Category: Ceremony Planning

These days, there’s more than one way to have a wedding ceremony. With big ceremonies, elopements, destination weddings, micro weddings and more, it’s easy to get confused! So in this post, we’re breaking down what a wedding signing ceremony is and who it might be right for.

What is a wedding signing ceremony?

A wedding signing ceremony, also called a marriage signing ceremony or just a signing, is a short wedding ceremony focused on signing your marriage licence and getting you legally married. Typically this type of ceremony is just about the paperwork and making things legal, and not about any fanfare surrounding the day.

At all legal wedding ceremonies, a marriage licence and/or registry is signed. However, a wedding signing ceremony focuses just on this aspect and includes little else beyond the paperwork and any legal requirements for marriage.

In order to fulfill the legal requirements for marriage, a signing ceremony will usually include a wedding officiant (or other person who can legally marry people), the couple and two witnesses. After the couple verbally consents to marriage, they will sign the marriage licence, along with their officiant and witnesses.

Is a marriage signing the same as an elopement?

Yes and no. Both marriage signings and elopements are short wedding ceremonies where people get legally married. And while there are no strict definitions, here is how the two ceremony types usually differ:

Elopements can be a little bit more elaborate than simple signings, if the couple chooses. An elopement couple may invite a few close friends and family members to their elopement, they may dress up in special wedding outfits, and they may exchange vows and rings. They may also ask their officiant to share a few words about marriage or include a reading.

Marriage signing ceremonies, on the other hand, are quick and only include what is needed to make the marriage legal. The focus is on the paperwork. There are usually no guests (beyond the required witnesses), no vows and no officiant speech.

Is a marriage signing still a wedding?

Yes and no. If, by definition, a wedding is joining two people in legal marriage then yes, a marriage signing is still a wedding. You can also enjoy many typical wedding activities after your signing ceremony, like a photo shoot in fancy outfits or reception dinner with friends and family.

However, many couples choose to have a marriage signing ceremony because they don’t want to have a traditional wedding. These couples may not consider their signing ceremony to actually be a wedding. They may look at a different ceremony as their wedding, such as a non-legal destination wedding ceremony, or simply say that they’re married, but didn’t have a wedding.

Is a marriage signing legal?

Yes. The whole point of a wedding signing ceremony is to legally marry two people. As long as the signing is being conducted by someone who can legally marry people, is witnessed by two people, and everyone signs the marriage licence, it is a legal wedding ceremony and the couple is legally married.

Who is a wedding signing ceremony right for?

Great question! A wedding signing ceremony isn’t for everyone. Here are some situations where a marriage signing ceremony might make sense:

• You don’t want to have a big wedding but need to be legally married for insurance, visa or other logistical reasons.
• You’re getting married in a destination wedding but need to take care of the legal marriage paperwork at home before or after. Check out this post on getting legally married before your big wedding for more info! 
• You prefer to honour your commitment on your own terms and only want to do the legal part with an officiant and witnesses.
• Because that’s how you want to get married!

Remember, there is no single right way to get married. A signing ceremony makes sense for some couples and not for others. You can always combine your favourite parts of a signing, elopement and big wedding into your own unique ceremony.

How do you make your marriage licence signing special?

If you want to celebrate your signing ceremony, go for it! Just because it’s a short, legal ceremony doesn’t mean you can’t make it special. After all, who doesn’t like an excuse to celebrate?

Here are a few ways to make your marriage signing feel extra special:

• Dress up! Even if your ceremony lasts a few minutes, you can still put on your best outfit.
• Take yourselves out for dinner. After your signing, treat yourselves to a fancy night out or favourite meal.
• Celebrate your signing anniversary. Even if you have a big wedding planned, you can always celebrate a second anniversary each year.
• Write each other cards. While your signing ceremony may not involve too many words about love, you can put all of your thoughts into a love note for your spouse.
• Choose a meaningful day. If possible, you can schedule your signing ceremony for a meaningful date, like your dating anniversary or favourite holiday.
• Do the signing in a special place. While you probably won’t rent out a venue for the occasion, you can hold your signing ceremony at a place that’s important to you, like the park where you walk your dog every morning or the coffee shop where you met.

