Is ‘Wedding Officiant’ a Good Side Hustle?

Looking for a side gig in the wedding industry? ‘Wedding officiant’ might be the right fit for YOU!

 

Looking for a side hustle and love weddings? Then you might be considering a part time gig as a wedding officiant! A wedding officiant is the person who performs a wedding ceremony and signs a couple’s marriage license. It’s an exciting role on a couple’s happiest day!  

 

But is a wedding officiant a good side job? Can you really make money as a wedding officiant? What skills do you need to do a good job? And is it hard to get started?

 

Let's take a look!

 

Is officiating weddings one of the best side business ideas? We think so! Here's what to consider when deciding if wedding officiant is the right side gig for you. (Photo: FOTOGRAFIA INC. / iStock)

 

Is being a wedding officiant a good side job? 

 

First and foremost, yes. Officiating weddings can be an amazing side job! Marrying people is one of the most exciting, interesting, and rewarding part time or full time jobs around.

 

For many officiants, performing weddings is a calling – something they feel they were always meant to do. Some officiants discover their passion for weddings later in life, and many see it as a fun way to meet new people, stay active, and earn extra money. Many wedding officiants start out by officiating a wedding for a friend or relative, fall in love with it, and decide to pursue the role professionally, either as a side job or a full-time career.

 

Whether or not being an officiant is a good side job for you depends on your unique skill set and personal qualities. These skills and qualities include patience, compassion, professionalism, punctuality, persistence, marketing know-how, clear communication, and creativity – just to name a few.

 

We talk more about these skills and qualities below!

 

 

How much money do wedding officiants make? It depends on what services you provide and where you work. Some wedding officiants specialize in specific types of services, like LGBTQ+ weddings, 'sign and go' marriage license signing services, or adventure elopements in scenic destinations. Once you decide the types of services you want to offer, it's time to choose your rates! (Photo: ilbusca / iStock)

 

How much money can you make as a wedding officiant? 

 

A good side hustle is about more than just enjoying what you do, of course. You also want to know if you can make enough money to meet your financial goals. 

 

How much money you can make as a wedding officiant will depend on many different factors: the types of services you decide to offer, how often you're available to work, how often you're hired, and how much you charge for your services. Your potential income also depends on where you live and work -- officiants in high-income areas can generally charge more money than officiants in low-income and middle-class areas. 

 

Wedding officiants earn anywhere from $75 to $4500+ a wedding, which is a wide range! And some officiants perform hundreds of weddings a year, while others perform only one or two weddings a year. On average, wedding officiants earn about $250 per wedding, which includes several hours of work (preparing for the wedding, performing the wedding, and completing the paperwork). 

Click the links below to learn more about how wedding officiants decide what to charge, the average cost of a wedding, and how to set or raise your rates.

 

• How Much Does a Wedding Officiant Cost? (& Should You Tip Them?)
• Going Pro: How Much Should I Charge as a Wedding Officiant?
• Pro Wedding Officiants Give Advice on What to Charge & When to Raise Your Rates
• When is it ok to lower, or raise, your rates as a wedding officiant?
• How Much Does the Average Wedding Cost?
   

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Wondering if you have what it takes to be a good wedding officiant and make a side business of it? Consider the skills below to see if officiating weddings is a good match for you. (Photo: -Oxford- / iStock)

 

What skills do you need to become a part-time wedding officiant?

 

Whether or not an officiant is a good side job for you will depend on your unique skill set and personal qualities. Because the industry needs all kinds of wedding officiants, you don't need to hold any specific religious or cultural beliefs however -- there's room for everyone!

 

Here's a quick look at what might be expected from you as an officiant, and the skills that can help you succeed:

 

As a professional wedding officiant, you will spend a lot of time talking to people whose emotions (and finances) might be under pressure, requiring patience and compassion. 

 

Related: Breathe in, Breathe Out: Calming Brides' and Grooms' Nerves

 

You will encounter people from all kinds of backgrounds, who hold different kinds of religious beliefs and values, requiring open-mindness and understanding.

 

You might need to write a script to read at the ceremony, and you’ll need to speak clearly and comfortably in front of a group of people, requiring creativity and clear communication.

 

Learn more: How To Write a Wedding Ceremony Script in 9 Steps

 

You’ll need to complete official documents (including the marriage license) correctly and on time, requiring organization, attention to detail, and punctuality.

 

And you’ll need to put time and effort into finding couples to marry, booking wedding dates, staying organized, and advertising your services, if you want to make regular income from your work.

 

If these expectations and skills sound like a match to you, and you enjoy celebrating marriage, then ‘wedding officiant’ might be the best side hustle you’ll ever have!

 

And remember, the skills and qualities it takes to make officiating weddings a successful side hustle can be learned and developed over time – don’t be afraid to get started and to work toward becoming the best officiant you can be! 

 

 

Becoming a professional wedding officiant is one of the most exciting and rewarding things you'll do! If you love celebrating love, like working with others, and want to help creating lasting memories on the wedding day, this might be the side job for you! (Photo: SolStock / iStock)

How to get started as a professional wedding officiant

 

If you love love, enjoy working closely with other people to spread joy, and want to create lasting memories for people in your community, you’re already well on your way to be an incredible officiant. If you have these qualities, you can learn new skills and specialities to become the type of wedding officiant you want to be. 

 

Below are links to additional articles and resources to help you determine if ‘wedding officiant’ is the right side gig for you, and to help you get started as a professional wedding officiant. 

 

• How to Become a Wedding Officiant: Get Ordained Online with AMM First!

 

• How to Officiate a Wedding For the First Time
• ...So What Does a Wedding Officiant Really Do?
• How Much Does it Cost to Get Ordained to Officiate a Wedding?
• You Don’t Need a Degree to Officiate Weddings, Just a Few Key Skills
• How to Create a Brand Identity for Your Wedding Officiant Business
  Marketing Your Wedding Officiant Business With an Online Portfolio: Highlights from AMM Talks
• 10 Tips to Grow a Wedding Officiant Business from Norman Graham of Wed By Norm

Browse Officiant Business Tips to see all our helpful articles!

 

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Get Ordained Online to Officiate Weddings for Friends & Family, with Help From AMM!  

 

Get ordained online free with AMM and learn how to become a wedding officiant for friends and relatives! 

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Why AMM? American Marriage Ministries is an inclusive nondenominational internet church that ordains and trains ministers to officiate marriage ceremonies. We are a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit church, and help people from all backgrounds and beliefs become ordained ministers for weddings. Our online ordination is free, accessible, and never expires.

 

Officiating weddings is an incredible honor, and a great way to show your love and support for the people getting married. As a wedding officiant, you will help to create memorable ceremonies and memories that last a lifetime.

AMM Ministers can legally officiate weddings in every state* (it's much harder in Virginia, where we're looking into our options). After getting ordained with AMM, you might need to register your ordination with your local county clerk’s office. Click the link above to get started! 

 

 

https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/the-wedding-everyones-been-waiting-for-gm1254036550-366412094

Become an ordained minister online with American Marriage Ministries and officiate wedding for friends and relatives. (Photo: franckreporter / iStock)

 

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