WEDDING OFFICIANTS
by Rev. Ray Cross

When I pastored churches I would sometimes joke that I only worked one day a week, until I realized that some actually believed me. Some, in fact, focusing on the Sunday morning service alone, corrected me with the opinion that I actually only worked one hour a week. The facts of the situation were that, often by Wednesday, I had already put in 40 hours or more in administrative duties, visitation, counseling and so on, and I hadn’t even prepared or delivered my sermons yet. Behind the scenes activities often go unrecognized.

The situation is no different concerning wedding officiation. Couples look to time expended during the ceremony without reference to preparatory matters—meetings with the couple, ceremony development and printing, ceremony venue assessment and trouble shooting, wedding resource accumulation, rehearsal planning and execution, travel time, appropriate attire purchase and preparation, and whatever else is necessary to weddings.

On top of all of this, it is wise to consider the experience of the officiant you hire. Has he/she the training and capability of managing wedding ceremony complexities, complications and misfires in a manner that retains the dignity of the occasion. After all, wedding ceremonies are one time through events. If something misfires, you can’t just say, “Oops, can I start again?” Missteps must be managed with grace and decorum. A skilled and experienced officiant earns his fee by providing you quality service and a truly memorable ceremony.

My advice, therefore, whether you choose my services or not, don’t merely pursue the bargain officiant. Seek quality. Choose wisely. This is your wedding, not merely your reception. If the wedding is a flub, no party will ever make up for it. Your officiant is one of the least expenses of the occasion. It is more than worth pursuing quality and an officiant with whom you feel comfortable.

That being said, I’ll leave you free to find other officiants you might like to consider. As in any other field, there are the good, the bad and the OK.

Ontario list of Registered Religious Wedding Officiants

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