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Need a wedding officiant for your wedding signing or any other type of ceremony? Get in touch! 

Meet our team of wedding officiants and check out our packages. Then fill out our contact form for a custom quote! 

If you’re in the middle of planning your wedding ceremony, you may find yourself wondering, “What does the priest say at a wedding again?” Sure, you’ve heard a million wedding officiant speeches over the years but you can’t remember what they actually say.

So you know you need someone to marry you, but you’re not sure what they should say at your ceremony. Besides the vows and rings, what else happens? What should go into a wedding ceremony script?

As wedding officiants here at Young Hip & Married, we kind of consider ourselves experts on the subject. So let’s dive into what wedding officiant speeches should (and should not) include so you can enjoy the ceremony you’ve always dreamed of – that doesn’t put your guests to sleep!

What is a wedding officiant speech?

A wedding officiant speech, also known as a wedding officiant script or wedding ceremony script, is simply the words spoken during your ceremony.

The wedding ceremony script will outline every part of your ceremony – what happens, when it happens, and what is being said. This will include moments like your vows, ring exchange, declaration of intent and any wedding readings.

If you’re specifically looking at what your wedding officiant will say, this part may be referred to separately as the wedding officiant speech or wedding officiant script. Part of the larger ceremony script, this speech would be the specific words your officiant speaks throughout. These can include words of welcome, passages about marriage, sharing your love story and giving your guests instructions for after the ceremony.

What should be included in wedding officiant speeches?

Wedding officiant speeches (the part of the ceremony where your officiant is speaking) should consist of two parts: 1) any legal requirements, 2) what’s important to you.

Depending on where you are getting married and who is marrying you, that person may need to include things in their ceremony script in order to legally marry you. Check in with your wedding officiant, marriage commissioner or justice of the peace to ensure they’re fulfilling any of their legal requirements.

Next comes the fun part! What do you want your officiant to say during your ceremony? Contrary to what we see in movies and on TV, most of the traditional parts of a wedding ceremony are not actually required. Throw all of that out and only include the bits you find meaningful and important to you.

Find out what happens during a wedding ceremony and check out our wedding ceremony FAQs for some inspiration in planning your big day!

This is your chance to tell your unique love story! In a Custom & Creative Ceremony, your Young Hip & Married wedding officiant will work with you to write a completely personalized wedding ceremony script. This can include sharing your love story with your guests, special readings, prayers and/or quotes, creative elements, and anything else unique to you.

Do we need a wedding ceremony script?

Absolutely! Click the link above for precisely why having a wedding ceremony script is so important.

Your wedding ceremony is a once in a lifetime moment. It’s the reason for the awesome party afterwards and deserves to be treated with care. More than that, it deserves to represent you and your love! Every word and moment of your ceremony should be meaningful and approved by you – not something that bores you or, worse, makes you cringe!

Can you have a fun wedding officiant script?

Absolutely! Your wedding officiant script can and should be fun! The whole reason we started Young Hip & Married was to eradicate boring wedding ceremonies from the face of the earth. If every couple is unique, why have we all been to the same boring, stuffy wedding ceremony?

You are allowed to have fun at your wedding ceremony! Yes, it’s a serious commitment you are making. But that doesn’t mean you can’t smile, laugh, share private jokes or even break into song. The best wedding ceremonies we officiate (and attend!) are the ones that feel deeply personal to the couple and have everyone – the couple and their guests – smiling from ear to ear.

How do you officiate a wedding?

It takes more than just a wedding officiant speech to officiate a wedding – but having one is an important step.

