You've booked your venue and have your dress! Before booking the person who will stand before your friends and family to marry you, here are 7 questions to ask:
Begin at the beginning...are they available for your date and time? No sense spending plenty of time talking/texting/emailing an officiant only to find out they are already booked. Include your venue location and ideal ceremony time (popular officiants often do 2-3 weddings a day with a 90 minute window between ceremonies) so be specific with ceremony start time.
Do they have an Instagram page? If a younger, more contemporary style of officiant is what you are looking for then they will have an Instagram account. Check it out for photos and video.
Google them for reviews. We all do this for trips we are planning and restaurants we are thinking of trying, why not your officiant? Past couples will have left their honest feedback about one of the biggest days of their life and the vendors who made an impact. Great officiants will have 5 star reviews.
What do they wear to your ceremony? Your officiant will be right there front-and-centre in most of your wedding photos. Not clashing with the wedding party is important...your photographer will thank you! The couple, not the officiant, should be the focus. A black suit/business dress is neutral and professional.
How long are their ceremonies? We've all been to a wedding where the ceremony goes on and on and on......... A professional officiant will be able to tell you how long your ceremony will be based on your preferences. Including a sand ceremony or hand fasting? Additional aspects will add time to their estimate. Most couples want a ceremony that is 10-15 minutes. Standing in the hot sun for longer than that is not fun (and sweat soaked faces on your wedding day aren't exactly the dream photos couples envisioned).
What time will they arrive before the ceremony? Most officiants will usually arrive 15-20 minutes before the ceremony. Marriage license, rings, vows, ceremony script, registry and pens, signing table.... Ready to go! There is really no reason to have your officiant at your ceremony site any earlier than necessary.
Cost. How much does your officiant cost? The majority of officiants will be in the same price range. The great ones will be more. Why? They deliver what couples want consistently and are in high demand. Ask what they require for deposit. Do they use a contract? Double check when you sign that your date, time and location of the ceremony are correct.
The above are just a few questions to ask your potential officiant. Ask friends for referrals. Call a few of the popular wedding venues and ask who they would recommend.
Photographer: Sam Meggs
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