Professional officiant, Dr. Elizabeth-Anne Stewart, at work. Photo by The Still Life Photography.
There are plenty of elements of weddings that are suitable for Do-It-Yourself projects, and some that are totally unsuitable. When it comes to officiants, you can’t really do it yourself: Another person is required to sign your marriage license, at least in Illinois. The real question at hand is whether you should hire a professional or ask your cousin to get ordained at the Church of the Latter-Day Dude. I have to say that I have been at weddings with both kinds of officiants, and there are advantages both ways. I have a personal preference for working with professional officiants, but (judging by the number of people who don’t use them) apparently that’s a matter of taste.
Professional wedding officiants, clergy, and wedding celebrants all have some training in the art of ritual, which is one of the keys to a good wedding ceremony. They can also elicit from you what you want in a wedding ceremony, and then follow through. They are generally very polished public speakers, who won’t mumble and “um” their way through your ceremony. Many of them are also trained counselors who can do pre-marital counseling, if you wish. They already know what they need in order to create a good wedding ceremony, and they are accustomed to working with other professionals to make the event smooth and easy for their clients.
The advantage to having a friend or family member officiate at your wedding is that that person already knows you, will understand what kind of ceremony you want, and will be able to add all sorts of personal touches because of your relationship. If you want a more relaxed feel to your ceremony, having a non-professional officiant might be the way to go. But be aware that you may also end up with a less polished ceremony.
And, of course, some people are lucky enough to have clergy in the family so that you can get the best of both worlds. If you do, be sure to ask them to officiate at your wedding. They will likely be more than happy to do so.
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