Quick and Easy: Seven Tips that will make your Wedding Officiant Happy
Of all the members of your wedding team, your officiant is the most vital, yet most often overlooked. Taking the time to support your wedding officiant will also be beneficial to you over time. They not only perform the ceremony, but also help the day runs like clockwork. Consider the following tips to ensure their day runs smoothly as well.
Introduce your officiant to your other vendors. This a great way to make sure everyone is on the same page. Just sharing emails or IG handles can allow your photographer, coordinator, and officiant to contact each other and make adjustments that might be huge for your ceremony.
Get the marriage license to the officiant BEFORE the ceremony. No, you don't have to mail it to them beforehand. You should give it to someone who can meet with the celebrant before the ceremony, like your DND contact. That will eliminate running around afterwards looking for the documents.
Create a wedding timeline for schedule clarity. A wedding day timeline will help your officiant (and your other vendors) maintain the flow of the day. It tells everyone who should be where at what time and can really keep everyone on time and on task.
Send the witnesses to meet with the officiant after the ceremony but before you start taking pictures. In all the excitement) it's easy to forget about the important task of signing the marriage license. It is best to get that done immediately after the ceremony. Trust that your officiant feels awkward chasing down people. If you want pictures of the signing (or mock-signing) of the license, tell the photographer and officiant ahead of time.
Set up a table during cocktail hour specifically for the signing. If you are having a formal cocktail hour, have your designer/the venue have a table with two chairs available for the signing and tell your witnesses to meet the officiant there after the ceremony. That way, everyone knows the rendezvous point and the license can be signed quickly and efficiently.
Let the officiant know if you would like them to stay for cocktail hour or the reception. Please note: You are NOT required to invite your officiant to any of the post-ceremony festivities. Unless your celebrant is a long-time family friend, do not feel obligated to extend the invitation. Most polite officiants will leave after the signing of the license. But if you love them and want them to enjoy the party, please tell them beforehand. That way they can schedule the rest of their day. This time is unpaid and would often to be considered as part of their gratuity.
Show gratitude for a job well done. Let the officiant know that you appreciate their hard work. Monetary gifts are always nice, but so is sending the officiant pictures of them performing the ceremony. Let your photographer know to send pics or send them yourself. Check out this blog post on other creative ways to say thank you.
How can your officiant make life easier for you? Let us know in the comments below!