21 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Officiant

Finding a wedding officiant in Las Vegas, the wedding capital of the world, is easy. Finding the right wedding officiant is where it can get tricky.

You’re not only looking for a good fit, you’re looking for competence, a sense of comfort, and quality.

That’s why we have come up with a list of questions to ask your wedding officiant:

beautiful flower wedding decoration in a church during catholic wedding ceremony

Wedding officiant experience

  1. How much experience does the officiant have with what you are planning, and will he or she stick to what you intend?
  2. Is the officiant willing to give you the benefit of his or her experience of what has worked and not worked in the past, and then leave the final decision up to you?
  3. Will the officiant be reading from a script or speaking extemporaneously (from the heart)?
  4. Does the officiant have any sample scripts of wedding ceremonies that you can see? Religious and non-religious?
  5. What speeches or sermons does the officiant plan to give at your wedding (and why)?

Personalization & flexibility

  1. Is the officiant flexible? Are you confident that he or she will allow for changes as the wedding day approaches?
  2. Can you vary the traditional choreography of the wedding?
  3. What is the officiant’s attitude regarding your choice of songs, readings, traditions and wedding attire?

Wedding ceremony details

  1. What will the officiant wear for the ceremony? Think of your pictures! You may want to specify style or colors or ask the officiant to wear or not wear ministerial robes.
  2. How long will the ceremony take? This is critically important information for your venue, photographer, caterer, etc.
  3. Inform the officiant of any family conflicts that might affect the ceremony (divorce, remarriages, etc.) and ask if he or she can help make these situations easier to handle.
  4. Will the officiant assist in obtaining and filing your marriage license?

Officiant availability

  1. How much information would the officiant like to have in order to speak personally at the ceremony? Is there a form for this purpose?
  2. Will the officiant be available to talk by phone as questions arise?

Determining cost

  1. How much will the officiant charge for your ceremony?
  2. Does “booking” the officiant require a deposit and a signed contract? Is the deposit refundable? When is the balance due?
  3. Does the officiant offer or require a pre-wedding consultation? Is there a fee for their time?
  4. Are there any additional fees for travel, customizing the ceremony, filing the required legal paperwork, etc.?
  5. Does the officiant provide a backup in the event of his or her emergency, and if so, whom?

Forming a personal connection with your wedding officiant

  1. Do you like the officiant’s voice? His or her manner of speaking?
  2. Are you confident that the officiant will not draw attention towards himself or herself and away from you?

As you talk with your officiant, you’ll probably uncover even more questions you want to ask and that’s okay! Officiants understand how important this day is for you and should be more than willing to answer any and all of your questions.

They, too, will leave no stone unturned when it comes to creating the perfect wedding ceremony for you.

At Casual Elegance, we can guarantee quality and care when it comes to officiating your ceremony.

Contact us today to learn more about booking us as your wedding officiant in Las Vegas.