Believe it or not, your wedding officiant’s responsibilities extend far beyond inviting you to say “I do” and ensuring you and your partner seal your union with a smooch. They help orchestrate the ceremony from start to finish and often play a large part in verifying your nuptials on paper. But how much does a wedding officiant cost?
The average cost of a professional wedding officiant ranges from $200 to $400. The price goes up from there depending on the type of officiant and services you want. In this article, we’ll break down those different wedding officiant costs and offer tips for finding the perfect officiant for your big day!
The different types of officiants (and how much they’ll cost you)
All wedding officiants have the same basic responsibilities:
- Leading the ceremony
- Taking care of marriage license legalities
- Sending the signed license to the marriage bureau
Beyond that, there are four categories of wedding officiants, and each one comes with advantages and drawbacks.
So, to truly answer the question, “How much does a wedding officiant cost?” you first need to decide which kind of officiant you want for your important day.
Religious officiants
Whether it’s a rabbi, an Imam, or a pastor, a religious officiant can marry you and your spouse together while respecting your preferred traditions. If you or your partner are religious and you plan to get married in a place of worship, you won’t just want a religious officiant — you might need one.
In place of direct payment, many religious officiants will ask for a donation to the church, temple, or synagogue. The amount of your contribution could be left up to you, or there may be a predetermined fee structure. In either case, budget for a minimum of $200, or up to $750 if you plan to receive premarital counseling or other services.
Note: If neither party is a member of the institution (for example, if you’re getting married in a church you don’t attend), your fees may be higher than if you were a member.
Interfaith officiants
If you and your partner belong to different faiths but still want a religious wedding ceremony, you may want to look for an interfaith officiant. These officiants are often well-versed in multiple religions and work carefully to create a personalized ceremony that respects all cultures and traditions. The average cost for this specialized service may be slightly higher than that of a typical religious officiant.
Secular officiants
Secular officiants — also called wedding celebrants or professional officiants — are non-religious authorities that have been trained to officiate weddings. Before they can work, professional officiants undergo instruction at a recognized organization and receive certification.
Because these celebrants officiate weddings for a living, they likely have years of experience. Certified officiants can ensure your wedding vows go off without a hitch, but their expertise comes at a price.
According to Brides.com, you can expect to pay around $200-$300 for short, day-of reading. For the full package (the rehearsal, a personalized ceremony, and so on), your bill may be closer to $500-$800.
Civil officiants
A civil officiant is a government employee who can legally oversee and certify your marriage. If you’re planning a small courthouse wedding or a non-religious ceremony anywhere else, a civil officiant is a terrific choice. These officiants come under many names, including:
- City clerk
- Magistrate
- Mayor
- Notary
- Judge
- Justice of the Peace
Whatever title your civil officiant holds, they come with a distinct advantage: a guarantee that your union is 100% official.
As government officials, civil officiants tend to have transparent, easy-to-find fee structures often set by the state. This varies widely by location, so you’ll want to do your research and find the official requirements and associated fees for your specific county. If you choose to get married at the courthouse, you’ll often only have to pay a small fee for the ceremony and license.
Amateur officiants
For a more intimate approach, you can always have a friend or family member officiate your wedding. Don’t have an ordained brother or bestie? No problem.
Becoming a legally ordained minister online is surprisingly quick, easy, and affordable. Non-denominational organizations like the Universal Life Church offer a hassle-free path to ordination (they’ve even ordained Lady Gaga and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson!).
While anyone can be ordained online, not all jurisdictions recognize this form of ordination. Be sure to check the rules for your state or province ahead of time. Otherwise, you might find out you were never really married — or at least not legally.
Finally, keep in mind that while asking a family member to ordain your marriage ceremony is a low or no-cost option, you won’t likely receive benefits like premarital counseling or professional consultations.
💵 Don’t forget the tip! Regardless of the type of officiant you choose, you should plan to tip your wedding officiant in appreciation for the service they provided.
What to look for in a wedding officiant
No matter which type of officiant you choose, there are four essential traits your officiant should have that you should consider.
1. They respect your wishes
As soon as you said “yes,” you probably started to envision yourself standing at the altar. To ensure your reality lives up to your daydreams, you’ll want to find an officiant who considers your preferred:
- Language – Your officiant should be willing to avoid specific topics and use formal or informal language (depending on what you’re hoping for). For example, you may want to keep any mention of religion out of the ceremony or use gender-neutral pronouns.
