You've already met the perfect wedding officiant for your ceremony - ask a friend or relative to officiate! 

 

 

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Want a unique and intimate wedding experience filled with memories that will last a lifetime? Ask a friend or relative to officiate!

 

Here are five top reasons that loved ones make the absolute best wedding officiants. 

 

Already convinced? Get ordained online with AMM here. 

 

Lee esto en Español: 5 Grandes Razones para Pedirle a su Amigo o Amiga que Oficie su Boda
 

 

 

5 Great Reasons to Ask a Friend to Officiate Your Wedding

 

 

1. They already ‘get you’

 

Your friends get you! They get your sense of humor, they get why you and your partner work as a couple, and they get your attitudes and opinions on marriage, weddings, and maybe even religion… which can play a big part (or no part!) in your ceremony. 

 

Of course, you’ll still need to meet regularly with a friend or close relative who agrees to officiate, in order to plan and rehearse your wedding script, but they’ll already know much more about your style, tastes, and values than someone you’ve just met. You won’t be starting from scratch. 

 

This can save you time and energy, and ensure you get just what you want the day of the wedding! 

 

Related: Attention Couples: Want an Awesome Ceremony? Schedule regular meetings and work closely with your officiant!

 

 

 

2. An intimate ceremony

 

When a close friend or family member serves as officiant, it means that everyone involved in your ceremony is also a vital part of your love story! No unwelcome extras, strangers, or small talk to dodge… unless your cousin invites another Bumble or Tinder match on an awkward first date.

 

This creates a uniquely intimate and private wedding experience, and the new memories you make with them on your wedding day will deepen the bond you share. 

 

 

 

 

3. A smaller price tag

 

Professional wedding officiants charge a fee for their services – and rightfully so! They provide an incredible and loving service. Still, the cost of hiring a professional officiant just isn't in the budget for many couples. That’s when a friend or family member can save the day!

 

Friend officiants are a very affordable option: online ordination with American Marriage Ministries is free, and any credentials needed to register with the state before the ceremony can be purchased for a reasonable price. (For example, the AMM Minister Ordination Package contains everything a friend officiant needs for under $50.)

 

We do recommend you compensate your friend or loved one for their time and effort, but you’ll have more flexibility in how much and in what way you repay them – say, with a brunch date, a movie, or a box of their favorite chocolates. 

 

Related: How Much Should You Pay a Friend to Officiate Your Wedding?

 

 

4. The perfect bilingual wedding experience 

 

A friend or close relative who speaks both (or all) of the languages you want included in your ceremony is the perfect choice to officiate a multilingual or bilingual wedding ceremony! It can be challenging to find a professional bilingual wedding officiant who meets all of your other criteria, especially on short notice. 

 

A bilingual or multilingual friend can also serve as an interpreter at ceremony planning meetings, while working on the wedding script or choosing special readings, and when meeting with family members. 

 

Browse bilingual English-Spanish wedding ceremony scripts here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. The best photos

 

We know a lot of photogenic wedding officiants… but no one looks better by your side on the wedding day than your loved ones. Photos of friends and family members performing weddings for the people they love have a special joy to them, a closeness and comradery that shines in every frame! 

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Ready to ask a friend to officiate, but not sure how? 

 

How to Ask Someone to Officiate Your Wedding - 
Our Favorite Way to Say 'Will You Marry Us?'

 

 

 

 

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Propose to your wedding officiant with the 

 

Will You Marry Us? Gift Box

 

Asking someone to perform your marriage? Why not give them the Will You Marry Us? Wedding Officiant Gift Box and Ministers Credential Package. This gift box contains everything you need to 'propose,' and everything your chosen officiant will need to perform your wedding -- including the most robust minister ordination available and full documentation of credentials.

 

 

 

LEARN MORE

 

 

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Asked to officiate?  

 

You only get one shot to deliver a perfect wedding ceremony.

 

There’s no ‘take-two’ when it comes time for a couple to say ‘I do’--  Wedding officiants only get one shot to perform a perfect wedding ceremony. 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL WEDDING OFFICIANT

CERTIFICATION COURSE 

 

 

 

 

Give yourself the tools and training you deserve to succeed as a wedding officiant, so that you can stand beside the lucky couple with complete confidence on their big day. 

 

 

LEARN MORE

 

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You might also like: 

 

 

• SHOULD A FRIEND OFFICIATE YOUR WEDDING? QUIZ 

 

• 3 Reasons Why Couples Choose Friends & Family to Officiate Weddings
   
• Couples: How to Work Best With Your Wedding Officiant
   

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