The Officiant Makes The Difference!
Ready, set, go! The wedding music starts and here comes the bride and her party. It looks so easy. What makes it look easy is the work put into the planning and the experience of the Officiant or Pastor. It all starts with a planning meeting, usually at a coffee shop, where the Officiant gets to know the couples’ love story. He or she incorporates that love story into the ceremony and vows, helping the couple write just the right vows. Then the Officiant runs the rehearsal unless there is a wedding planner. He or she can make it quick and fun or long and confusing, depending on the Officiant’s experience.
Day of the event, the Officiant lines up the groomsmen and makes sure the ladies are ready to go, cues the music and it’s a go! I have witnessed all kinds of mishaps during the ceremony. One outdoor ceremony had a group of Harley riders pass for at least 10 minutes. One had a very loud and obnoxious airplane crop dusting the fields around the ceremony. I’ve seen various trips and falls and the old, best man lost the ring joke. A professional Officiant can handles all of these mishaps and still make it a beautiful ceremony.
You can go online and instantly become an Officiant and Pastor with rights in Indiana to marry someone. Here’s the problem. Along with that license to marry, you get no training, experience or knowledge how to marry anyone. At one event, they had the groom’s best friend marry the couple. The parents had paid thousands to have a tent erected, food catered, DJ (me) and spent a lot on tuxes and a wedding dress. The Internet Officiant stood up front in shorts and a baseball cap on backwards. After the couple stood before him, his exact words were, “We are here today to hitch these two. Do you take him and do you take her blah, blah, blah.” (The blahs were actually said.) When they said yes, he said, “I pronounce you man and wife. Kiss her!” Needless to say, the dad was pretty hot for the rest of the evening.
Professional Officiants are a bargain. I have performed 6 wedding ceremonies myself and it’s not as easy as it looks. I saw one dad perform the service and he cried the entire ceremony. ( I think everyone was embarrassed for him.) Don’t believe the current ad running that shows the Officiant getting paid $1400. (An ad for accepting credit cards.) I don’t know any Officiants that charge anywhere near that amount in Fort Wayne. Sure it would be fun if Uncle Dave could do it, but is it worth the risk? There are a lot of great professional Officiants in the Fort Wayne area. A church Pastor would be my first choice. But if that doesn’t work, Google Wedding Officiants or ask a DJ. He’s worked with them all! Dan Surface, Surface DJs, http://www.surfacedjs.com, 260-466-4600
