Whether you and your spouse are having a religious wedding, a civil wedding or both, you will want every aspect in the ceremony to go perfectly. You entrust every part of the event to professionals, from photography to party planning. However, when it comes to the wedding officiant, most people want to leave it to the court or to a friend or relative. Just as with other elements of the wedding, you should leave the officiating to a professional. Having an experienced officiant at the wedding yields a variety of benefits over other options.
Legal Advice and Information
A professional wedding officiant, also known as a wedding celebrant or even a notary, is not just able to marry you and your spouse. This professional is also capable of answering any legal questions you have about your marriage, such as distribution of property, specific rights, legal flexibility and more. With a notary, you can receive legal consultation you usually would get from a lawyer.
Greater Dedication
A wedding celebrant is always dedicated to the field of weddings and will devote their entire time and energy into helping you and your spouse. A civil servant at the courthouse, on the other hand, will only perform the minimum required for the union to go through. A professional can even perform the ceremony at any location and time of your choosing. Some officiants even have dedicated rooms where the event can take place.
Established Legitimacy
These days, more people can obtain permits to officiate weddings, including your family and friends, and the process has become increasingly easier. However, these ordinations have dubious legality and some are even contested by state or federal governments. Most marriage officiants are licensed and expertly trained to handle these unions. Avoid this potential roadblock and consult a professional.
Professional Behavior
While there is a precious sentimental value to having a relative or a close friend officiate the wedding, there is also too much risk involved. They may not have the necessary legal knowledge to provide you. Moreover, they may be too close to you or the spouse to conduct themselves appropriately. They may get caught up on the emotion and stall, stammer or repeat themselves over. This factor may compromise the grace and elegance you expect of the ceremony.
Your wedding is an unforgettable moment that you only have one shot to ensure it goes smoothly. Avoid the possibility of anything going south and entrust your civil union to an official wedding celebrant.
