So you’re engaged? Getting married soon? Let’s make things official. Through the years of officiating weddings we have come to see a few habits couples have made when hiring an officiant for their wedding.
- SAME PAGE. Let’s get on the same page! This helps set the tone of the wedding. The personality, attire and outline of the wedding ceremony should match the vibe to a certain degree of the couple and the guests they have invited to celebrate/ witness their vows that day. Are we going for traditional/ formal, conversational/ fun?
- WHO IS IN CHARGE. Not having a clear event coordinator can cause people to look to the officiant to be your coordinator. We have been asked…about bathrooms, umbrellas, tech issues, tissues or other administrative issues that distract the officiant from being fully present for the couple and leading the ceremony with ease. If your budget doesn’t allow for hiring an event coordinator or wedding planner that’s okay, maybe you have someone who you might know in your friends list who have the skill set to execute the tasks at hand as your primary goal leading up to the wedding and the day of.
- WHO IS INVOLVED. Not informing the officiant of who the event coordinator (if there is one- paid or volunteer), photographer or other key people that will be a part of the wedding ceremony. By clearly articulating who is all involved with the event from start to finish, everyone can assume their positions without stepping on each other’s toes.
- FAMILY DYNAMICS. Not telling the officiant of any obvious tensions within the family or guests that the officiant needs to be aware of when preparing the ceremony or mingling with your guests before or after the ceremony. Being honest with these tensions allows the Officiant to serve the couple better by assisting to keep the peace where possible.
- YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Making a decision to hire an officiant based on price only. In many cases, you get what you pay for. Do you really want a ‘plug and play’ officiant who simply shows up and does their thing to get ya hitched and then takes off with no personal connection? Taking the time to research officiants who can meet you where you are at and genuinely care for you and the vision of your wedding day is worth the effort. Leaving the officiant as the last selection for vendors. All the investment made in time, money, and energy for a wedding day will make or break based on hiring the right officiant and the experience they create. Without an officiant and a good one who is a right fit, people will remember the experience more than the investment.
- HAVE A REHEARSAL. Not hiring an officiant for the rehearsal is a mistake. The officiant works with the couple over a period of time on a custom ceremony and know one knows it as well as the couple and officiant. There are many elements that the officiant will bring to the rehearsal for the wedding day that are more than reading a script. Rather, thinking of the details on what will capture the best photo, memory, and experience for the guests. The officiant will go over the ceremony with the rest of the vendors to make sure the vendors work as a team alongside if there is a wedding planner. Wedding planners are great however the officiant is best running the rehearsal.
Hope these tips help – for inquiries about weddings and officiants head to our connect page and lets make your wedding day a day to remember!
-Your Urban Officiants
