You’ve got the perfect venue to host your party, the cool DJ to play your song list, the caterer to serve up exquisite hors d’oeuvres—the stage is set to host your wedding celebration! But what about the ceremony? There is a key figure you will need: the officiant!
The person presiding over your ceremony and expressing the words that will take you into your new life as a married couple plays an important role on your wedding day and can make all the difference between bliss and blah! Here are a few thoughts to consider.
At the Heart of the Ceremony
So you’ve researched “wedding officiants,” maybe you’re following a recommendation from your venue or a vendor, or checked out the vendor lists in Real Weddings Magazine and on realweddingsmag.com, and it all led you to query the officiant. In your first meeting with him or her, listen for the words that will let you know you are on the right track, that important message of who the officiant understands is at the heart of the ceremony: “The ceremony is about the two of you.”
Meaningful Words of Love
You are two individuals on a shared path, enriched by different personalities, faiths and cultural backgrounds. The right officiant will embrace your unique qualities and encourage you to express your love through meaningful ceremony words. The officiant should be well-equipped in helping you create the perfect ceremony words where his or her expertise means offering you the freedom to customize your words, as well as access to outlines and passages, to give you direction and guidance. The right officiant respects your specific needs like bilingual services, and inclusion of cultural and faith-based rituals. And he or she should be able to accommodate rituals of gratitude, words of remembrance and readings because the officiant also understands how important your family and friends are.
From Start to Finish
Communication. Collaboration. Convenience. From query to post-wedding check-in, your officiant should be able to provide you with timely communication through face-to-face meetings, emails, phone, text and Skype. Let your officiant know how much guidance and assistance you need through the wedding preparations—he or she should be open to your need for collaboration, not only with the process of revising and refining the ceremony words, but with the brainstorming for ideas, feedback, and recommendations to fine tune the ceremony. Communication and collaboration should be achieved conveniently with a platform for transacting business, as well with the exchange of ideas and ceremony drafts. The right officiant will balance these three components of a professional service from start to finish.
The Head of the Ceremony
If you and your beloved are the heart of the ceremony, perhaps the officiant is the head of the ceremony. The officiant’s voice, demeanor and presence should create a tone of sacredness, calmness, authority, humility, authenticity and positivity. He or she is a reflection of the words being expressed, a reflection of your vision of the wedding day and your aspirations of married life. The right officiant is alert and sensitive to the energy of the wedding, serving the heart and soul of the wedding day: the two of you!
—Rick & Jennnifer Tan
About Rick and Jennifer Tan: This dynamic couple has more than 15 years of experience as officiants and musicians, and have developed Tan Weddings & Events to include event design, elopement, and coordination services. TWE celebrates the joy of couples in discovering love and friendship, creating an experience that is meaningful and memorable…truly an expression of their client’s life, love and soul! With a team of associate officiants, and working with trusted wedding professionals, TWE is deeply grateful to provide five-star services with a collaborative and creative spirit.
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