All too often, when a couple is looking for an officiant for their wedding ceremony, they are barraged with moralistic demands, or forced to endure religious counseling, cleansings, or conversions. This is fine if the couple happens to be practicing religious people. This is fine if one or both of the couples are members of a religious community, church, or parish. This is even alright if they are willing to endure the process for the sake of family traditions, or deep-seated religious convictions.However, the couple who seek a person to solemnize their ceremony often times are looking for just that---an objective professional who will observe their wishes, and concentrate more on crafting a meaningful ceremony than saving their souls. Since they are looking outside the bounds of traditional religious denominations, it can be assumed that the choice in officiants will be based on whoever can provide them with what the couple wants, and not what satisfies the moral judgements of the officiant.
In this modern day, they clearly have choices. The traditional community church-based denominational priest or minister, the non-denominational minister, the retired Judge or Justice-of-the-Peace, a civil servant such as Court Clerk or Registrar, or a professional Wedding Officiant. This is the dilemma of most couples.
The professional Wedding Officiant often comes in two varieties: the seminary-trained minister who for whatever reason has given up active ministry is and concentrating on performing ceremonies; and the officiant who gains their authority by affiliation with one of the "non-traditional" churches. This might be a non-Christian, or "open doctrine" group whose belief are largely based on general Humanitarianism. It might also be a church whose ministers are ordained by absentia, i.e., through mail, or by distance learning and certification.
WeddingOfficiants.org is for those professionals who wish to concentrate on giving the couple the best possible experience on their wedding day, and letting the religious messages be served by others whose main job it is to proselytize and seek salvation. Our core belief is that if you make the ritual meaningful to the engaged couple and their assembled family and friends, then you can get your message out by the love and kindnesses expressed therein.
Our goal is to make the marriage ritual a seamless event. It should flow as effortlessly from the moment you arrive at the site of the ceremony, until the newly- weds are processing down the aisle. If done properly, you should be an insignificant part of the process, and all eyes and ears should be on the happy couple as they profess their love and commitment to all those assembled. It is their special day, all of the officiant's efforts should work to that end. The minister should convey those thoughts and aspirations through the ceremony, and be there merely to make sure that all legal obligations are met as a witness of the civil authority.
If done properly, the wedding ceremony will be unforgettable, not because you (the officiant) are remembered, but because the whole event was meaningful, beautiful, and emotionally stirring. If those ends are satisfied, then you have done a good job, and others will remember you. The best clients you can get, are those that were either referred by a happy couple, or who were present at a ritual you per formed and want you to do the same for them.
The wedding ceremony itself, should be the last link in a chain of events starting with your introduction to the engaged couple, getting acquainted meeting, rehearsals, and finally the actual wedding. Giving the couple their choice of ceremony options---tailoring it to fit their attitudes and feelings--is the most important criteria for the wedding professional. Your religious convictions must be put aside for those of the client-couple.
Obviously, you cannot bury your morality. You should not be expected to. However, when discussing the prospective couple's wishes and expectations, you should get an idea of their beliefs, and those should be harmonious with yours before you agree to perform their ceremony. If you object to any aspect of their union, or what type of ritual they request, then you must be honest enough before agreeing to work with them to decline your services. After all, it's your name and signature going on the Marriage License and certificate. It is much better to honorably walk away from an undesirable function, than to disagree, argue, and create bad feelings later down the line when it could ruin the couple's special day, and tarnish your professional reputation.
With that in mind, we welcome you to WeddingOfficiants.org---a place for ceremony professionals to look for resources and communing with others. We will be a clearinghouse for information and links for the wedding minister who is working to craft the ultimate custom ceremony for their clients.
A Special thanks to Rev. P. E. Bellomi for writing our introduction
The following links are for those who desire become Legally ordained Ministers and educational materials.
World Christianship Ministries is an outreach ministry with over 15 years of service to the Christian community. We ordain people in a simple manner by mail based on your belief in Christ and your desire to serve the Christian faith in bigger ways. After we ordain you, you will have the legal right to perform all standard Christian religious services including the rites of marriage and baptism. We also offer excellent Bible study courses praised for their ease of completion, yet effectiveness at expanding Biblical knowledge. (World Christianship Ministries Administrator/BishopRev. D.E. McElroy.)
Abba Ministries of Canada is incorporated federally as non-profit, as a registered federal charity, and are established as a denomination in Ontario Canada. The majority of what they do involves youth, those on the streets or in jail because of what they've have to do to survive on the streets. We help unwed mothers, those who've survived incest, and all the rest. They do not beg for money on the internet or elsewhere. They simply want to let people know what they do. Part of that is to legally ordain people who would like to become ordained in Canada.
The First International Church Of The Web is happy to legally ordain any member who has accepted Christ as his or her personal Savior, and feels called into the Christian Ministry. Ordinations are issued through Saint Luke Evangelical Christian Ministries, the ordaining ministry of The First International Church Of The Web. It is the position of The First International Church Of The Web that, since Jesus required no particular schooling or education of his disciples, but only that they answered His call into His ministry, that should also be our own guidelines for ordination. This ordination is conferred completely free of charge. It allows the member to legally use the title Reverend, Pastor, or similar title before his or her name, and to perform all standard Christian services, including the rites of marriage and baptism.
Many couples nowadays prefer having a wedding that is on a more personal level. Ceremonies among majestic trees or overlooking a spectacular sunsets create a romantic wedding atmosphere. Ceremonies held in someone's home garden adds a personal touch to the occasion.
