Officiants Pro vs. Friend

Wedding Ceremony at Quail Lodge, Carmel Valley

Hey there! Some officiant advice here for you today…

So, should you hire a pro or just get that articulate friend or special uncle to do it?

If you have your friend or uncle do it you can save some money, and it could end up being really, really special for you both.

If you hire a pro to do it you will get someone who will (hopefully) put a lot of time into customizing it for you and prepping for your big day. Of course a good officiant will have a ton of great resources for you to help you create the perfect ceremony, and they have lots of experience speaking to crowds in these exact circumstances.

The friend or uncle may be really happy to help, but then they may start realizing what they signed up for: being dead-center stage with 100% of the attention of every guest at your celebration focused on their every word. This can be a daunting task even if you are a great public speaker, as there is no room for error.

Wedding ceremonies can have stress associated with them for all involved, and finding ways to ease it a little can be a great thing.

The professional officiant will likely, as part of his/her services, show up to and conduct your rehearsal the night before, and because of his/her professionalism, will likely set everyone’s minds at ease: all will know that the ceremony tomorrow is in the good hands of someone who knows exactly what they are doing.

Being able to hear the ceremony is very important to your guests. This will happen in a great way if you have an officiant who has a nice powerful voice and good, clear articulation and tone. This honed natural ability is further enhanced by having a professional company on hand who has the equipment and the knowledge necessary to properly reinforce the sound at your ceremony.

Occasionally, we have seen friends and relatives who freak out about a mic (necessary if you’d like your guests to hear the ceremony beyond the first few rows) and/or have clothes on that have given no consideration at all to the idea that they might need the clothing to be able to accommodate a clip-on mic.

Professional officiants of course have experience wearing and using a lavalier microphone and the attire they wear for your ceremony will almost certainly accommodate the mounting of this small device.

Lastly, risk: if you have a friend or relative do it and it goes badly, neither you nor they will forget it (in fact, same with any friends or relatives you “hire” to do things for your wedding day). Recently, we experienced a ceremony where the friend/relative officiant became so overcome with anxiety that they literally walked off the altar mid-ceremony, unable to finish. True story.

So, so far you must think that we are pushing you pretty hard toward having a professional officiant, right?

Not necessarily.

If you happen to have that special someone in your life who has what it takes to do this important job and would make that ceremony 10 times more meaningful and unforgettable for you and all those attending, it could be one of the best decisions you make on your wedding day.

And know that no matter what you choose, we here at Sound In Motion have your back and will work with that person to make sure you have the best possible experience during one of the greatest moments of your life!