Finding Inspiration in Self-Isolation: How to Keep Calm and Officiate On

COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus) is dominating headlines and rapidly changing everyday life across the globe.

 

For those with obligations to officiate an upcoming wedding, you may find yourself amongst some very frantic and stressed individuals. While some cancellations are inevitable, many couples will choose to move forward with their wedding plans – either by delaying the wedding, or simply cutting down the guest list to meet compliance with current crowd restrictions.

 

Whether you’re facing a postponed wedding, an intimate ceremony, or a bare-minimum elopement: officiants must keep calm, and officiate on!

 

Now that the masses are getting ready to hunker down in self-quarantine or isolation, we present to you a positive and constructive way to occupy your time: by utilizing the many resources AMM has to offer, making headway on your (eventual) ceremony, and learning how to provide comfort and assistance to couples in this trying time.

 

Dive Into Our Wedding Officiant Training

This is your online crash course on wedding ceremonies. This section of our website covers all the basics that a wedding officiant needs to know - everything from The Parts of a Wedding Ceremony, Tips for Personalizing a Wedding Ceremony, Sample Ceremony Scripts, how to Complete the Marriage License - and so much more!

 

>> Wedding Officiant Training

 

Download Your FREE Officiant Timeline & Checklist PDF

This free downloadable timeline and checklist is available exclusively to AMM Ministers, and is guaranteed to point you in the right direction and keep you on track. To access your AMM Officiant Timeline & Checklist:

 

1. Login to your Minister account

2. Go to your Wedding Helper

3. Click "Download Officiant Checklist PDF"

 

Share to the Wedding Wall

Take a few minutes to go through your ceremony photos and scripts. Re-live those wonderful moments and share them with us via the Wedding Wall! AMM’s Wedding Wall is special because it's the only place on the internet dedicated entirely to you. It was created specifically for AMM Ministers to share real pictures, stories, and scripts of wedding ceremonies to inspire other Ministers and couples.

 

1. Once you are logged into your account, start at the Wedding Helper tab on your profile page. Select the wedding that you would like to share on AMM’s Wedding Wall.

2. Make sure that all of the action items are completed and then click the Proof Your Wedding button.

3. Once you have checked that all the details, spelling, and grammar are correct, click the Publish This Wedding button. 

4. ...and that’s it! Once you have submitted your wedding for publication, one of our staff will review it, and if it meets our editorial standards, we’ll approve it and it will go live on the Wedding Wall!

 

>> Wedding Wall

 

Quiz Yourself

In a country like the US, founded by immigrants and built by people from every corner of the globe, marriages often bring together people from different cultures. As a wedding officiant, you play a role in combining these cultures and histories into a meaningful ceremony. Take this quiz to see how much you really know about weddings from different cultures.

 

>> Wedding Traditions Trivia Quiz

Stay Connected

With so many turning to social media for interaction and engagement, there’s no better time to follow AMM!

Facebook: @AmericanMarriageMinistries

Instagram: @americanmarriageministries

Pinterest: @americanmarriageministries

Twitter: @ammofficiants

 

Catch Up on our Most Popular and Helpful American Weddings Articles

● Love in the time of Coronavirus: What to do if the bride, groom, or wedding party get sick on the wedding day

● Wedding Officiant Do’s and Don’t’s

● AMM Glossary: Helpful Words Every Ordained Minister Needs to Know

● Having the Talk: How to Tell a Compelling Story During Your Wedding Ceremony

● Words are Powerful – Creating a Wedding Ceremony that Suits the Couple

● Public Speaking: Deliver Your Wedding Ceremony with Confidence in Just 3 Minutes!

 

Recommended Reading

Even in the day of Kindle and iPads, there’s really nothing else like settling in with a nice, paper book in hand. If you’ll be working from home for the next several weeks, why not enjoy a good read – all while learning how to grow as an officiant and wedding ceremony expert?

 

Asked to Officiate
This all-in-one-guide to officiating is the most comprehensive, detailed, and helpful book of its kind on the market. Asked to Officiate will:

• Provide you with the ceremony basics (like the schedule, timing, participants, and order of a typical ceremony)
• Prepare you for all of your legal obligations – including state registration (if applicable)
• Help you work with the couple to craft their ceremony
• Supply a variety of pre-selected ceremony scripts that you can alter to suit your needs, or simply copy and paste
• Give you confidence to successfully create and deliver a meaningful, memorable ceremony

>> Asked to Officiate, $30 + free shipping

 

Lucky in Love

This book – as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside! – collects folklore, beloved customs, and little-known traditions from around the world to provide both officiants and couples with tips that will contribute to a special wedding day and an entire lifetime of luck and happiness. If you are planning a ceremony and want a fresh perspective and new traditions to incorporate in your upcoming ceremony (there’s an entire chapter dedicated to mastering the wedding ceremony!), or are looking for a truly meaningful gift for the couple as they plan their wedding - this is just what you're looking for!

>> Lucky in Love, $17 + free shipping

 

Be Mindful, Helpful, and Positive

The best you can do right now is stay informed, take care of yourself, and offer assistance to loved ones and couples in any way you can. If you know of any couples who are cancelling their weddings or weighing their options, you can point them toward online communities or websites that can help them in this stressful time.

 

Offbeat Bride and Budget Savvy Bride – two of AMM’s most trusted and beloved wedding resources – have already provided detailed articles to guide couples through the COVID-19 crisis with clear and concise information, thoughtful advice, and solid contingency plans:

 

Budget Savvy Bride

● The Coronavirus and Your Wedding

● Postposting Your Wedding: A Step-by-Step Guide

 

Offbeat Bride

● Should you cancel your wedding because of COVID-19?

● How to cancel a wedding because of Coronavirus: Step-by-step guide, plus copy 'n' paste email templates

 

When you’re in the role of wedding officiant, couples and their families may instinctively look to you for guidance. Make your very best effort to be understanding, patient, and willing to work with couples to accommodate their rescheduling or change of wedding plans. There is much uncertainty at the moment, but one thing you can assure couples is that you will continue to dedicate yourself to performing their ceremony with the utmost thought and care – no matter when or where that may be.