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The officiant is the person who performs the marriage ceremony.
Usually, this officiant is a clergyman from the religion or denomination of either the Bride or the Groom. In such a case, he or she may give prayers and blessings. For a secular marriage, useful for atheists and agnostics, others who do not attend a site of worship, and couples seeking an interfaith or same-sex marriage, a judge or someone authorized by law may be the officiant.
Cost
The cost of hiring an officiant may range anywhere, usually from $100 to $700. In the case of hiring the Bride's or the Groom's clergyman, such a fee may be a modest donation.
Finding an Officiant
You'll want to start early looking for an officiant for your wedding. Many officiants have several other duties (especially those that pastor a church) and will need to be booked many months in advance. Also, many officiants will have certian qualification guidelines, paperwork and meetings that they like to go over with the couple before agreeing to the ceremony, or performing the ceremony.
If you are already the member of a church or religious orginization, you may wish to start with the Pastor or Elders there. If not, you'll need to start with a list of guidelines and ideas of what type of officiant you would like. Knowing those things, it'll be easier to get started with your search.
Once you know what you'd like to find in an Officiant, the best place to start your search is with other people you know that have been married, or are members of a group with members that are able to perform a legal ceremony, according to your tastes. The best place to start after you've exhausted all your personal references is online. Many states and large cities host a site with wedding services information and this almost always includes an officiant listing.
| Tip: | Couples should be warned that when searching for officiant services online, it is in your best interest to do as much research on the individual as possible before contacting them. Many "universal" officiants charge higher rates, or perform standard ceremonies with little or no variation to personalize it for the couple. |
Restrictions
In some cases, an officiant may refuse certain marriages for certain reasons:
- Minimum Age: There is usually a minimum age to marry in a certain jurisdiction. In the U.S., it's usually 18. However, with parental consent, a person could marry at a slightly younger age, usually 16. Such a minimum age may also depend on person's the gender as well.
 A Presbyterian minister is conducting a Jewish wedding. - Religion: Some religions refuse interfaith marriages. For example, the Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Roman Catholic Church only allows a marriage between an Orthodox Christian (or Catholic in case of a Catholic church) and a trinitarian Christian (who may be Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant). Some Christian churches, such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, require both participants to be active and confirmed members of the church to marry. Many protestant Christian churches allow interfaith marriage. It is traditional that both parties be Jewish to have a Jewish ceremony. While both members of the couple are suggested to be Islamic to have an Islamic ceremony, some clerics do not require it. Many other religions do not have a problem with interfaith marriages.
- Sexual Orientation: As classical marriages usually involve one man and one woman, many Christian and Islamic clergymen do not approve of a same sex marriage. However, there are many clergy who will perform these ceremonies and it is a decision which is made by each individual officiant.
- Blood Relations: Marriages between blood relatives, such as cousins and siblings, are generally not advised as they are not legal unions. If the particular area allows marriage of first cousins, the officiant will generally not have a problem performing the ceremony.
External Links & Resources
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