We work with people from many cultural and spiritual backgrounds, from the very religious, to the very secular. It is our shared humanity, observance of the sanctity of life, and practice of loving-kindness with one another that grants us all the "permission" we need to celebrate our rites of passage, and special moments with each other. There are many who say that God is Love. And it is Love itself that bestows all blessings.
What The Wedding Celebrant/Officiant Does
Most people only see the person who presides over the formal, structured and/or legal ritual of marriage for a very short time. Whether it's 30 minutes, or two hours at the service, the celebrant brings to your ceremony far more than the eye can see.They have invested time, expense and effort in:
becoming official, legal, and/or spiritually licensed to witness and validate your marriage.
understanding and performing the necessary legal components of a marriage ceremony.
advertising/marketing costs - this is how they reach out so that you can find them and benefit from their service and experience.
counseling and consulting with the bride and groom about their needs and wishes for their ceremony.
researching/marking-up/customizing/preparing the script for the ceremony, and making sure it contains all minimum legal components for your state/country.
reserving time in their calendar on your special day and that's not only for the time in between hello and farewell handshakes!
they may have office or location rental costs
This is some of what it takes to get there and officiate at your service:
dress for the occasion as arranged, gather materials & special ceremonial equipment (if required), travel to the location (if traveling), meet the bride and groom, answer any last minute questions, go over details like vows, where the bride and groom will stand, who will have the rings, the marriage license is available for signing (& verify that it is valid on that day, who will sign as witnesses etc.)
And after the ceremony, they pack up our materials, etc., travel back to home or office, and put things away for the next service.
If the travel is extensive, it is likely that additional fees will be required, since the celebrant will be setting aside many more hours to travel to and from your wedding location.
With everything that an officiant does and prepares for in advance of your ceremony is also a big part of why a deposit is required when you decide to hire them. It is also why, after a certain point, parts of that deposit may be non-refundable: simply put - work will have been done on your behalf well before the actual ceremony.
They are often able to accommodate additional needs that require more time, such as - more formal, customized ceremonies - working on details with the bride or wedding planner - couples counseling, etc. Just remember that additional fees will need to be allowed for in your budget.
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