Planning makes PERFECT…
So, he FINALLY popped the question and now your mind is racing with all the planning you’ll have to do for your wedding. Where to start? As you can imagine, planning a wedding isn’t easy and takes a lot of research and time. This article was written to help couples with best practices and tips on how to find the PERFECT Ordained Minister online.
The most obvious way to find a qualified Wedding Officiant is through referrals or perhaps you attended a wedding ceremony and liked the Officiant. If that’s the case, your work is done and you can check this off your wedding to-do list. Congrats!
Don’t stress!
For most people, this is not the case and they have no idea where to begin their search. This can cause couples to stress and worry about how they will choose a Wedding Officiant for their special day. Put those worries aside, I’m here to help elevate your stress and worries.
The search begins
Typically, Google searches are a good start in compiling a list of possible Wedding Officiants. But what keywords are best to use when locating an Officiant?
What phrase renders the best results to address your needs? These are the typical questions and worries I’ve heard from clients over the years.
Simple searches like “Wedding Officiant in XXX” can produce website results like Thumb Tack or Wedding Officiants. These types of websites are directories that sell listing space to Wedding Officiants (paid subscription) who wish to be part of their network.
This resource can be effective in your early stages of research. However, that doesn’t give you a good understanding if the Wedding Officiant is the “right person” for you.
Yelp is a great resource to find an ordained minister in specific areas
Yelp is a better resource to use since this will give you more in-depth feedback on how clients felt about their services. Yelp reviews are the heartbeat of any business big or small.
Reviews are testimonies and reflections of each couple’s experience. Take these reviews seriously, and allow them to be an insight as to what to expect from those officiants.
My suggestion to you is to create a shortlist of qualities you’re looking for in a Wedding Officiant. Then match those qualities to reviews/feedback you’ve seen on Yelp, family or friend referrals, or Wedding Officiant directories.
Now that you’ve got some perspective ordained ministers
Once you’ve identified at least three separate prospects, contact them to get more details about their services. It’s best to do this over a phone call, it will give you an opportunity to ask as many questions you have and get a feel of their personality.
Remember, don’t rush this process; take your time and be prepared to interview as many officiants as it takes. A Wedding Officiant’s role is vital to a memorable ceremony. So don’t take it lightly when choosing the “perfect” Wedding Officiant…
Side Note: In another article (How To Hire An Officiant For A Wedding – Official Guide) I discuss the next steps once you’ve identified your “perfect” Wedding Officiant. Questions to ask, payment agreement, and your client contract. If you found this article useful, do yourself a favor and check out the next one…