I had two really wonderful and different weddings this weekend. During one of the ceremonies I was really touched and started to cry when the groom began to read his vows. It was so heartfelt and full of emotion that it would be hard to walk away from it without feeling more alive and full of love. The ceremony is the most important part of the day, but also the shortest. With that in mind it's important to take some extra time to really think thru your options as to how you want it performed.
The current trend is having one of your close friends or family members become "instantly ordained" online so they can perform the ceremony. This is a great idea but can also lead to a bit more stress and confusion leading up to the service. If this is the option you are leaning toward be sure to think out carefully whom would do the best in front of a large group of people. You'll want someone who speaks clearly and slowly enough and is good under pressure. I've seen some friends pacing before the ceremony, nervous that they'll make a mistake or forget to say something. Practice, practice and practice if you are having a friend or family member perform the ceremony.
The other option is hiring a professional minister to marry the two of you. This is the obvious option if you belong to a church and your minister is available for your wedding date. The next option if you are getting married outside of the church is to find a non-denominational minister. I'll be honest, every ceremony I've been to where Marky Ann Kelly of Custom Ceremonies married the couple, I've cried. What I really enjoy about her is how she takes the time to meet with the two of you and gets to know you. You discuss what you'd like the ceremony to focus on and add personal touches. Your guests learn how the two of you fell in love and how you are committed to each other. It's beautiful, full of love and emotional. The other benefit to having a professional is they have been to a lot of weddings; they are calm, collected and there to help you relax before you say I do.
Monday, August 4, 2008
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1 comments:
I agree that in many cases it's best to use a professional officiant or at least someone who has presided over a wedding or large audience before.
It may sound great to have a friend before the ceremony, but if they are not up to the task, they can flub lines, or even worse, I have seen proto-officiants be sarcastic and off-the-cuff (because it was their friend), when sincerity and heart-felt emotion was needed.
If people want to have a friend participate but aren't sure if they are officiant material, they can ask them to be a reader or perhaps do part of the homily (sermon) with the professional officiant.
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