American Weddings Blog

Back when we were still flying on commercial airlines (remember, back before coronavirus?) I found myself sitting next to an older gentleman and as often happens, we started to chat about what we do for work. After decades in the workforce, my fellow passenger was planning his retirement. 

He told me that he was looking forward to watching his grandchildren start their lives, including one granddaughter who had recently gotten engaged. It turned out that she had just asked him to officiate her wedding!

But, he wasn’t sure if he should. “I’m not sure I’m the sort of person that officiates a wedding,” he said. 

It wasn’t that he was afraid of public speaking, and it wasn’t because he didn’t have a special connection with his granddaughter. The problem, he said, was that there was a “spiritual” component to officiating, and he wasn’t a particularly spiritual man....(continued)

"Hi AMM! Who is in charge of getting the marriage license – the officiant (me), or the couple? And what is the difference between the license that is signed in front of witnesses, and the certificates you sell in your store?"

First and foremost: the marriage license is the official document and proof of marriage that is recognized by the government....(continued)

We’ve scoured our most popular guidance articles and compiled a helpful list of officiant pointers that are frequently overlooked in the hustle and bustle of wedding preparations. Without further ado -

Wedding Officiant Do's & Don't's

● Do make sure you’ve satisfied any local registration requirements in the state (and/or county) where the ceremony is taking place, if applicable.

● Do attend the rehearsal!

● Do have the venue address(es) and a prepared route ready to go prior to the rehearsal and ceremony. (If you’re unfamiliar with the area, this is even more important.)...(continued)

Ordination / Ordained

To become a Minister and have the authority to perform ceremonies. American Marriage Ministries is the entity with the power to ordain you - that is, grant you the authority - to perform marriage.

Officiate

To perform a service or ceremony.

Officiant / Minister 

A person authorized to perform or officiate a service or ceremony. Once you are ordained with AMM, your official title is Minister.

 ...(continued)

Working closely with your wedding officiant is a must, but a lot of couples don’t quite know how to navigate or coordinate their timeline with their wedding officiant’s. We’re here to give you some pointers so that you know what to expect, and how to get a head start on your ceremony planning.

What Your Officiant is Responsible For:

•  Working with you up until the wedding to craft your ceremony.

• Being present and performing your ceremony on your wedding day (and rehearsal, ideally).

• Assisting with the signing and filing of the completed marriage license.

First, Consider This

What type of ceremony do you want? Religious, Non-denominational, or Civil?...(continued)