more in larger cities.