To officiate a legal wedding, you need to be licensed. In Canada, only wedding officiants, marriage commissioners, some justices of the peace and certain religious representatives can legally marry couples. Unlike in the United States or in the movies, friends cannot get ordained online in Canada.

But officiating a wedding is more than just having a licence and a script to read from. We like to think there’s a certain combination of personality, training and experience that create a great wedding officiant – and our couples think so too!

A great wedding officiant brings warmth, professionalism and care to their ceremonies. They lead, without stealing the spotlight, and share their couple’s love story, without making guests feel excluded. They support their couples – from meeting in person over coffee and answering questions via email to facilitating the wedding rehearsal and officiating the ceremony on the big day.

A great wedding officiant makes your wedding ceremony personal, stress-free and everything you’ve dreamed of!

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Ready to book your wedding officiant? Meet our team and get in touch to book your ceremony package. Or if you’re looking for help with your wedding officiant speech or ceremony script, reach out!

So you keep hearing about elopements but you have some questions, starting with… What is an elopement? You probably have some idea of what an elopement entails, but you need someone to clear it up for you.

That’s where we come in! As wedding officiants for over a decade, we’ve taken part in thousands of wedding ceremonies and officiated our fair share of elopements.

In this post we’ll break down what an elopement is, answer all of your questions about eloping and help you decide if an elopement is right for you!

Ready? Let’s learn about elopements!

What is an elopement? What is eloping?

First things first: What is an elopement?

An elopement is an intimate wedding where the focus is less on all of the wedding “stuff” and more on you two and your love.

While there is no strict definition, an elopement usually happens with no guests (or just a small group) and without things like a processional or readings. The ceremony is generally very short and the vibe is usually more intimate and casual (though elopements can be fancy too!).

Historically, an elopement marriage meant the couple was running away to be wed in secret without their parents’ permission. And while many modern day elopements still see couples heading out of town to get married secretly in a cool location, that’s no longer a requirement. You can elope in your own backyard and tell all of your friends about it!

Just like a regular wedding, there’s no one way to elope. If a couple says “we eloped!” they could mean they took a helicopter to say their vows on a mountaintop with no one else in sight or they gathered a group of 15 friends to witness their vows in their living room.

They could have gotten married in jeans and t-shirts or ballgowns and tuxedos. They could have spent two years planning their elopement or decided to elope the morning of!

While every elopement looks different, they all have this in common: a small wedding with less frills, fewer guests but lots of love!

What is the difference between a wedding and an elopement?

The biggest difference between a wedding and an elopement is size. At Young Hip & Married, we consider any ceremony with more than 20 guests to be a wedding – and usually ceremonies with 20 guests or fewer are considered elopements.

Another big difference between a wedding ceremony and an elopement ceremony is the style. A wedding ceremony is generally longer than an elopement and has more components. A wedding may have a processional, a wedding party, readings and unity traditions, like a handfasting ceremony.

An elopement, on the other hand (no pun intended!), will be more simple. We like to think of elopements having a “gather and wed” approach, rather than a more ceremonial process with an aisle walk, readings, etc.

Here’s a little cheat sheet:

• Wedding = longer and more elaborate ceremony with more guests
• Elopement = shorter and simpler ceremony with fewer guests

What should go into an elopement wedding script?

Like any ceremony, we believe your elopement wedding script should still be meaningful and contain words that fit you as a couple, even if it’s a shorter script than a regular wedding ceremony.

You still have the option to personalize your elopement ceremony with personal vows or a short reading.

An elopement wedding will likely include brief words from the officiant and vows shared by the couple, in addition to a ring exchange, first kiss and licence signing.

Click here to learn exactly what happens during an elopement!

Can you elope anywhere?

Pretty much! You can elope wherever your ceremony can be legally officiated (more on that below).

While we often see elopements take place at City Hall in the movies, you don’t have to elope at your local government building. From your backyard or a local park to the beach, the forest or a hotel suite, you can elope wherever you want.

