How much does an Officiant cost?

It really depends on what your looking for. Are you going to get married in a church? If you are, they vary. Some don't charge anything, you are just expected to make a donation. Some churches won't allow non-members to get married there. Justice of the Peace are usually inexpensive if you aren't looking for anything too creative/in depth (as you can see from my post earlier). If you decide on a JP, you have to check into the laws. Some states require that the JP be registered in the town that youa re getting married. Other states only require that they be registered somewhere in that state. Either way, the town hall of where you are having your ceremony should have a list with names/addresses/and phone numbers.

Typically, expect to spend between $200.00 & $400.00. The variables will be their experience & travel time/expenses.

Tip: An assistant/associate Pastor, often young & with a more flexible schedule, is often more affordable than a senior/executive Pastor. They will also, likely travel to your site of choice, rather than requiring that you be wed in the church.

Hello,

I am a Wedding Officiant and my fees vary depending on the size of the wedding, location, formality and your budget. I work with everyone's budget. The average price range for an Officiant is $225.00 to $500.00. we are the least expensive item on the wedding venue, but you cannot get legally married with us. When you get your Marriage License some counties offer a Justice of the Peace to marry you for a small fee, in some counties it is free. Keep in mind that Wedding Officiants are Ordained Ministers that offer this service. Some Churches require specific guidelines in order to get married at their church and use their Reverend. A good place to start is to obtain your Marriage License at your county Probate Court office and then speak with your Pastor. If you do not have a Pastor please feel free to call me I am available 24/7. Good luck and enjoy the moment!

I don't know where your wedding is being held but as a Notary in the State of Florida, I perform ceremonies for as little as $150. Depending on the travel distance, the price will go up some but not tremendously. I can customize your ceremony or offer up some standard ones to choose from. As a Notary in Florida, when provided with your marriage license, your marriage will be official and your license signed and turned in by me. Hope this helps.

Hi, your question how much does an officiant cost is the first and most common questions I receive as an officiant.Your ceremony - It will be you and your fiance and your Officiant standing up there with all of your guests quietly watching waiting for you to say your vows. Your Officiant can make your ceremony beautiful or distroy it! Regardless if your officiant is high or lowed priced. Its their quality of work. You should be a good match with your officiant, your officiant should put together a ceremony that you approved in advance so you know what your officiant is going to say! Your officiant should speak clearly. There is nothing worse than an officiant who is long winded, drawn out & monontone to put your guests to sleep. Your officiant should be professional and dressed appropriate. Interview a few officiants find out what they offer and when you find the one that fits you and your budget you will know it. Then get it in writing!

This is what helped me ALOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.gatheringguide.com/event_dir/il_illinois/evl_wedding_officiants.html

I'm a wedding officiant and I charge 150 for local weddings. To charge $600 is ridiculous.

James Adams, J.D.

atxweddingofficiant.com

I am a wedding officiant in Iowa, where same-sex marriage has been legal for three years! I do not understand Rev. Cookson's comments about legal marriage. I am NOT an ordained minister nor a justice of the peace, but I CAN legally marry couples in Iowa. So, I would say that around $200 would be about right.

I like to stay a fair price, if you come to me in College Park MD it is only 100.00.

For all other weddings 295.00 for the ceremony and a 100.00 for the rehearsal (if needed) I am located in College Park MD Licensed in MD, VA and DC ...there are parts of VA and MD which are over hour and a half away I charge 395.00 for the ceremony...no other cost and that is with customized ceremony, meeting and my undivided attention through the wedding date.

Please know paying higher prices does not mean you get better services!!

Hello Christine. Is there any way to get in contact with you? I am looking for an officiant licensed in MD? I can be reached at *.*********@*****.***. Thanx a bunch

Octavia

I am a wedding officiant in Florida. I charge the couple $175. This included me hand-delivering the Marriage License on the next business day (not by mail) I also then call the couple and let them know that their license is filed and official.

Please keep in mind that there is a big difference between a "legal officiant" who can simply show up for your ceremony, and a trained pastor whose fee can also include vital pre-marital counseling, who will take the time to get to know you, and work with you closely. I do charge $600 for this, as I have specific training in pre-marital assessment and counseling, spend 10-12 hours with the couple, at the rehearsal & wedding, and tailor-make a very personal wedding.

Wow i was under charging then i was doing them for friends for $99 if they did it at there house or place they wanted me to go. i did not have a place to offer them.