- Customs – If you want to incorporate traditions or cultural practices into the ceremony, make sure your officiant is familiar with them or on board with learning.
- Dress – As with language, attire can make or break a ceremony. Check with your officiant to see if they’re comfortable dressing down or wearing traditional garb.
2. They make you feel at ease
Ultimately, your wedding day is about you. You want an officiant who makes you and your spouse-to-be feel like a million bucks.
Those initial meetings exist for a reason — chat with your officiant and make sure you laugh and smile together. When there’s chemistry between the three of you, you can guarantee you’ll have a fun, unforgettable ceremony.
3. They understand their role
No matter who you choose as your officiant, they need to recognize what you want and need from them. When working with professionals or civil officiants, this means finding someone with experience who understands the kind of wedding you want.
When asking a family member or friend to officiate your wedding, be sure they know what to expect and what you expect of them. They must be ready to spend time preparing and take the ceremony seriously (or at least as seriously as you want them to).
4. They’ll sign a contract
Always ask for an officiating agreement or a contract. If your officiant doesn’t work with contracts, you should at least have the terms of your engagement in writing. Having a written record of your communications and expectations ensures you won’t have any last-minute mishaps.
💡 Pro tip: Book your wedding officiant on GigSalad for the added security of our Worry-Free Guarantee. All of your event details will be included in the booking agreement and your payments will be handled through our secure platform.
Tips for hiring officiants
Compared to tasting cakes and trying on dresses, choosing an officiant may seem a little dull. But a first-rate officiant can take a ceremony from standard to spectacular, so it’s worth taking the time to find the right one. Here are some tips for finding the perfect wedding officiant.
Plan ahead
Try to start auditioning your potential officiants no less than six months before the wedding date — or ideally a year in advance, if possible. Officiants book up fast, especially during wedding season, so give yourself lots of time to find the right one.
Planning ahead also allows your officiant to prepare for your wedding. With documents to order, logistics to untangle, and a ceremony to rehearse, you’ll be glad you locked someone in early.
Meet with several officiants
It may have been love at first sight with your partner, but it might not be with your officiant — and that’s okay! Consider meeting with at least three different officiants to see the full range of officiating styles and prices. From there, you can pick your favorite.
Ask questions
Remember, you’re interviewing your officiant for a job. You don’t need to interrogate them in good-cop-bad-cop style, but it’s important to ask questions to find the right fit. Here are some sample questions to ask:
- How long have you worked as an officiant?
- Have you ever officiated at our venue before?
- Do you have any videos of past ceremonies we can watch?
- Are you available for the rehearsal?
The more questions you can ask up front, the better idea you’ll have about whether or not they’re right for you.
Where to find wedding officiants
While you might have had your dress and venue picked out since you were 15, you likely weren’t scouring Pinterest for officiants. Worry not — they’re easy enough to find.
Word of mouth
When you ask friends and family for their recommendations, you know it’s coming from a reliable source. Because every wedding needs an officiant, you probably know someone who can put you in touch with a top-notch celebrant.
Did you love the officiant at a friend’s recent wedding? Ask the newlyweds if they’ll share their minister’s information.
Through the venue
Venues sometimes work closely with officiants in the community, and they may be able to recommend someone in a pinch. At a non-religious location, staff can usually point you in the right direction.
If your ceremony will take place at a church or temple, you’ll likely work directly with the religious leader, though you may have the option to bring in your own officiant instead.
On GigSalad
Where might you find your own trusted officiant? Why, on GigSalad, of course!
With GigSalad, you can find local wedding officiants with the click of a button — from the most traditional ministers to the freestyle-rapping officiant of your wildest dreams.
Not only that, but you’ll also be able to tap into a network of thousands of performers and vendors to tie all of the loose ends together for a wedding that’s one-of-a-kind and one to remember.
Choosing your wedding officiant is a big decision. Be sure to weigh both the cost and how well they fit into your overall vision for your special day. With a little research and planning, you’ll find the perfect wedding officiant to guide you and your partner through all the steps to making your union official!
Ready to book something awesome for your big day? Find the best wedding services on GigSalad.
Sonia is a Customer Happiness Agent at GigSalad and uses the knowledge she’s gained from helping both the vendor and client through the booking process to give her best event planning advice. When she’s not at work she enjoys the outdoors, a good book, trying new recipes, and spending quality time with her husband and their furbabies.