| How Much Does an Officiant Cost? |
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| | | Some churches charge a separate rental fee for the facility, while others offer packages that, for a few hundred dollars more, include the officiant's services and decorations. | | |
| Typical costs: | - Expect to pay $50 to $100 for a simple civil ceremony by a justice of the peace, possibly at your local city hall, county courthouse or at a park. An intern minister or retired judge might charge $100 to $200. And an experienced church minister or a professional celebrant might charge $200 to $400 or more.
- The average cost for a pastor or priest to officiate at a wedding is $263, according to The Bridal Association of America.
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| What should be included: | - Many officiants include a get-to-know-you meeting with the couple, followed by two or three planning sessions. Most officiants provide several options for ceremony wording and structure, as well as a choice of readings. On the wedding day, the officiant arrives early, has the witnesses sign the marriage license, and performs the ceremony. Afterward, the officiant mails the marriage license to the county so it can be officially recorded, and mails a copy to the couple.
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| Additional costs: | - Some officiants charge extra for a rehearsal, and some charge a mileage fee of 30 to 50 cents a mile to travel to the wedding location.
- The couple must pay the wedding license fee, which ranges from $10 to $95 or more, depending on the location.
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| Discounts: | - Couples on a budget might wish to have a friend or relative get ordained online for free and perform the ceremony at no charge. The Universal Life Church offers ordination that is usually processed within a day or two, and the credentials are e-mailed. The ULC offers a list of regulations by state, but couples who wish to go this route should check with their county clerk's office or marriage license bureau well ahead of time to make sure their marriage will be legal.
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| Shopping for an officiant: | - Tip: To avoid-last-minute surprises, make sure you ask a lot of questions and work out details with your officiant -- such as whether flash photography will be permitted during the ceremony -- before you put down a deposit. The National Association of Wedding Officiants offers a guide on how to find the right officiant.
- The Knot.com has tips on finding an officiant for interfaith couples and a list of questions to ask a civil officiant and to ask a religious officiant.
- Tip: Be sure to start searching early for an officiant. Many officiants require a certain number of meetings, and some require premarital counseling sessions, spread out over several weeks or months.
- The National Association of Wedding Ministers offers a referral service by state, with information about each member's main religious affiliation. And RabbiRentals.com connects couples with rabbis who will perform weddings.
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Article updated July 2007 |
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Recent Posts |
| Amount: $450.00 |
wedding officiants
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| Posted by: dsl in Seattle, WA. | Purchased: 2007 |
My wife and I ended up paying a little more for our civil officiant. The quotes we were given in the Seattle, WA area ranged from $300-$500. I personally interviewed 8 candidates before deciding on our officiant and, in the end, know I made the right decision. The candidates were either too intellectual, too fidgety, etc. It was important to select someone who would reflect our values - warm and welcoming. This will vary from couple to couple so I would recommend giving this some serious thought! In the Seattle, Washington area, the following website is a good starting point:
http://www.myseattlewedding.com/categories/ministers_clergy/index.html
good luck! |
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| Amount: $525.00 |
cost of a wedding officiant
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| Posted by: B Crandall in San Diego, CA. | Purchased: June, 2008 |
| Type: nondenominational |
| I found as I looked for wedding officiants in San Diego that their was a big difference between the $200 officiant and the $400 plus officiant. And I'm not talking about money, I'm talking about quality of service and experience. You don't help couples or officiants by quoting national averages and applying them to a market that they don't apply to. It takes a lot more work to figure out what is appropriate in this area. Break your numbers down and you'll probably find that $263 works well in Omaha, NB. Your information is way to 'general' to be helpful to most couples and it probably makes things worse for the professionals that are trying to serve them. |
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| Amount: $0.00 |
Cost of Wedding Officiant
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| Posted by: Miranda in Dayton, OH. | Purchased: August, 2008 |
| I think the above comment has missed the point of this page entirely. It's pretty safe to assume that areas (like San Diego) that include a higher cost of living will also mean that services are going to cost more. The national average is just that, an average. The website administrator isnt going to do the leg work to find the cost of every officiant in every city. They are trying to give a general idea, so when people, like myself need to draw up a rough wedding budget, we can do so without already knowing the whole picture. |
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