How to find an officiant?

Question

My fiance and I are pretty new to the area, and every church we talked to wouldn't marry non-members, so we decided to do an outdoor ceremony at our reception site (which we've booked). The thing is, we're both Christians and we firmly believe that God brought us together, so we definitely want a religious ceremony.

How do we go about finding someone to officiate? What's the likelihood that a pastor would perform a ceremony outside his church?

Answer 1

Are you getting married in Australia?  If you are then you have the option of being able to use a civil celebrant (look in the yellow pages for your area).

Some vicars, priests, chaplains or pastors would be only too happy to help others are very strict with their beliefs and do not like to assist couples looking to get married, unless they attend their church on a regular basis.

My suggestion would be to ask around.  Ask at the local supermarket while yours putting your groceries through the checkout.  Ask at your local newsagents, your local library when you get your books out, anywhere where you shop or interact with local people - ask them.  Chekc out the local bridal shops - they always know what's what in weddings in your area - your local yellow pages might be another place to start looking through.  You'll make a lot of new friends on the way.  Good luck.

Answer 2

check theknot.com for officiants or as the previous poster said search "wedding officiant" and your state.

Both should lead you to officiants that will perform ceremonies and most will do religious or non-religious.

Answer 3

Your state/provinces website should have a list of officiates on the services website.  I know Ontario has a list like that on the Service Ontario website, and it lists them by city.  You can then just call them and talk to them about if they can perform a religious ceremony.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

You should try a Unitarian church and or find a notary public.

if its allowed in your state,

Ask your bank manager if they can point out the Notary public at the bank, and see if they can do it. Possibly a lawyer. Check the yellow pages, Check the clergy directory in the town or county you live in.

Look up Justice of the peace, notary public, Ask local Rabbis or pastors who they could recommend.

Call a local wedding consultant and ask for a referral.

These are all things you can do.

Call local banquet rooms, mortuaries, hotels see if the arrangers have any referrals.

Answer 5

My parents are both United Methodist pastors and they have done more than one wedding for persons who are not even Methodists. Some places will charge more if you are not a member, but are willing to perform the ceremony. They may also require you to go through some marriage counseling before hand.

Your pastor might be willing to do the wedding, especially if you pay for his travel, etc. He might be able to get someone to preach for him on Sunday morning. I have known people to do that for weddings I have been to.

Good Luck!  

Answer 6

My husband and I did an out of town ceremony and we weren't sure where to look either.  We used www.theknot.com for almost every aspect of our wedding and were not disappointed!

You can even manage your guest list (and RSVP's) and create a wedding website to share with friends and family!

Go to www.theknot.com

In the top menu bar, look for 'local resources', it is located five over.  Once you do that you can select your state and it will redirect you to info for your state.  

Click on 'officiants' and you can browse the different officiants in that area.

Each officiant will tell you what type of service they do.  We had a very traditional religious ceremony outside of the church and were very happy with the Reverend we found.  He even asked us how we preferred him to dress for the ceremony.  

Just in case you are looking in the tri-state area, this is who we used...

www.wedrev.com

Oh, and FYI, my husband is Catholic and I am Protestant, and he had no problem taking the train to us, he wouldn't even let us pay for the train ticket!

Answer 7

Where are you located?

Google "wedding officiants your city, your state."

http://www.google.com/

You write:  we're both Christians

If both Christians, then you must attend worship services on a regular basis.  Have you asked your pastor if he will officiate for you?

Edit:  Usually one pays the pastor a bit extra if travel is involved.  I suggest you try asking your regular pastor first.  He may be happy to be your officiant.

In my area, the officiant receives about $200 for a small wedding . . . one with no travel involved.  For larger weddings, the officiant usually receives more.  Make sure to cover the officiant's travel, especially if he is traveling for rehearsal and then again for the wedding.

Answer 8

Try craigslist or do a google search for officiant and your location.  I'm not sure about christian officiants, but there's a jewish officiant in my area who will marry basically anyone, he does interfaith marriages, g*y marriages, etc.  I would assume there are christian officiants like that, that will do a religious ceremony but won't judge you on being different denominations or not belonging to a church.

Answer 9

You honestly can look in the yellow pages.  A lot of officiants are listed as nondenominational so that shouldn't be a problem.

Answer 10

Type into your search engine this--your

city state wedding officiant

There will be ones in your area to come up. If you go to the bridal sites, visit the officiant's web site. Those bridal sites (wedplan, knot,) make vendors & officiants pay for your contact info & some just can't/won't do it.

Also you can contact AAWO--they have ALL kinds of officiants from Rabbis to Humanisits to Pagan Priestesses.

I am a nondenominational minister therefore I am free to perform non-religious ceremonies as well as christian & interfaith as I'm not bound by any particular creed or dogma.

Good Luck!