|
You need just the right person to make your wedding or handfasting truly memorable--an officiant willing to create the perfect ceremony that captures your personalities and beliefs.
Steps:
1. Find someone whose beliefs resonate with yours and who can speak eloquently on your behalf. You'll want to meet several times to discuss the ceremony and come to a mutual accord. Officiants can suggest vows or help you fine-tune your own.
2. Choose from a wide pool of possible religious officiants.
3. A judge or justice of the peace can do the honors, as can a mayor, governor, county clerk, notary, legally ordained minister or anyone who is deputized to perform a one-time ceremony.
4. Have a friend become a minister. At the Universal Life Church (ulc.org) you can fill out an online form, pay $12, and voila`! You're an ordained minister. (Check laws in your state.)
5. Budget the officiant's fees into your overall cost of the wedding. Traditionally paid for by the groom, they can run from $200 to $500 or more, with travel and facility costs extra.
What to look for:
• Ceremony you're comfortable with
• Perfect vows
• Flexible; will consider your wishes
• Willingness to create tailor-made ceremony
• Appropriate religious affiliation
• Fee and/or gratuity
| 