Here are some of our favourite elopement spots:

• Where to elope in Vancouver (city edition)
• Where to elope in Vancouver (off the beaten path)
• Where to elope in Victoria, BC
• Where to elope in Missoula, Montana
• Where to elope in Portland
• Where else to elope in Oregon
• Where to elope in Calgary
• Where to elope in Toronto

Plus some of our featured elopement locations: Pitt Lake, Stanley Park and Blackcomb Mountains!

Is an elopement marriage legal?

Yes, an elopement marriage is legal as long as it contains all the parts of a legal marriage ceremony.

In Canada, for your marriage to be legal it must be:

• Officiated by someone who can legally marry you (like a licensed wedding officiant, marriage commissioner or justice of the peace)
• Witnessed by two people
• End with you two, your witnesses and your officiant signing the marriage licence.

You must also declare during your wedding ceremony your intent to marry each other (also known as the declaration of intent) so your officiant and witnesses know you want to do this thing!

Everything else – like your wedding party, rings and even your vows – are not legally required. But they can be nice extras to include!

Who gets invited to an elopement ceremony?

That’s up to you! Traditionally an elopement ceremony would not have any guests. However, to be legally married in many places, you do need two people to witness your ceremony.

But if you’re wanting as private an elopement as possible, you can always ask kind strangers in the area or your other wedding vendors (like your wedding photographer) to serve as witnesses.

If you want to get married secretly, privately or without friends and family, you don’t have to invite anyone to your elopement. You just need two witnesses to make it legal, but your wedding officiant can help you find those people.

On the other hand, if you do want to share your elopement by inviting a few guests, you can do that too. Since elopements are small, your guest list should be reserved for just your nearest and dearest friends and family. Sometimes couples will invite their parents or children, or very close friends who live in the area.

Why do people choose to have an elopement? (And should you?)

So now that you know what an elopement is, how do you know if eloping is right for you two? Luckily, we have a blog post to help you answer the big question: Should you elope?

There is no right answer. Elopements aren’t better than weddings and weddings aren’t better than elopements. It comes down to who you are as a couple and what you want out of your wedding experience.

If you prefer smaller groups, private moments and a more casual vibe, an elopement might be for you. If you want to save money with a smaller celebration or get married on a mountaintop or after a hike through the forest, an elopement could work well.

Your wedding ceremony is what you make of it! You can get married your way in whatever style of ceremony you choose, incorporating your favourite elements of big weddings and small elopements.

What are the pros & cons of having an elopement? 

The pros of choosing to elope include:

• Less expensive
• Less to plan and coordinate
• Can be done with a shorter time frame
• Focus is just on you two

The cons of choosing to elope include:

• No big party
• Fewer people involved
• Missing out on some traditional wedding elements like an aisle walk, first dance, etc.

What if I want to elope but still have a big wedding party?

You can do that! You can have an intimate elopement ceremony and still have a big wedding reception afterwards.

In fact, many couples chose to “elope now and party later” in 2020/2021 when pandemic restrictions meant elopements were their only choice. They got legally married in intimate ceremonies and then, when things were safer, hosted larger wedding celebrations!

But you don’t have to be getting married in the middle of a pandemic to elope now and party later. If you’d prefer for your wedding ceremony to be more intimate, go ahead and elope!

Many couples choose to keep the ceremony small and private, only inviting their closest loved ones or no guests at all. Others will choose to elope abroad before hosting a wedding reception back home or, conversely, elope at home before a destination wedding abroad.

So yes, you can have the best of both worlds: You can elope and still have a big wedding party!

How do we tell our family we want to elope?

So you’ve decided an elopement is right for you, but how do you break the news to your loved ones? Luckily, we’ve got your back. Here’s how to tell your big family you want to have a small elopement wedding.

At the end of the day, it comes down to you two. If an elopement is truly what you want, we want to help you make that happen. It may not be traditional and it may not be what your family always imagined for you, but it is true to you. And that’s what matters most!

