One of the most important tasks of the officiant is to explain and define the flow of the ceremony, the rituals, the ebbs and flows, vows and rings, etc. – adding requests if necessary, and tailoring the ceremony to “fit” the personality of the couple. I try to get as many details from my prospective couples about their big day as possible.
A wedding officiant is perhaps best known as the person who leads the ceremony. However, that’s only part of their job. An officiant works with the couple in the months before the wedding day to craft the ceremony, which may include personal vows, readings, music selections, and more. They may also provide premarital counseling.
And remember that unlike other wedding vendors, your officiant has a legal role to play on your big day. The officiant must be legally ordained to perform weddings in your state and understand your jurisdiction’s laws as they pertain to the marriage license. On your wedding day, your officiant will fill out and sign the marriage license (along with witnesses) and send it back to the county clerk’s office for certification. This may sound like a minor detail, but without a marriage license, you’re not actually married—so your wedding officiant has an essential role to play here.
When planning a wedding ceremony, it’s important to get the guidance from a professional wedding officiant to help you design, write, and perform the right ceremony for you. There are so many factors to consider in creating a wedding ceremony script – selecting from the different types of wedding ceremonies, determining the proper wedding ceremony order, selecting wedding readings that match the rest of your ceremony, writing wedding vows that are meaningful to you and your soon-to-be-spouse, and much more. With so many options available and so many decisions to make, having an experienced professional to guide you through the process can save time, money, and ensure the success of your special occasion.
Last of course is the moment of truth. This is when the officiant becomes the spotlight, the “public service announcement”, the moment of truth where the “dearly beloved” guests – involved witnesses – are gathered, asked to become part of, and focused on the ratification of this wonderful and joyful moment.