The Bride’s Survival Guide: Questions to Ask a Wedding Officiant

When selecting your wedding officiant, there is a need to ensure that you choose wisely. That can only happen if you have a set of questions that you are going to ask them before you decide if they are the right one for you or not.

No matter the type of wedding that you are planning, an officiant who is right for the occasion is one of the important pieces of the puzzle to solve. With the top questions to ask, it will ensure that you get the best out of the many before entrusting them with your nuptials.

Beyond the fees charged and their availability, you might want to have an officiant who can personalize your wedding and make it a unique event.

The following are some of the questions which might just be helpful for you:

• Are you legally able to perform the marriage and are you available on my specific dates in the specific country or state where the wedding will be held?

Though the above question sounds very obvious, you must ask so that you are sure that the officiant is legally capable and available to perform your marriage before you engage them in any other questions.

When you ask this particular question first, you will avoid the hassle of having to ask them if they will be able to perform the ceremony. It will save you time and set the platform to want to know the officiant further.

• How much input are we going to have as a couple and how are you going to create the entire ceremony?

The best is to ensure that the officiant knows more about you as a couple. When they have information, chances are that they will be able to know you and know what you have at heart: your likes and dislikes. If an officiant says they don’t need any of your input, that is not the right one for you.

Share information about when you met, what you love about each other, and what you want to be conveyed to your friends and family during the wedding as it is your special time; all eyes are on you. You have to be sure to include any spiritual rituals or elements which you want the officiant to include.

• How many times are we going to meet?

You have to get communication about the number of times you are going to meet before the actual wedding day on day one. There are those who want to meet up a certain number of times while others will allow you to set the number of times you want to meet with them.

Even if it will not be in person, video calls might just be handy and it will help in building a good relationship before your wedding day. You should develop a good rapport with the officiant as they are the ones who will be witnessing and standing up for your love story as you pledge your commitment and love to one another.

• Do you have a script for each couple or you ensure that each wedding is unique?

Most of the officiants in the market like to work from a certain set format. You will need to know if they will be in a position to customize your wedding ceremony.

They have to make it a true reflection of your love story and your life journey as a couple. You should also enquire about the type of weddings which the officiant has performed: commitment, spiritual, or non-denominational.

• How long is a typical ceremony?

Each officiant has their time range for the length a wedding ceremony is going to last but they should be flexible enough to accommodate your preferences. This question is very important as what you expect from your wedding time duration might be different from what they expect. You have to discuss and reach a conclusion about what will work best for you.

• Are you going to help us write our vows?

During your wedding ceremony, you might have a desire to speak from your heart. Your officiant should be one who will help you in putting what you feel into words and give you guidance in coming up with unique vows for each other. The officiant should also have a variety of vows which you can choose from and customize to fit your unique situation.

• How long have you been officiating weddings?

Just like with any service provider, you have to know the work experience of your officiant before hiring them. You want to get an officiant who is good at marriage logistics and will be in a position to handle any eventualities.

If you are looking for extra assurance, you can ask them to give you a list of couples whose weddings they have officiated to make you feel at ease. Any skilled officiant expects you to ask this question so they will willingly give you references.

 

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zelle duda