Questions to Ask:

1. Is the Officiant available the date and time that you plan to be married?

2. Is the Officiant willing to travel to the site where you plan to be married?

3. Does the Officiant feel comfortable performing a wedding that accurately reflects the religious or spiritual ideals that you and your fiancée share?

4. Does the Officiant have a web site so you can learn more about him/her and his/her services?

5. Is the Officiant willing to meet with you and your fiancée for a complimentary consultation?

6. Does the Officiant have a set ceremony that he/she uses for everyone or is he/she willing to work with you to orchestrate the ceremony of your choosing?

7. What kind of background does the Officiant have in the wedding business?

8. Is the wedding Officiant warm and helpful during your phone/email/in person questioning?

9. Is the wedding Officiant able to provide references of past clients he/she has married?

10. Finally- the price. Couples often make the mistake of making this their Priority One question. Remember, you often get what you pay for. An Officiant is the person who will be performing one of the most important events in your entire life. Do you want to trust that celebration to a bargain-basement, perhaps fly-by-night Officiant? This is the person who is going to be there to guide you through the ceremony. It’s normal to be nervous on your wedding day. The ability to provide leadership with tenderness is a valuable quality; one that should not be undervalued and one that should be sought in your Officiant. If the Officiant will give a rate over the phone (many won’t until after meeting you and hearing the details of the ceremony), make sure he/she clarifies exactly what the price entails.

• Does the price include a rehearsal? Some couples want one, others don’t. It is not unreasonable for the Officiant to have additional charges for a rehearsal as he/she may have to turn down other ceremonies in order to accommodate your rehearsal and it usually takes more time to rehearse than the actual ceremony.

• Does the price include travel fees? Couples planning a nice intimate wedding in the mountains may be shocked when they hear the quote. Unless the Officiant lives in the location where you want to be married, a significant amount of travel time may be incurred. A drive from Denver to Beaver Creek can take six hours roundtrip- if traffic is flowing smoothly and the weather is pristine. So the short and sweet mountain wedding you are planning may require an Officiant to be in the car for an extended period of time not including time for consultation, preparation and the actual ceremony. An Officiant may require lodging if the location is remote and ceremony in the early morning or later in the day.

• What is the cancellation policy? Remember, once you have booked with an Officiant, he/she will be turning down other offers for ceremonies for that date and time. It is normal practice to forfeit your down payment if you cancel the ceremony. Some Officiants may exchange for a different time and date if he/she is available- but not usually at the last minute.

• You will be doing yourself, your wedding and the Officiant an injustice by focusing on price as a starting point.

Waiting until the last minute is not a good plan to choose an Officiant. Like a fine restaurant, the best ones often book up early. If a couple has become engaged, even if the date or site are still in the undecided mode, it is not too early to start looking for the right Officiant! ◊

Rev. Karen Loucks Rinedollar has performed over 100 ceremonies for couples from black tie affairs to blue jean betrothals. She is available to answer any questions you may have about weddings and sample ceremonies are on her web site www.adoresamore.com.