Plus, you can still involve your family in your wedding day and share your elopement with your loved ones.

Even if they don’t attend as wedding guests, they can still be a part of your celebration. And, more importantly, they can still be a part of your marriage and life moving forward (if you want them to be)!

What is the history of elopements?

Surprisingly, the history of elopements is more scandalous than you might think!

The term was first used in the 14th Century to describe when a woman would leave her husband to run off with her lover. By the 18th Century, elopements involved young couples running away to get married in secret without their parents’ blessing.

Notable elopers from this time include Betsy Ross (t0 John Ross, who was from a different faith) and Mary Shelley (to Percy Bysshe Shelley, her dad’s penpal).

By the 20th Century, more and more couples were choosing to elope and fewer were doing it in secret. Simple weddings and Vegas-style elopements began to grow in popularity, as did small destination weddings and secret celebrity elopements.

And now, in the 21st Century, eloping has firmly shed its shady reputation and is a valid option for many couples. After the boom of elopements in 2020/2021 thanks to a ban on large gatherings, eloping has taken centre stage as one of the most intimate, affordable and meaningful ways to celebrate marriage.

Ready to plan your elopement?

Young Hip & Married wedding officiants love helping couples tie the knot in meaningful elopement ceremonies across Canada and the US. These smaller moments have become some of our favourite ceremonies to celebrate!

Check out our elopement packages like our Intimate Elopement, Intimate Elopement + Photography, Adventure Elopement and Runway Elopement. Then, when you’re ready to book, get in touch!

 

As wedding officiants, we like to think of ourselves as wedding ceremony experts here at Young Hip & Married. But most of the couples we work with have never planned a wedding before. So naturally, they have a few questions!

In today’s blog post we’re answering all of your marriage ceremony questions! We want you to feel confident planning a ceremony that represents you two and starts your marriage on the right foot.

PS: Don’t see your wedding ceremony question below? Get in touch and ask us whatever you want to know!

What is a wedding ceremony? 

First things first: What is a wedding ceremony? Typically, weddings are split into two parts: the ceremony and the reception. The ceremony is the part when the couple actually gets married. They say their vows, sign the paperwork and share their first kiss. The reception is the party afterwards – typically a dinner with dancing and speeches.

Of course, every wedding is going to look a little bit different. These days, some couples are skipping the reception and eloping or doing something totally unique. But generally speaking, the wedding ceremony refers to the part of the event where the couple make things legal.

What happens during a wedding ceremony?

The most important part of a marriage ceremony is that the couple gets married! Usually this is done by sharing vows, exchanging rings, signing paperwork and sealing it all with a kiss. Check out the order of events for a wedding ceremony below.

Do you need a wedding ceremony script?

A wedding ceremony script, or wedding officiant script, is the written version of your ceremony. And we think it’s pretty important you have a ceremony script! Your ceremony is the most important part of your wedding day, so you want everyone involved to know what is going to happen and when. This isn’t something you want to make up on the spot!

Do you need a wedding program?

Wedding ceremony programs are pamphlets given to guests at the beginning of the ceremony outlining the order of events. Some couples get unique and use their programs to share other details, like introducing their wedding party, or turn them into other objects besides a simple pamphlet, like a fan.

Are programs essential? Not usually. Check out when you can skip wedding programs and when you may want to include them.

What is the order of events for a wedding ceremony?

Besides having a ceremony script with the exact words that will be said at your wedding, you may also want to put together a wedding ceremony outline. While there’s no rigid wedding events order for every ceremony, most ceremonies follow a pretty similar timeline:

• Processional of the couple and their wedding party
• Welcome and reflection by wedding officiant
• Optional wedding readings or wedding prayers
• Declaration of intent
• Wedding vows
• Rings
• Pronouncement
• Kiss
• Signing of the marriage licence
• Recessional of the couple and wedding party

Check out a sample wedding ceremony timeline here!

