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All You Ever Wanted to Know About Wedding Officiants
Tracking down a wedding officiant can be a little intimidating. Perhaps you remember a time when it was hard to get one if you weren't among the "regularly churched"! But times have changed, and hiring an officiant for your wedding is now standard procedure. Basically, brides-to-be find themselves in one of two camps: Either they have a regular church and a favorite minister, who might be a longstanding family friend, or they need to find one through word-of-mouth or web sites. The latter situation often costs more, but allows for a lot of flexibility. Depending on your tastes and faiths, you can often find a judge, a Catholic priest to marry you outdoors, a Rabbi to officiate at an interfaith wedding, a non-denominational officiant who encourages you to write your own vows, and so on. How to find officiants A good national directory for finding Catholic officiants is www.rentapriest.com. If you're stuck for ideas, try asking vendors. Your florist or caterer is probably well acquainted with local options. Another excellent way to find officiants is to visit a large wedding forum, like The Knot, and post on boards for your local geographic area. You can often get an idea of the flavor, preparedness, flexibility and even appearance of a popular local officiant. When should you book an officiant? Some officiants book early. If you're really particular about whom you want to do the service and can't budge on the date, try to book more than six months in advance. Some couples book a year ahead. How much do officiants charge? A minister at your own church may not charge anything at all, but may accept donations. In that case, a $100-200 donation is about average. Ask the minister yourself if there's any doubt. An officiant you engage yourself will set his or her own rates. Rates generally range from $250-600, but some well-known officiants may charge more. Do we send an invitation? By custom, you invite your officiant to your rehearsal dinner as a guest. You also invite the officiant and his or her spouse to your reception with a formal invitation, just like other guests. Unless the officiant is an old family friend, he or she may decline to stay, but an invitation is proper. You aren't expected to invite the officiant's children. Can you use a friend as an officiant? It's done all the time, and can make weddings very personal. A father, mother, or the friend who introduced you can make for an amazing event. Be sure to pick someone comfortable speaking in front of large crowds, and brush up on your state's laws and licensing requirements. Here's a good site to begin your research: www.northernway.org/marriagelaws.html Your chosen friend or family member can become ordained "instantly and online" at the Universal Life Church, which in some areas will enable them to perform legal weddings. Again, be sure of your state's laws. Many times, ministers ordained by ULC will also have to register in their state and obtain a license before they can practice. Call your local county clerk for clarification. Universal Life Church: www.ulc.org Do I meet with the officiant before or after booking, and what should I expect at the meeting? Ideally, an officiant will allow a "getting to know you" meeting before you book them, though not all will. Most at least offer telephone interviews, which helps you see how they fit with your personal style. During your first meeting, the officiant will typically tell you about his or her background, discuss the logistics, bring up any premarital counseling requirements, ask some questions about your personal history, and show you a sample ceremony script. This is a good time to discuss special unification ceremonies or personal vows, bring up interfaith issues, and learn whether your officiant plans to attend your rehearsal. About the Author Blake Kritzberg is editor at "FavorIdeas.com." Stop by for a huge selection of wedding favors, Bridezilla's weekly adventures, and free resources for brides: save-the-date eCards, screensaver, wallpaper and web site templates.http://www.favorideas.com
MORE RESOURCES: Portia de Rossi Surprises Wife Ellen DeGeneres with Vow Renewal (and Rewears Her Wedding Dress!) PEOPLE Clark County Clerk Opens Pop-Up Marriage License Office at Airport ... Clark County, NV (.gov) An Enduring Commitment, Wedding Ring or Not The New York Times Wedding in a field, dancing in a barn, memories forever Hometown Focus Whitehall historic home is holding micro weddings in February Courier Journal Blue and White Summer Country Club Wedding in Columbus Columbus Monthly Dubai to allow Las Vegas-style express weddings: Report Arabian Business Civil Service couple set example with ‘quiet’ wedding, sponsor orphans’ education The Indian Express I'm Getting Married! But How Can I Afford the Wedding? Yahoo Finance ‘Forced marriage is painful’: bride’s wedding breakdown in China goes viral South China Morning Post Brain Teaser For IQ Test: Can you guess who is married in the group within 10 seconds? - Jagran Josh Salman Khan Poses At His 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan' Co-star Pooja Hegde's Brother's Wedding Indiatimes.com Dear Abby: Marriage teeters months after wedding Detroit News Sidharth Malhotra dances with bride at Delhi wedding, shyly changes subject when asked about his marriage with Kiara Advani. Watch The Indian Express KL Rahul-Athiya Shetty Marriage: Wedding Venue, Guest List & Everything You Need To Know CricketTimes.com Jennifer Lopez Lists Bel Air Mansion for $42.5 Million After Marriage to Ben Affleck — See Inside! Yahoo Entertainment Athiya Shetty, KL Rahul UNSEEN pics from wedding is all about love, fun and 'Kacchi Kairi' Times Now Footage shows jubilant Prince Harry throwing confetti at King Charles' wedding to Camilla Daily Mail Hrithik Roshan And Saba Azad's Marriage: Couple Going To Get Married In A Secret Wedding In 2023 BollywoodShaadis.com Tammy Wynette's 5th Husband Played the Organ at Her 4th Wedding Showbiz Cheat Sheet The President and First Lady Announce the Marriage of their ... The White House How Couples Are Incorporating Pickeball Into Their Weddings The New York Times After a First Date at Popeyes, Marriage Was on the Menu The New York Times Rainbow Wedding Network Expo attendees celebrate passing of 'Respect for Marriage Act' by Senate 12news.com KPNX Your dream wedding might not be legal – time to update England's old-fashioned marriage laws The Conversation Indonesia Congress passed the Respect for Marriage Act. It's not without its ... Pennsylvania Capital-Star The Best Wedding Planning Tips for Older Couples or Second ... Katie Couric Media Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Whether Wedding Website ... Ogletree Deakins 'Still Growing Together,' a Teenage Crush Leads to Marriage The New York Times Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Wed in Las Vegas The New York Times New Services Allow a ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Approach to Weddings The New York Times In step toward civil marriage, Jerusalem court accepts ‘Zoom weddings’ from Utah The Times of Israel Tradition Was Never Their Thing. Why Start With a Wedding? The New York Times The Branded Marriage of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker The New York Times |
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