What Is A Wedding Officiant?

WHAT IS A WEDDING OFFICIANT?

I get asked this question quite a bit when couples are looking at my title. They see the services that I offer, but get confused on what exactly I am and what I do. I get mistaken a lot for a wedding planner or a wedding coordinator and I am sure I am not the only wedding officiant who gets mistaken for another type of vendor. Hence, why I decided to make a blog about it to answer this question to clear up the confusion.

So.... What is a wedding officiant you ask? It is:

•       A person who leads your wedding ceremony.

•       Anyone who can legally officiate a marriage ceremony.

•       A person who is legally recognized to officiate a marriage ceremony by the state in which your ceremony takes place.

Wedding Officiants Can Have Many Titles

Because so many different people fit the definition of a wedding officiant, not all of them refer to themselves using the title wedding officiant.  While this term is common, wedding officiants can have many other titles – marriage officiant, minister, pastor, preacher, priest, celebrant, judge, court clerk, and justice of the peace, just to name a few.

CHURCH AFFILIATION

A wedding officiant is different from a minister, preacher, pastor and priest though because a wedding officiant often has no affiliation with a church. Couples who do not regularly attend a religious service or church, often find a wedding officiant more ideal because they have no religious ties to a church. 

Couples who are non-denominational, are not religious, or have differing religious backgrounds also tend to prefer a wedding officiant, because they are not bound by the limits of any specific religious tradition or dogma and multi-religious ceremonies can be custom-made, honoring the religious tradition and beliefs of both families.

LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY

The legal responsibilities of the officiant vary according to state laws. Generally speaking, your officiant’s signature on your marriage license signifies that he or she knows of no reason that you are not qualified to be married in that particular state. For example: you are of age or have parental consent, you are not currently married to someone else, or seeking a same sex marriage in a state that does not allow them. Their signature also means that they have witnessed you sharing your wedding vows and have officially pronounced that you are partners in marriage in the presence of witnesses (two of whom will also be required to sign your license in The State of Michigan).

IN SEARCH OF A WEDDING OFFICIANT?

Now that you understand what a wedding officiant is, perhaps you are ready to start looking for one but do not know how to find a wedding officiant. If that is the case, you have come to the right place! Please feel free to go to the contact section of my website and fill out your contact information, put in a message and click on "Contact Us" to contact me. I would be honored to help you become one with your love.