How long does a wedding ceremony last?

Wedding ceremonies can range from a short and sweet five minute elopement to a lengthy religious ceremony with lots of traditional elements lasting hours. The most important thing is that your guests know what to expect and are comfortable throughout.

If your guests are standing outside on a hot summer day with no shade, they probably won’t make it through a 75 minute ceremony. On the other hand, if you invite 200 people to your ceremony, they may be stunned when the whole thing is over in five minutes.

Not sure how long your ceremony should be? Talk to your wedding officiant! Your officiant is a ceremony expert and will be able to advise on how to plan your ceremony and what to include. They’re also experts at engaging with crowds and ensuring your guests will be attentive and entertained throughout your ceremony.

What is the processional order for a ceremony?

The processional is how the couple of the hour, their wedding party and any special guests (e.g. parents of the couple) will enter the ceremony. There are traditional orders for the processional, as well as different orders practiced by different religions. Check out 6 traditional and religious processional orders.

But this is your wedding – so enter it in your own way! Check out 8 unique processional orders you may want to consider for your wedding ceremony.

Can you have a non religious wedding ceremony?

Absolutely! Wedding ceremonies do not need to be religious. Traditionally, marriage ceremonies did take place under a religious body, but they absolutely do not have to. If you and your spouse-to-be are not religious, there’s no need to include any religious aspects in your wedding ceremony.

Make sure you chat with your wedding officiant, or whoever is marrying you, to ensure your ceremony is everything you want – and nothing you don’t!

How do you write your wedding vows?

We’re so glad you asked! We are huge fans of personal wedding vows – vows that the couple writes themselves. It’s the best way to make your ceremony unique and truly personalize the promises you want to build your marriage on.

Check out this list of traditional wedding vows for inspiration and get started with our online vow writing course! 

What is an unplugged ceremony?

An unplugged wedding ceremony is one where guests have been asked to put away cameras, phones, iPads and anything else that might be distracting. Couples often request to have unplugged ceremonies so their guests can focus on being in the moment, and so their photographers/videographers can capture the ceremony without a bunch of screens in every shot!

Learn more about why you want to have an unplugged wedding ceremony (and how to ask your guests to put away their phones) in this blog post! 

Who gets invited to the wedding ceremony?

One of the biggest challenges in wedding planning is deciding on your guest list. This can get even more complicated if you have capacity or budget constraints, or if you’ve decided to invite different people to different events.

Typically, the same people who are invited to your wedding ceremony are also invited to your wedding reception. However, after the pandemic, there are really no rules when it comes to invite lists. Some couples prefer to have a smaller ceremony, with just themselves, their wedding party or close loved ones, and then a larger reception.

Check out what every guest wants at your wedding ceremony!

Who is involved in the ceremony?

The most important players in a wedding ceremony are: the couple getting married, the wedding officiant and the witnesses who need to sign the marriage licence. Everyone else is just a bonus!

Here are a few more people you may want to involve in your wedding ceremony:

• Your wedding party. Typically your wedding party will walk in (processional) and walk out (recessional) with you and they may stand at the front during your ceremony.
• Your parents. Many couples choose to invite their parents, and any other special family members, to join in on the processional and recessional. They may also be involved in special traditions or cultural moments during the ceremony.
• Readers. Many couples choose to incorporate readings or blessings into their ceremony and ask special guests to recite them.

What about your guests? Check out how to involve guests in your wedding ceremony! 

Do you have to have a wedding ceremony?

Yes and no. If you want to be legally married, you do need to have some sort of ceremony with someone who can legally marry you where you will declare your intention to marry each other in front of witnesses and sign a marriage licence. But do you need to have a big event with processionals, readings and vows? Not if you don’t want to!

Your wedding ceremony should reflect what you and your partner want out of your wedding day. If you’re private people, opt for a small elopement with just two witnesses. If you’re lovers of words and music, incorporate favourite songs and quotes into your ceremony. Your wedding officiant can work with you to plan a ceremony that you’ll love and look back on as the best part of your wedding day.

