American Weddings Blog

Just over ten years ago, I did not believe in the institution of marriage, and I never planned on getting married. Now I have been married for eight years, and I am a wedding officiant who works with couples to plan and celebrate their marriage ceremonies. What caused such a paradigm shift in a relatively short amount of time? The short answer is my wife. The longer answer is what my wife and I did together to celebrate our love with our family and friends.

I grew up believing that marriage and love were two separate concepts. Almost every marriage within my family had ended in divorce, and most of the ex-spouses were completely out of the lives of their former partners. I knew love existed and could exist between two people, but I also thought that being married and being in a loving relationship were never the same thing. ...(continued)

You probably have a pretty good idea of what you want your wedding to look like. Perhaps there are certain family members or children you want to include. Maybe you are considering the popular and meaningful sand ceremony. Or, maybe you are thinking about something a little bit different - like a fire unity ceremony!

But where do you look for an officiant that can turn your ambitions into reality? Being officiants ourselves, and having guided our share of couples through this process, we’ve collected some tips to help you decide what sort of officiant is best suited for your big day. 

For couples who believe the wedding ceremony is one of the most significant parts of their wedding -- that’s you, our readers -- the question of who should perform the wedding ceremony is a very important one. Here are some points to consider... 

Should you ask your local Priest, Imam, Rabbi? ...(continued)

As President of the International Association of Professional Wedding Officiants (IAPWO), I frequently have the pleasure of meeting and speaking with professional officiants and celebrants all over the world and one of the first questions I ask is, "How did you get started performing weddings?" The answers I receive are as fascinating as they are diverse - some are seminary-trained clergy, others are retired judges or mayors, and many (like myself) got started by being asked to perform a wedding for a friend or family member. ...(continued)

Below is a press release that that we are very excited about, and that will make American Weddings an even more valuable resource for our readers! We are huge fans of Laura Cannon and the other wedding officiants at the International Association of Professional Wedding Officiants, and this is the beginning of what we know will be a long and important partnership. Stay tuned!

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