There are many different decisions a couple must make in order to have a successful wedding day. Of all of these decisions selecting the right wedding officiant is the most personal and is certainly one of the most important. For those couples who attend a church, synagogue or other religious organization, finding a wedding officiant becomes much easier. These couples usually have someone they know and trust participating with them in their wedding ceremony. For everyone else it becomes a very different matter all together.
There are many questions that need to be answered in order to select the right officiant. What organization are they associated with? What do they offer for a wedding ceremony? How far do they travel? Do they require counseling? And, the seemingly most asked question, how much do they charge?
First, what organization are they associated with? In California people who perform weddings do not have to register with the State. But, it is important that you know what organization ordained them or recognizes them as having authority to legally officiate a wedding ceremony. They can actually be independent from any organization as long as they still have this authority.
What do they offer for a wedding ceremony? In other words, do they help you plan the wedding or do they just have a ceremony that they do. Do you get to meet with them? Will they let you get involved in the planning? Can it be religious or non-religious? Do they let you have any say regarding the content of the message? Also, will they do interfaith ceremonies?
How far will they travel? Although it is not necessary to find a minister in the area you wedding is taking place, it is important to know if you minister charges extra to travel over a certain distance. Sometimes this can mean that the “bargain” minister really wasn’t that cheap after all. It is best to select someone with a flat fee so you know exactly what you’re paying for. Another question would be if the rehearsal is extra or included in the fee. (More on cost later).
Do they require counseling? Some officiates will not do a wedding without counseling. Although this is a great idea for anyone getting married, sometimes couples don’t want this or are taking care of this themselves. If this is not what a couple wants, then this is not the right officiant for them.
Now, the most asked question, and usually the first one asked by couples: How much do they charge? In almost every area of the wedding a decision on cost comes down to, not only what each couple can afford, but what do they get for the service they are paying for. In every other category of service for weddings the decision is based on goods offered and the cost of those services. It is basically a business decision.
Selecting an officiant is more of a personal, emotional, even a spiritual decision. It is typical for a couple using their own clergy to simply give them a tip of some modest amount. There are some who think this system of payment will also apply to an officiant they ‘hire’ to do their wedding. This is not how it works. If you use your clergy, you may already donate to the church from which they receive a salary. in this case, a tip is more appropriate. When you asked someone to officiate your wedding who works independently, he is basically earning a salary on his own. It is not appropriate to pay him in the same way. On the surface it may appear that every wedding officiate does the same thing no matter what they charge. There can be a very big differences!
An experienced, qualified edding officiant in San Diego can charge anywhere from $250 to over $600. The good ones charge more because they usually have more experience, do more to make your ceremony special, spend more time with you and do a better job in their presentation during the ceremony. The better officiants will meet with you and get you involved with the planning. They will be available if you need them and will help you in any way they can. Like any other service for your wedding day, the better wedding officiants are not the cheapest ones. Keep in mind that no matter what you pay for an officiant, they will always be the cheapest item you will pay for.
The most important thing to remember is that your wedding officiant is the first person your guests will see on your wedding day. Whatever you plans, however much you spend, if the officiant doesn’t represent you well in your wedding ceremony, they will be the focus of conversation the rest of the day, (not to mention be in most of your pictures of the ceremony). The right officiant will start your day right and help you to have the wedding you dreamed about.
Article courtesy of Clergy Referral Service
