Wedding Officiating Tips for Having a Family Member or Friend Officiate Your Wedding

Nothing could be more personal for your wedding ceremony than having a close friend or family member officiate. We love when a couple has a personal touch like this, but it can be hard to put together and pull off like a professional.

Having seen a lot of professional officiants, and a lot of loved ones perform ceremonies, here’s a a few tips for those who are not “professional”.

• Make sure the person you choose is well-spoken and comfortable in front of a crowd. The last thing you want is guests to be focused on the officiant’s mishaps or uncomfortableness instead of you.
• Have a very specific script prepared for the big day. You can find scripts and sample ceremonies at a lot of online resources.
• Remember to include “please be seated” after the processional so guests aren’t standing the entire ceremony (yes, this happens!).
• Also include a way to let guests know what to do after the recessional (wait to be released, release themselves after the family, etc. and where to go).
• Have a lapel mic or microphone stand so guests can hear everything.
• Have someone to coordinate the rehearsal and manage the processional – if it’s not a professional planner or coordinator, ask your venue coordinator.
• A hard back notebook tends to be the easiest way to hold the script.
• Consider stepping back / away for the kiss so that you are not in the background – ask the couple to hold the kiss for a few seconds to get a great photo!
• Keep it professional, and keep it appropriate.  This is not a toast or the time to mention inside jokes or poke fun at the couple.

We hope these wedding officiating tips provide some guidance to creating the perfect ceremony!