Who will officiate your wedding?

Need someone to help you get married? Here are five tips to consider when deciding who will officiate your ceremony

Your big day is coming. First of all Congratulations! there is so much emphasis on picking dress, the colors, the flowers, the venue and the caterer. But what about who will actually perform the ceremony? Who will conduct your ceremony? Here are five tips to help you decide who will officiate your wedding.

1. What are your wishes?

This is the number one factor before you conduct a narrowing process. Will this be a traditional wedding performed at a church, synagogue or temple? If you have a relationship with a congregation, the religious leader may have guidelines, along with do’s and don’ts when crafting your ceremony. The pomp and circumstance is the fairytale dream for many, but others may want something more personal to reflect personal themes and interests. Make sure whoever officiates your wedding understands your cultural, personal and wedding wishes for your ceremony.

2. Where do you want your wedding?

Where you want to hold your wedding may impact who officiates your wedding. If you dreamed of getting married on the beach in The Cayman islands for example, your religious may not have the scheduling flexibility to jump on a plane to officiate your wedding. This should not be a show stopper for your big day, you just have to work with someone who is a destination wedding specialist (Hint: We are certified travel agents and destination wedding experts) who knows the ins and outs of your destination and has personal knowledge of who is available to perform your ceremony.

3. What do you want in your wedding?

You have dreamed of your day for so long and you want to ensure certain elements are made part of your ceremony. Perhaps a certain scripture or poem is included, you may want to include or omit certain pieces (we have had weddings where the “speak up now or forever hold your peace” was omitted). In any case, you want your ceremony to reflect who you are and your new lives together. Communicating these elements to your wedding officiant is key, and more importantly they need to demonstrate their understanding and inclusion into the ceremony. Meeting with your celebrant to plan these aspects to “check the boxes” will alleviate hurt feelings later should something get missed. Just be clear that whoever is to officiate your wedding has a clear understanding and can demonstrate ahead of time your wishes will be included.

4. What will be your theme or style?

Choosing a theme, whether it is a beach wedding, or a traditional or cultural wedding has a bearing on how the celebrant will officiate your wedding. Choosing someone who is versed in a variety of cultures has a direct impact on the theme of your wedding. You may choose to have a casual beach wedding, but if the celebrant shows up in a tuxedo, it may deter from the atmosphere. Along those lines, if your wedding reflects the cultural aspects of your union, make sure there is a clear understanding of what is and what is not acceptable in terms of dress for your ceremony. What you don’t want is someone who will officiate your wedding wearing something that inadvertently offends family and friends from a lack of knowledge.

5. Are they authorized and licensed to officiate your wedding?

Ask the specific question, are you currently licensed and duly appointed to perform marriages here. Sometimes it is a matter of jurisdiction (where the ceremony is held), but it can have legal consequences if the process is invalidated by someone performing the ritual outside of their jurisdiction. I am a licensed and insured Notary Public in the State of Florida (Notary Commission Number: GG977557) and also a certified and ordained Marriage Minister.

Your special day should be uniquely yours. We help facilitate those dreams. See our affordable packages for every ceremony. Ceremonies can be traditional, non-traditional, or unique, depending on the couple. We are open to a wide range of styles and cultures, after all, it is your ceremony.

Call (904) 600-4554 today to schedule your ceremony.

Weekday Package (Monday through Thursday) $200.00

• 30-minute phone consultation included
• Personalized ceremony with client-furnished anecdotes, sayings or scriptures
• Travel included to ceremony in the greater St. Augustine Area

Weekend Package (Friday through Sunday) $250.00

• 30-minute phone consultation included
• Personalized ceremony with client-furnished anecdotes, sayings or scriptures
• Travel included to ceremony in the greater St. Augustine Area

Wedding Rehearsal (up to two nights prior to the ceremony) $100.00

• 30-minute phone consultation is already included as part of wedding ceremony packages (see above)
• Personalized ceremony with client-furnished anecdotes, sayings or scriptures
• Travel included to ceremony in the greater St. Augustine Area