internet church founded in 2009 , or the Universal Life Church , the world ’ s largest online religious organization . If you go this route , and if this would be their first time officiating , I suggest you have a sit-down with them to explain what you want and to make sure they feel comfortable with everything . Your wedding is not the time to just wing it .
NWGL : How far out should you book your officiant ?
Sutton-Zickafoose : I would say you need to have your officiant booked at least three months prior to your wedding . But not only for the day of the wedding but for the day of the rehearsal as well .
NWGL : What are the most important questions you should ask a prospective officiant ?
Sutton-Zickafoose : First and foremost , you should ask , “ Are you available ?” It seems like a duh question , but I ’ ve gotten so many messages sent to me that just say something like “ I need you on this date .” When reaching out to a prospective officiant , or any wedding vendor for that matter , you should include as much information as you can , such as the date of the wedding , the location / venue , how many guests you ’ ll have , and a little about what you ’ re looking for from your officiant . For example , you could send something like this : “ Hello . I ’ m getting married on Saturday , October 18 , 2025 , at The Butterfly Pavilion in Acworth , Georgia . We ’ re looking to have a nonreligious ceremony and will have around 150 guests . We plan to say our own vows and would like to include a unity candle . We ’ re interested in your services and wanted to know if you ’ re available .”
Another thing to ask is if they write their own scripts or if it ’ s more of a copy-and-paste situation . Over my 10 years , I ’ ve been asked to do more of the traditional vows or been told they just want it sweet , simple , and to the point . I do like incorporating more personal aspects from the couple into their ceremony if I can . Of course , some things will cross over from wedding to wedding , but it ’ s important to make it special for each couple .
NWGL : How long should a ceremony last ?
Sutton-Zickafoose : It truly depends on what you ’ re looking for . A ceremony can be anywhere from five minutes to a full Catholic mass that could take an hour or more . The ceremonies I do typically last about 10 minutes . I want to make sure the couple feels the moment and enjoys what ’ s happening , without boring the guests or making them sit out in the sun or cold for too long .
NWGL : What ’ s the ideal order of things during the ceremony ?
Sutton-Zickafoose : I usually start off by welcoming and thanking the guests for attending . Then I talk a little about marriage and what it means to join together as one . After that , if the couple wants to light a unity candle , perform a sand ceremony ( where they pour sand from separate containers into a single vessel ), or anything like that , we ’ ll do that . Next , I ’ ll have the couple recite their vows , followed by the “ Repeat after me ” section and the exchanging of the rings . Then I ’ ll say a few more sweet things about marriage and how they ’ re entering into the next chapter of their lives with the one they love most . Lastly , I ’ ll pronounce them married and tell them they can seal their vows with a kiss .
A Seasoned Wedding Pro at Your Service
Braden Sutton-Zickafoose , the owner of JBS Weddings & Events , is a certified wedding and event planner , day-of coordinator , and ordained minister based in Plainville , GA . He has been in business since 2014 and has helped with hundreds of weddings and events in seven different states . You can reach him at jbs . weddings @ yahoo . com or learn more by going to his website , jbsweddings . net , or his Facebook page , facebook . com / jbsweddings1 .
NWGL : How much does it cost to hire an officiant ?
Sutton-Zickafoose : Someone such as myself , who has a wedding business , might charge differently than if you contacted your church and had your pastor officiate your wedding . All professionals charge based on their experience , the distance they ’ ll have to travel , how much time it will take , and what they need to do to make your wedding perfect . Some officiants use the same script from wedding to wedding , while some may write a custom script for each couple . A lot of preachers , rabbis , or other religious officiants don ’ t charge , but it ’ s always nice to tip them for their time . After all , you only need three things for a wedding : two people saying “ I do ” and an officiant . Without the officiant , there ’ s no wedding . Well , one that ’ s legally binding .
NWGL : Any final advice ?
Sutton-Zickafoose : In short , this is your wedding , the one day you ’ ve probably dreamt about for years . So why would you pick just anyone ? Do your research , ask around , read reviews , and find that person who ’ s the best fit for you and your intended .
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