OFFICIANT FEES

I believe $500 is at the high end of average here in Chicago. It would be outrageous in a small town.

A little perspective: Your officiant's work began before your phone call. How did you find him/her? Before you met, your officiant spent time and energy writing all the sample ceremonies she showed you, gathering all the readings, etc. Then she (or he) met with you, prepares your ceremony for your approval, attends and probably coordinates your rehearsal, and arrives early to make sure everything is ready. After the ceremony, the paperwork is not hard, but it does need to be done correctly and on time.

The job your officiant is performing, the wedding ceremony, is the reason you're having the party. Consider what you are paying for music, flowers, invitations. How many of those items cost more than you are willing to pay your officiant?

That said, if you're really in dire straits, many officiants will work with you.

Have a beautiful wedding and a long, happy marriage

Best wishes for a beautiful ceremony and a wonderful wedding. Don't forget that the ceremony is really the reason for the party. A beautiful and meaningful ceremony is the beginning, not only of the wedding but of your lives together.

As I read the responses to your question, especially the ones from officiants, I really relate. There is always a lot more work involved than it might seem. A thirty minute ceremony or thirty minutes of music involves hours of training, thought and preparation. The work really begins with the first phone call. As a musician, I have a similar situation and also work closely with the officiant. An experienced professional can create a beautiful ceremony that will become a lasting and treasured memory.

Best wishes,

Margaret Sneddon, Harpist

New York, NY & Hudson River Valley

www.margaretsneddon.com

Best wishes for a beautiful ceremony and a wonderful wedding. Don't forget that the ceremony is really the reason for the party. A beautiful and meaningful ceremony is the beginning, not only of the wedding but of your lives together.

As I read the responses to your question, especially the ones from officiants, I really relate. There is always a lot more work involved than it might seem. A thirty minute ceremony or thirty minutes of music involves hours of training, thought and preparation. The work really begins with the first phone call. As a musician, I have a similar situation and also work closely with the officiant. An experienced professional can create a beautiful ceremony that will become a lasting and treasured memory.

Best wishes,

Margaret Sneddon, Harpist

New York, NY & Hudson River Valley

www.margaretsneddon.com

I'm paying I think $350 + I have to get a room for mine. I almost died when I heard the prices because I set aside $50 for an officiant but I was way off I searched online and yup that's average to pay plus ypu have to pay for travel. It was a real sticker shock for me because I thought $50 would get me everything i need if theyre really good maybe $100. Man oh man was I way off.

Here are my fees: Consultation $25.00, Rehearsal $100. and Ceremony $350. After your ceremony, I sign and mail in your license and I provide a keepsake certificate suitable for hanging. If you would like to contact me, I may be reached at 1-877-222-0204. You can see my profile on this website under Ceremonies For 2

As a officiant, I will add to the other comments by professionals and confirm that we don't charge by the ceremonial minute (smile).

Here's what I do as an educated, professional, non-denominational celebrant. I field and answer your inquiry e-mails and calls, travel to interviews and spend time finding out who you are, send samples of things you have expressed interest in, get to know you more, write a ceremony that most of the times surprises you in its amazing ability to be what you want (that's where the talent and education really kick in), and then we are almost to the part you thought was my job - I meet your family and bridal party & conduct a rehearsal, arrive on your wedding day to make sure the musician and photographer &? know what to expect from the ceremony - and then, I deliver. Your guests are comfortable and engaged, and your big day has begun beautifully. People feel and truly understand that the two you love each other & they have reason to celebrate.

I love it.

We charge $400 for a wedding ceremony. We include complete personalization, as many consultations as it takes, whatever music you want for the ceremony, a personal assistant at the ceremony, we pay for our business expenses, travel, and put in many hours, not the thirty minutes the ceremony lasts. Like the other officiants have indicated, you are getting the advantage of years of education and experience, and so much more. We also have one major day a week to do weddings. Can you live n $400 a week? I doubt it. Sure you can have a friend do it but what will you do when the get stage fright at the last minute? The wedding ceremony is what it is really all about. The rest is nice, but having a wedding ceremony your family and friends will remember for its originality and for expressing your own personality is priceless.

All my fellow wedding officiants have said it well. Let me add that $50 is what my dad gave the minister in 1960. I think I would be insulted. The price we charge hasn't inflated in the same way the average items you purchase have.

Another expense that we have that hasn't been covered much is maintaining a home office; reliable computer, printer, paper and internet provider, phone, voicemail and provider, cell and provider, postage fees, and other office essentials. We cannot find each other and communicate without these, nor could I write your ceremony as quickly and efficiently.

