The checklist for choosing a credible officiant

by Heather Hawkins, Posted Sep 7th 2007 7:09AM

Filed Under: Negotiating Speed Bumps, Alternative Weddings, Do-It-Yourself, Culture Clash

If you've attended the same church since you were a child, choosing an officiant to marry you may be a piece of cake. For others, it's not so easy, and it can be a difficult, rocky road to travel until that right person is found.

Not only do you have to find someone who's compatible with you and your fiancée's beliefs, personalities, and overall wedding wishes, you now have to worry about the person being legit.

Recently, a former minister in Canada was charged with seven counts of unlawfully solemnizing a marriage and seven counts of fraud, according to globeandmail.com. Rachel Margaret Montgomery-Heersink, who was ordained in 1999, had been stripped of her ministerial duties by the United Church of Canada in 2001, yet she continued to conduct ceremonies for several years that followed.

This is just one case of many fraudulent officiants in the world, but there are many ways to protect you and your family from these kinds of scam-artists ...

If you're using a "freelance" officiant, ask for a copy of the person's license or certification to marry couples in your state. Don't be afraid to ask for references either.
If a person shows that they're ordained by an Internet site, such as the Universal Life Church, contact your local county clerk's office to make sure that your state recognizes that kind of designation.
Your local county clerk's office can also direct you to many Justices of the Peace who are legally certified and willing to perform wedding ceremonies. These officiants are usually well-quipped to perform weddings, especially if you desire a more secular ceremony.
If you're brave, your state may allow a friend or family member to have a one-day designation as a Deputy Commissioner of Marriages. Having a close friend or relative marry you could be a wonderful experience as long as everyone's on the same page.

Overall, the best advice to follow when choosing an officiant is to follow your instinct. If the person feels wrong and challenges how you want the ceremony to go, don't use them. An officiant helps set the tone for your wedding, so be selective and choose the person just like you would choose your dress or cake.

Source

Tags: Justice-of-the-Peace, Universal-Life-Church, wedding-ceremony, wedding-officiant

Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

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11-15-2007 @9:14AM

kathy said...

The four most inmportant things on the "To Do" list after you get that beautiful engagement ring should be:
Date, Ceremony Locaion, Reception location, and your wedding officiant.

Without the wedding ceremony, there is no marriage and no reason for all the other many things a bride dreams of for her wedding day.

Your ceremony should reflect your beliefs; spirtual, religious,
romantic. Why you love each other, what you want your lives together to be. Your promises and commitments to each other for hopefully the rest of your lives together.

Picking the right wedding celebrant is important.
The person must have this understanding.
Interview more than one.
listen to how they speak. The presentation of the ceremony is important. Does the officiant take the time to learn about you as a couple? How did you meet? Being interested in you, not the fee.

Do they have cookie cutter ceremonies or are they willing to "start from scratch" and write a ceremony about the two of you?
Do they have material for you to look at? Samples of previous weddings? Heve them read something for you so you can hear how they present the words.
Poems, readings that are meanful to the two of you?
Special ceremonies or rituals to incorporate into the program;
Ask them who they have worked with and what venders they might
recomment to you.

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