What to Know When Choosing a Wedding Officiant

Your wedding is a celebration of the love you have come to know. It is a day for sharing your joy with family and friends. This is why when it comes to choosing the right wedding officiant to perform your wedding ceremony, your decision is an important one. First, it is necessary to consider each other’s religious beliefs and whether they are similar or different. You will want to choose a wedding officiant that is respectful of your beliefs and who can creatively design a wedding ceremony that brings the special aspects of your faith into the ceremony.  Second, it is essential to decide what type of wedding ceremony you desire to have. This is an important factor when choosing the person to perform your ceremony. Wedding ceremonies can be classified into different types. The following are descriptions of some weddings you can choose from:

SPIRITUAL CEREMONY - a spiritual wedding ceremony is an inspirational ceremony that is beautiful and sacred. It is a Divine ceremony which is universal in content and is not based on any particular religion. RELIGIOUS CEREMONY - A religious ceremony is of a particular denomination (Catholic, Jewish, Moslem etc.) or combination of denominations; characterized by religious elements, rituals and traditions from one or more denominations.

INTERFAITH CEREMONY - an interfaith wedding ceremony, multi-faith or interdenominational is a combination or blend of religions ranging from only some religion to being entirely religious. Interfaith is in essence a respect for and an acknowledgement of all of the many different religious beliefs and spiritual understandings. It is an embracing of the values and traditions of all religious and spiritual paths.

CIVIL CEREMONY - a civil wedding ceremony is a non-religious ceremony. It does not contain religion in the ceremony or prayers. Although it is not religious, it is not lacking of meaning or love. A couple can choose to include an invocation or poem that can be just as meaningful to them as a prayer is to a religious person. This ceremony is also known as a court house, notary, JP or Justice of the Peace ceremony.

NON-DENOMINATIONAL CEREMONY - a non-denominational wedding ceremony is a ceremony that is not of a particular denomination. In today’s evolving society, interfaith marriages have become very common. Non-denominational ceremonies are also quite popular because they too serve the purpose for the bride and groom who are of different religious backgrounds. In these types of weddings, the wedding officiant can creatively bring in prayers and/or customs that are not offensive to either side. When choosing an officiant, choose a person that is willing to be flexible in putting together your ceremony your way. As the couple, it is your right and solely your decision to have a ceremony exactly as you want it to be. Look for someone who will provide guidance and counsel and who is willing to accommodate all of your wishes. In your choice of wedding officiant, you want a person who does not impose their own desires as to how your wedding “should” be handled.

Additionally, it is always a good idea that the couple meets with their wedding officiant for everyone to get to know one another. In this way you can discuss your wedding vows and ideas for your wedding ceremony. Make sure your wedding officiant can travel to wherever your wedding ceremony will take place. A wedding officiant can perform weddings at a location of your choice, including venues such as your home, garden, beach, hall, museum, park, restaurant, hotel, wedding reception hall, chapel, church, or anywhere meaningful to you. Wedding officiants can also be dressed in whatever attire you like, whether that be a suit, a minister's robe or any other theme you have in mind. You may even request some premarital counseling if the officiant is qualified to perform counseling. Premarital counseling is a good opportunity for the couple to discuss their future plans and solidify their love for one another. Although counseling is not required by law, it is certainly positive for developing a good marital foundation.

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Wedding Tip:

Avoid finding a New Jersey Wedding Officiant at the Last Minute!  It is best to hire a New Jersey Wedding Officiant as soon as you have your wedding date and venue.

Here are some questions to ask your wedding officiant:

1. Will you marry us if we are of different faiths?
2. Will you marry us if one or both of us have been divorced?
3. Will you officiate our ceremony if we are not current members of your church?
4. Do you charge a fee?
5. Do you require premarital or religious classes? What are those requirements?
6. Would you allow another officiant to take part in the ceremony?
7. Can we personalize our ceremony by writing our own vows or selecting specific readings or music?
8. Can we choose non-religious readings or music?
9. Should we bring you the marriage license before the wedding date? Will you mail it to the state for us?
10. When will the rehearsal be held?
11. Would you like to come to the wedding reception with your spouse?
12. Is flash photography allowed during the ceremony?
13. Will you wear a microphone if the videographer requires one to capture the ceremony?

Getting married is one of the great joys of life. Your wedding ceremony is a magical time so choose an officiant that will focus his or her energy and efforts to create the perfect wedding ceremony that shall be remembered and treasured forever!

May you begin a lifetime of love and happiness!

Reverend Diane Cuesta
Owner of BestWeddingNJ.com

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