Wedding ceremony

There is no set cost for an Officiant, different churches, locations and professionals will base the cost on their experience and what they will be offering. A minister at your local church may not charge anything but Officiants can charge anything up to £400 to perform a service.

The best way of finding the right Officiant is to ask around. Ask your friends, colleagues, and family. And if your immediate circle of connections fail to help find someone, try asking your wedding suppliers, your local church, the internet, even the phone book.

There are two different types of Officiant, secular and religious. If you are religious then you may consider a priest, rabbi, Imam, Catholic scholar, theologian or cantor. Alternatively, if religion doesn’t play a large part in your life, you may want to consider a judge, justice of the peace, mayor, governor, county clerk, notary, a legally ordained minister or anyone who is deputised to perform a ceremony.

Think outside the box and consider different elements of your wedding, for example if you are marrying aboard a ship, then there’s a high chance that the captain may also be able to perform the ceremony. One thing to note is that if the ceremony is being held in a place of worship, they will usually have their own Officiant, however you are under no obligation to use this person.

Once you have selected an Officiant, meet with them as many times as you need to discuss your requirements and ensure that they match what they say they are able to offer.

If you are getting married abroad, budgets don’t always allow for pre-ceremony visits and this is where the internet comes in useful! A simple web search will highlight legal Officiants within that destination that can marry you. Ensure that you do your research thoroughly - look for recommendation and talk to local experts. Once you have found an Officiant that you are happy with, stay in regular contact and keep them updated on your progress. Your Officiant should be more than happy to make recommendations for your event and even advise on local traditions that may fit in with your ceremony.

Alternatively, if none of these options sound like what you had in mind, then why not nominate a friend to become a minister. It’s a great way to get a friend or family member involved and gives the service a personal touch. Before embarking on this option, a full understanding of the process needs to be outlined. Information can be found online at the Universal Life Church, www.themonastery.org. Failing that, visit to your local pastor can answer any questions you may have on the procedure.