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
|
|
|
Save On Wedding Costs And Have That Chocolate Fountain
Chocolate fountains, once a rarity at weddings, are becoming more common -- but no less beloved. Still, they pose a budget crunch for many brides, coming in at only slightly under the cost of the wedding cake -- and that's for a one-day rental!If you're like us, there's something that just burns our little Yankee hearts about spending over $400 to rent a machine that granted, costs a little over ten times that, but gets rented out many times. And yet if you're like us, you really want a way to fit that chocolate fountain in.We're both in luck, because higher-end c...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Cheap Wedding Invitations
Every couple has different priorities when it comes to budgeting for their wedding. For some, the dress is a necessary splurge while others focus their money into creating a memorable dining and entertainment experience.Most wedding budgets allow for anywhere between 2-5% expenditure on invitations and other printed material such as thank you cards, place/seating cards, and programs.<...(related: Marriage Wedding)
What You Should Know About Buying Engagement Rings Online
Buying engagement rings online doesn't have to be confusing or intimidating. In fact, the nice thing about shopping online is that you can browse several online stores without the hassle of traveling from store to store l...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Bridal Budget Beware
Getting hitched, taking the plunge, tying the knot, jumping the broom--whatever you call it, chances are you know it ain't cheap to say "I do."But do you know the real sticker price of a wedding these days? You may want to have a seat for this one. According to a 2005 survey by The Fairchild Bridal Group, the average cost of a wedding is $26,327. And no, that's not a typo.So that's the bad news. The good news is that you can do it for less and still have the wedding of your dreams. And you won't have to cut your guest list down to 10 or have a cash bar at your reception.But before you begin crunching numbers and cutting budgets, figure out which elements of your wedding are most important. Start with a list of the major bridal expenditures (cake, ceremony/reception location, flowers,...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Rings ? Through The Ages And For All Eternity
The exact origin of the wedding ring is uncertain and is rife with superstition and mythology. Papyruses dating back to the ancient Egyptian civilization depict wedding rings, and historians credit the land of the Pharaohs with originating this tradition. Engagement or betrothal rings were in use as far back as prehistoric times, but the wedding ring is a relatively new tradition, and unlike the engagement ring, is steeped in religious ritual.In ancient times, accepting a wedding ring constituted a legally binding agreement between husband and wife. The wife became property of the husband, a holding of sorts. It also represented protecti...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Reception Perfection: Tips And Suggestions
Over the past years I have performed at many, many wedding receptions. From my experiences I've come up with some keys to help insure a smooth, enjoyable and trouble-free day. I'd like to share them with you.DJ Location and SetupSince your entertainer will need to be heard by all attending, he/she needs to be in an area that is open and visible to all. Do not hide your entertainer in a corner or in the back of the room. The music levels required to reach the dancers and guests would be most uncomfortable for those near the DJ. If you must have your entertainer in the back or corner see if the hall can provide a stage, this will help with visibility and sound quality.The Seating PlanMake an effort to seat older guests and young children away from the DJ area. The sound levels needed to cover the e...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Should You Send Save The Date Notices To Your Guests?
You've probably heard about Save the Dates since they have become quite popular with brides but you might not know exactly what purpose they serve.People's live...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Making A Budget For Your Wedding
Just the thought of all the expenses that come with a wedding, can really put a damper on the most important day of your life, especially when you need to work within a financial frame of X dollars. To avoid the stress of facing too many decisions all at once, try making a budget for your wedding.Start out with an idea of what you have to spend. Keep in mind that you will have other expenses starting out on a new life together, and come to a mutual agreement of what kind of wedding to have. Then list the elements that your wedding will include, and decide that if it comes to a crunch, what items will take precedence over others.Things to consider when making a budget for your wedding, may include but...(related: Marriage Wedding)
The Perfect String Quartet Repertoire For Your Wedding
Here follows suggestions and tips that will help you determine the ideal programme for your Wedding day. A String Quartet can provide music for every stage of your Wedding.First of all, we have the Brides breakfast. If you are hiring the services of a String quartet for the whole day, you may be able to arrange for one or two of the players to come along for this early stage of the wedding at re...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Free Wedding Planning Guide And Checklist
With so much to do, every bride needs a surefire way to get organized and stay on track as she countsdown toward that all-important day. Here's a guide and checklist you won't want to be without.12 Months Before*Buy a wedding planner and organizer, which is one of the true bargains for brides. (The only realistic alternative to not being well organized is hiring a wedding consultant to manage the details for you.)*Talk with your fiancé (and parents if they will be paying the bill and adding to the guest list) about the size and a budget, possible date, and l...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Cake - Bakery Tips
Wedding cake bakeries will have a cake portfolio to look at and that will help you decide if they are able to make the cake you want.Have an idea of how many guests you will have at your reception, this will help determine the amount of wedding cake you will need or number of cupcake wedding cakes. The pastry chef/cake decorator may ask how many invitations are being sent to how many people and how many are from out of town or from more than a certain number of miles away.The past...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Marriage Problems: Help In Preventing Them
When we want to be successful at something in life, we usually don't attempt to "wing it." That's why those who want to play the piano take lessons. No one can sit down at a piano for the first time and play Mozart or Beethoven. Sure, most anyone can peck on the keys long enough to figure out "Chop Sticks" or "Mary Had a Little Lamb," but that's hardly musical success. An instructor will teach us what keys produce certain musical notes, what techniques to use to access those keys and how to determine musical notes from written symbols in order to play pieces of music...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Outdoor Wedding Ceremonies ? Keeping Your Guest Comfortable
According to a survey conducted in 2003 by Bride's magazine, 15% of all couples choose an outdoor wedding, and that trend is growing. But with a all of the beauty and simplicity that an outdoor wedding brings, it also br...(related: Marriage Wedding)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Marriage Wedding