Selecting a Wedding Officiant

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Whether a reverend or a judge, you will need to find an officiant with a license to conduct the marriage ceremonies if you want your wedding to count. This can be a lengthy and involved process for many couples, and there are numerous factors to consider before making your decision. Here's what you need to do.

• What You Need to Know
• Will you be holding a secular or a religious ceremony?
• Do you and your fiancee want to go through premarital counseling with either the officiant or another party?
• What expenses are you willing to pay for an officiant, such as whether your wedding will require transportation and lodging for the person.
• Gather whatever Bible verses, poems, text or other special sayings that you may want the officiant to include in the ceremony.
• Decide whether you will want to invite the officiant to your reception or party afterward.

Step 1:

Choose between a secular ceremony and a religious one. This will narrow the field of potential candidates.

Step 2:

Ask about the fees and deposits that apply. This is especially important if you are on a tight budget.

Step 3:

Check into potential officiants' experience and decide how important that is to you. You should also factor in their experience when considering how long you want the ceremony to be. The longer the ceremony, the more that will be expected of the officiant. For an unseasoned officiant, this could be difficult to manage.

Step 4:

Discuss any expectations or requirements you will have of the officiant, such as specific Bible verses or other text to reference, time restrictions or special allowances outside the typical ceremony responsibilities.

Step 5:

Ask what the officiant expects of you. He may require you to undergo premarital counseling if you want him to lead the ceremony. He may also want help with transportation and accommodations if he is traveling.

Step 6:

Check the officiant's availability on potential dates for your wedding. If the officiant is already heavily scheduled, try an off day, such as a Friday or Sunday, when demand is not as high.

• Tips & Warnings
• Select your officiant before you choose your wedding date if you are picky about who will lead the ceremony. That will give you more flexibility in finding a day that matches up with your officiant's availability.
• Check with you state's licensing board to make sure your officiant is authorized to lead a wedding. Otherwise, your marriage will not count.
• Does the officiant have a backup if he or she becomes sick or has to cancel for some unforeseen reason. Discuss the alternatives.