Though my officiant services do provide added income to our home, this is a calling, NOT a gold mine, and I love what I do. I do as much as I can to hold down the cost, so that I can keep my prices down and still be profitable. I have three packages to choose from at $150 to $300. My customers have not complained about my fees, rather I have heard how reasonable I am.

This is coming from someone who performs ceremonies. I am a photographer, but I also perform about 30 ceremonies a year. I understand where you are all coming from, but I tell you this all from experience of performing well over 100 ceremonies.

1)Think of all the money you spend on your wedding. Photography, the hall, food, dress, flowers. Is the officiant the least important factor in your day?

2)If you book someone with a church, you pay less because the church is paying the officiants salary.

3)It is more than 30 minutes of work. I advertise, field calls/emails, meet couples, create ceremonies, go to rehearsals, show up an hour early on your day, perform the ceremony, have you sign your license (sometimes staying until your receiving line is over), I scan and email you a copy.

4)I work with a backup. Trust me, 12 brides over the years have called me after their original officiant dropped out for whatever reason. I've never cancelled. I'm a professional.

So you have to think about what the day is about. Do you want a"budget officiant" or do you want someone to give you a great wedding day experience? Aren't you getting married in order to get married? Or are you getting married to show everyone the flowers that you like? So honestly, put some thought into priorities. Use a random cheap officiant if you want, but I've seen brides in tears when they back out or do a half-hearted job. How do you want your actual wedding to be remembered?

Is it worth it to save $200 or $300? This person is representing you and your love to your friends and family. Wouldn't you want someone good rather than someone that'll just get the job done?

I wish you the best of luck. Just consider that $500 isn't necessarily crazy. $200 for all the work he/she will do is asking a lot. The other officiants concur.

Have a great wedding! The main thing, find someone you're comfortable with. That's the most important thing!

Ours is $120, an extra hundred if we want them for the rehearsal. $500 seems extremely high. Have you shopped around??

I think you pay for what you get. To me the ceremony is the most important part of the wedding. I found that the cheaper Officant's give you a cookie cutter ceremony that they can do for anyone. When we looked around the top affiants all seemed to be charging around 500.00

I have been performing weddings for over 20 years.Our fees are currently $200 for the ceremony and $100 for the rehearsal. It is a shame that the officiants have to defend their pricing considering they are performing and setting the tone of the ceremony. They are also the only person at your ceremony that can legally bind your marriage. As others have said, you are willing to pay exuberant prices for flowers, limos, etc., but you don't see the value of your officiant.

I wanted to add that many don't see the value of their officiant who most likely is one of the cheapest (if not the lowest) priced vendor you are working with.

I think you assume that he is only there for 30 minutes. My ceremony was only 30 minutes but he met with us twice, did a custom ceremony, traveled to the meetings, rehearsal, and ceremony, and from my email count traded 67 email messages with me. I bet yours did the same. $500 is cheap!

My prices are set and the highest I go is $175.00 - this includes the rehearsal- We have a ceremony workbook that we give our couples to choose every setting of the ceremony their way- we guide you through -we meet in person email have phone consultations till you are satisfied with the ceremony- we also have some ceremonies that are already typed up and you can change whatever you wish- My wife and I paid for an officiant that was close to 400.00 18 years ago with no say of what we wanted- I have had "another" officiant slander me to a couple stating I was a budget officiant with no experience- I do this to make couples happy- its not my full time job so I am able to have low fees. look around - meet with potential officiants-before you decide.

Like everybody else said, my fee is 500.00. U have a priest or minister, that is investing at least 7 or 8 hours, Pre-Marital courses 4 hours, rehearsal 1 1/5 hours, ceremony preparation another 3 hours. Driving to the Ceremony Site, wait for the bride anywhere from 1/2 hour to 1 hour after the start time, then to the court to file your Marriage license. Flowers will die in two days, but the ceremony will last forever. Good Luck

Beside to have a Priest or Minister with a real ministry and Church, no only a "Wedding Officiant" that got ordained Online just to start a "Ministry".

I'm finding it's somewhere between $350-500 here in the DC/Baltimore area for a non-denominational officiant unconnected to a church. I have already written a rough draft of the ceremony myself. I understand it is more than just 20-30 minutes, but I didn't budget $500 and am now in a bit of a bind. If anyone has any ideas in this area, please let me know!

I enjoyed the comments about "wear and tear on the tires" and fees associated with having a home office and a cell phone.