The first thing to understand is that there are many factors that can affect the price of a wedding officiant’s services, such as: Will the officiant attend and direct the rehearsal? How personalized will the ceremony be? How far will the officiant have to travel? Will there be any pre-marital guidance? How much experience and expertise does the officiant have? And how high are the officiant’s standards?

Next, just like any other product or service, the market has created a wide range of offerings to meet every need and desire. Think about it, you can pay $14,000 for a new car that will get you from point A to point B just fine, but many people are willing to pay two, three, or four times that in order to get a much higher quality product and a better overall experience.

Similarly, wedding officiants vary in terms of the quality of service and experience they provide. There are officiants offering cheap, budget services, because there is a market for that. But many people want the very best for their wedding day and they are willing to pay more in order to get more, so there are also officiants who offer a higher-end service and experience.

Ultimately, how much you end up paying for your officiant boils down to what you value most about your wedding day experience. My advice is don’t let price be the only factor in making your decision, because when you look back on your wedding day, what you will remember is not how much you paid, but how it made you feel. Do some research and read plenty of reviews and find an officiant that is a good fit for you. Then contact the officiant and ask about what they have to offer. If the quality of your wedding ceremony is important to you, both in content and delivery, then you may decide that it’s worth it to spend a little more to get what you actually want.

I hope this explanation helps, and I wish you the very best on your wedding day!

I'm a wedding officiant, in Northern California and charge $185 throughout the SF to East Bay Area.

Hi, my husband is a pastor and usually charges $300. This includes a custom ceremony which I create for the couple. We've created wine ceremonies, Irish, multi-faith, and many more.

everything is included in the fee, and if there is a rehearsal more than 20 miles away, we just ask for some fuel reimbursement. No upfront fees...everything is taken care of at the rehearsal/wedding.

Your family and friends are seated and waiting for the ceremony to begin. Months and maybe years of planning have preceded this moment and now for the next 10-20 minutes and you will stand and listen and as a minister/officiant conducts your wedding ceremony. He will ask you questions and will ask you to repeat phrases. By all means, make certain, that he speaks your language! 95% of what you hear during a wedding ceremony will come from him. Bargain with the caterer and the flower person, but don't skimp on the person who will pronounce you husband and wife.

Mine fee is a floating scale based on multiple factors. Contact me and I will help you have a beautiful wedding on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Hello everyone. In Connecticut, a 2012 poll conducted by an association of officiants of about 1000 JPs revealed a range of officiant fees that fell between $150- for easy "elopements" to as much as $1000- for high-end weddings. I think ` for a wedding and rehearsal ` the average fee in this state is probably between $300 and $400. But be aware of what your JP brings to the table for that fee!

Some JPs do not customize ceremonies and if they do, they charge extra for any customized feature. I am a JP with 8 years of experience and I take this business seriously....so I invest a lot of time and money in developing my resources and in creating an online presence. I want my fees to be available to anyone and everyone- and I want my services to be professional and top-quality, so I set a fee-schedule that I believe is both competitive and very sensitive to providing affordability and value. My fees range from $125 for a local town hall wedding to $185 for any wedding in the state. For all weddings, except town hall "elopements", I meet with my couples and help them craft customized wedding ceremonies. I charge an additional $100 for rehearsals and a small travel - (gas) - premium. My most costly weddings - which include meetings with me beforehand and my assistance in designing the ceremony, as well as my attendance at a rehearsal - have rarely topped $ 300. www.carolynsweddings.com

Among other factors, couples should consider how many hours your JP invests in your wedding (including travel time) to decide whether the fee is "fair." Professional JPs like myself pay taxes, Medicare, Social Security and invest lots of money in advertising and other resources. So a reasonable hourly rate is between $50 to $100 dollars.

I am an officiant in the Baltimore, MD area who is legal to marry anywhere in the US, with exception to Oregon, Minnesota, and New York State. For locals, I understand that everyone's budget is different, so I usually accept a donation on whatever you think is fair. I also customize a personal ceremony for each wedding. I can write and officiate over any religious preference (or lack thereof). I can be contacted at *******@*****.***

I am a professional wedding officiant from Delaware and perform ceremonies in MD, DE and PA. Depending on distance, my usual fee in $250.00- $350.00 including meetings, rehearsal and everything. Each ceremony is custom written for you and final approval and all changes are yours to make. Feel free to visit my website at www.ministerorrabbi.com or give me a call at 302-824-1378.