asking someone close to you to get ordained to marry you... do or dont?

My grandfather was a minister before he started factory work- we're having him marry us. His blessing means something to us- an officiate we don't know...I can't say the same. I had a friend get married last summer and she had her step-mother marry her- it worked out well. Just PLEASE make sure the person is dependable and willing to rehearse with you.

I think this is pretty common nowadays. We had a good friend who wasn't comfortable with a religious ordination, so he got licensed as a notary public instead. He made that his wedding present to us. We go to a very large church & I'm not sure that our minister would have charged much anyways, but we are very excited to have this personal touch for our ceremony.

We asked my uncle & it was amazing :]

My uncle is a pastor so he is marrying us. However, since there will be snow and whatnot, I am worried about him getting from church to the wedding in time (since it is on a Sunday). So my dad is getting ordained as a backup (because I am super anxious and want to be careful, even though my uncle promises he will be there in plenty of time).

FH's childhood friend got ordained for their other friend's wedding. Josh loved the wedding ceremony so much he asked Tim to do ours to. They go way back so it means a lot to Josh to have someone who knows him so well to do the ceremony. Apparently Tim did a really personalized and well spoken ceremony. It works for me and I was pleasantly surprised Josh took such an interest in an aspect of the wedding. He also wants to do the music too and apparently he dislikes boutonnieres so I'm not sure what to do about those.

FH's grandfather will be marrying us.

Not everyone is comfortable getting up to speak in front of a large group.

Fortunately, my first few weddings were rather small and I was able to ease into it. Now, it doesn't bother me if there are 10 guests or 100.

I'm a wedding officiant in the Los Angeles area and have some thoughts on this subject. Having a friend officiate your ceremony can be very special and unforgettable.

How will your friend put together your ceremony? Do you want something custom written or is finding a script on the Internet okay for you?

My main concern is if your friend has never spoken in front of a large audience. On such an important day, when the officiant stands and faces your guests it can be intimidating for a non-professional.

I wish you the very best!

Our close friend is officiating ours.

If that's what you'd like, it could be a great idea. But not because of saving $ and having a personal ceremony. Most officiants' fees are among the smallest items in any wedding budget. So you won't be saving much. We had a "real" officiant and our ceremony was extremely personal - I can't see how a wedding even if performed by a JOP isn't.

But as mentioned, make sure if you take this route that the person is not afraid of public speaking. It is, after all, what most adults are most afraid of.

Just because someone can doesn't mean they should. If your friend is a terrific and confident public speaker and a decent writer, then go for it. But I agree with Mrs. S and Eric; it's not always a great idea for a number of different reasons. A good, pro officiant will get to know you and write a ceremony that is both personal and moving.

Another possibility would be to have a combination of a friend and a pro.

Make sure it's legal in your state.