How do you include your family in your ceremony?

If it’s important to you to involve your family in your wedding ceremony, there are so many incredible ways to do that. From giving them positions of honour, such as members of the wedding party or part of the procession, to asking them to do a reading, there are so many ways to honour and include your family in your ceremony.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Ask your grandparents to walk you down the aisle
• Include your children in a family vow
• Ask mom to do a reading from her favourite book
• Incorporate a family heirloom, such as a passed down veil, into your ceremony

For more ideas, check out to how to include your blended family in your wedding ceremony and special ways to include your kids in your wedding.

Should you have wedding prayers, blessings or readings at your ceremony?

A great way to personalize your ceremony is to include wedding prayers, blessings, readings, quotes or music into the order of events. Some advice: Only include elements if they are meaningful to you and not just because you think you should. Every word said at your ceremony should be important and included because you want it there.

Here are a few resources to get you started:

• Wedding Ceremony Readings from Songs
• Romantic Wedding Ceremony Readings 
• Wedding Ceremony Readings from TV & Movies
• Wedding Ceremony Readings from Literature
• Offbeat Wedding Ceremony Readings
• Alternatives to 1 Corinthians 13 for Your Wedding
• The Best Wedding Prayers & Blessings for Your Wedding Ceremony
• 33 Wedding Love Quotes to Include in Your Wedding Ceremony

Overwhelmed with choice? Talk to your wedding officiant! They’ll be able to suggest awesome additions to your ceremony and help you decide which elements make the final cut.

How do you make your wedding ceremony unique?

If every couple is unique, why have we all been to the same boring ceremony one hundred times? That’s something Young Hip & Married wedding officiants are trying to change! We believe your ceremony should be done in your style. From the person marrying you to your wedding vows, every element should be unique and reflect what’s most important to you two.

Any decision you make to personalize your wedding will make it that much more unique and representative of your specific marriage. Check out 23 creative elements to add to your wedding and our guide on how to plan a unique wedding ceremony.

How do you make your wedding inclusive?

We believe that all couples getting married deserve to tie the knot in a way that is legal, joyful and a celebration of who they are. We also believe that everyone in the wedding industry – vendors, guests and couples – plays a part in creating a more inclusive space that allows everyone to share their love!

Check out how to have a welcoming and inclusive wedding ceremony, as well as how to ensure your wedding ceremony language is inclusive.

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Now that you know everything you need to know to plan your wedding ceremony, there’s only one thing left to do: Get in touch to book your Young Hip & Married wedding officiant! 

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You probably know that a wedding officiant is the person who leads your ceremony, legally marrying you and your spouse on your wedding day. But what do wedding officiants actually do? Obviously their job is pretty important on the wedding day, but what goes into it?

Turns out, quite a lot! Our Young Hip & Married wedding officiants are always working hard to connect with couples, write ceremony scripts and lead ceremonies on the wedding day. Below we’re diving into what exactly it is officiants do before, during and after weddings.

Of course, not every wedding officiant, celebrant or marriage commissioner is going to do all of these things for every wedding. Every officiant, and every wedding, is unique!

Let’s find out what wedding officiants really do in order to get you legally and wonderfully wed!

First things first, what is a wedding officiant?

Before we dive into what wedding officiants do, let’s clear up who a wedding officiant is. A wedding officiant is the person who marries you and your partner during your wedding ceremony.

Wedding officiants should be licensed so they can conduct legal ceremonies; they can sign your marriage licence and register it with the appropriate authorities. Depending on their licensing, training and services offered, they may write you a custom ceremony script, help you craft your vows, lead your rehearsal and much more!

Some wedding officiants offer religious ceremonies or have to include religious elements while others don’t. Unlike marriage commissioners or other government employees, wedding officiants are not as restricted in the type of ceremonies they can attend and lead.

