do you invite the officiant? is he a vendor?

It is nice to ask if the officiant would like to stay for the reception. I have seem them stay before. He/she doesn't have to.

The officiant is considered a vendor from the standpoint of the venue. They are providing a service. But after the ceremony, their service is done so they will be considered a guest if he/she decides to stay for the reception.

My vendor let me know ahead of time that he leaves right out of the ceremony. I wouldn't imagine he'd want to stick around unless he knew you personally. It's really just a job to him!!

No, you don't have to invite him or feed him. This question has come up before, and both Celia and Rev. Fuller (officiants) mentioned that it is just as awkward for them.

Our venue discount the vendors:

DJ & MC

Photographer

Officiant

Photo Booth Assistant

we pay on 25% for their plates

25% for kids under 15yrs

50% for teenager up to 20yrs

Our ceremony and reception is in the same place so we are having ours stay didn't cross my mind to not since it was the same place.

No. unless it was a family pastor you've known for years. Our officiant told us right off the bat he doesn't stay. He said it is a nice gesture when people offer, but it is uncomfortable because he doesn't know anyone.

I appreciated that he brought that subject up so it's a non issue.

My Officiant is one of BM's father, him and his wife will stay. But to answer your question, yes, they are consider a vendor.

Misty, we are also having ceremony and reception in same place. I will have to look at the information we got from him and see if it says anything.. I feel like it would be awkward but I don't mind if we're supposed to feed him.. but again, the venue counts vendors separately as opposed to if we treated him as a guest--sent him an invite, sat him down for the whole thing.. maybe I can informally (like, email or phone), invite him to stay for the cocktail hour?

We've invited our officiant to stay for dinner and as much of the reception as she would like to stay for. She is traveling from out of town and may stay over night before her drive back, so invited and it will be up to her if she is comfortable staying or not. We have asked a couple family members to do the blessing before dinner, but neither is sure they will be comfortable speaking in front of many people. Our officiant said she would be happy to do that for us if we need her to. Plus, our favors are caricature drawings by an artist friend of ours...and I'd love for her to have one of those too. I would not have felt right had we not invited her to stay....we extended the offer, now it is totally up to her.

I will say ours worked with DH but didn't think he might feel out of place. I will have to ask him now... We were having him stay because we were going to feed him. He is doing ours for free as a gift to FH... Thanks for the thread.

I have known our officiant for like 10 years. So we are inviting both him and his wife. I wouldn't think you would have to invite them if you don't know them personally.

Our offficiant made it clear that he does not stay for the reception. He has a great sense of humor and said even if he did stay he would be sitting at a table by himself or with people who would feel like they cant do anything fun because they are sitting by the "rev" lol. So, I dont think they usually count as a vendor you have to feed. I think they just do the ceremony and go on with their day. Very simple vendor! Saves us a vendor meal!

We are inviting our Pastor and his wife, but like Celia said we know them outside of the wedding context. We are paying for them as guests, not vendors, and they are sitting with my parents because he is my dad's close friend!

I agree with the other girls that if you don't know them outside this specific instance it is probably not necessary, but if you so choose to extend the offer I don't think I would treat it as a vendor meal.

Our officiant has watched FH grow up. He's FH's little brother's godfather so yes we are having them stay for the entire thing. Whether he was officiating or not I know he wouldn't miss it for the world!

We get this question often. Here's my take:

We do not expect to be invited to the reception or the rehearsal dinner. (I've been performing weddings for eleven years and I've only attended two receptions--one because I knew the couple personally and the other because the couple wanted me to offer a grace before the meal.)

We know how expensive those meals can be and as much as we love what we do, it is considered more hours "on the job" if we stay--not to mention I, personally would put on a TON of weight if attended every reception!

However, it is certainly fine if you WANT to invite your officiant. Another nicety if you do invite the officiant (and yes, I know it costs double to do this) is to extend the courtesy of inviting their spouse.

Bottom line is that most officiants will politely decline if they're invited.

Our officiant was actually doing another wedding after ours and also having to prepare for Sunday service, so she was too busy to come to ours. Also we didn't really know her outside of the wedding context so it would have been awkward.

SIL's officiant was actually her and DH's uncle, so of course he was invited to the reception.