What a wedding officiant does BEFORE your wedding

A wedding officiant’s job starts long before your wedding day; they don’t just show up and get you married! Depending on the officiant you hire and the type of ceremony package you opt for, the first thing an officiant usually does is meet with you.

If you book our Custom & Creative Wedding Ceremony, your officiant will meet with you in person (or over video) and get to know you in order to create a personalized and unique ceremony just for the two of you. This often means chatting with you two, interviewing your friends and family, and researching your interests.

Once all of the research and interviews are complete, your officiant will get to work writing your ceremony. And once it’s drafted, it’s time for your review. You and your officiant will be able to edit, revise and make suggestions so your ceremony script turns out exactly as you want, no surprises. Please note that not all of our ceremony packages include a custom ceremony or script edits.

But it’s not just the ceremony script your officiant is busy with. They’re also available to help you write your vows, select readings and prepare any creative elements you’d like to include in your ceremony. Our officiants have lots of resources they can point you towards, and are always happy to give their advice based on years of officiating weddings.

As we get closer to your wedding day, your wedding officiant’s job ramps up too. They’ll reach out to your coordinator or planner to ensure they know what’s going to happen on the big day and touch base with any other ceremony-specific vendors, like your photographer or musician.

Importantly, your wedding officiant will run your wedding rehearsal (if one is included in your ceremony package) in the days leading up to your wedding. The wedding rehearsal is how you ensure everything will run as smoothly as possible on your wedding day and everyone knows what to do. So it helps to have the rehearsal run by an experienced wedding officiant!

What a wedding officiant does DURING your wedding

On the day of your wedding, your officiant will show up early to ensure they’re ready to go and no one is left waiting. They’ll connect with your coordinator or planner on the ground so they’re aware of any last minute details.

Before your ceremony gets going, your wedding officiant will take charge and help with “crowd management.” They can direct your guests to their seats and inform them of any important announcements, such as where to go after the ceremony or instructions to put away their phones.

Of course, a wedding officiant’s big job on your wedding day is to lead the ceremony. They will guide you through, sharing words about marriage and your love story with you and your guests. They’ll facilitate your vows, readings and any special elements. And your officiant will lead you through exchanging rings and sharing your first kiss. Finally, and to our great honour, your officiant will pronounce you officially married!

Last but not least, your officiant will also sign your marriage licence and instruct you and your witnesses on how and where to sign. This behind the scenes part of the job is very important in order to ensure you’re legally married.

What a wedding officiant does AFTER your wedding

Once your wedding day is over, your officiant still has a few important jobs to take care of. Right away, they will mail your marriage licence off to the appropriate governing body (Vital Statistics in Canada) so your marriage can be documented and recognized. A few weeks later, you’ll receive (or be able to apply for) your official marriage certificate. If you run into any problems with your licence or certificate, your officiant is there to help!

Being a part of a couple’s wedding day is such a joy, so of course your officiant will want to thank you for the honour. Expect a follow up email to ensure you loved your ceremony experience and to wish you all the happiness for your marriage!

What do wedding officiants do when they’re not officiating?

Of course, wedding officiants don’t spend all of their time officiating weddings. When they’re not busy leading a ceremony or preparing for one, many officiants take on roles in their spiritual communities or offer relationship coaching or counselling services. Unsurprisingly, many officiants work in jobs that allow them to connect with people and facilitate stories, just like they get to do during a wedding ceremony.

Of course, there’s also the administrative side of being a wedding officiant, such as invoices, marketing and email management. Many wedding commissioners and officiants only do this job part time, so spend the rest of their time working at another job, studying or spending time with their families. Officiants: they’re just like the rest of us!

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Now that you know what a wedding officiant does, are you ready to book an officiant for your wedding? Learn more about our packages and get in touch to book your wedding officiant today! 

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written by Riana Ang-Canning
feature image by Amber Leigh Photography