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April 9, 2025 17 mins

 

Have you ever considered the role of an officiant in a wedding?

 

What makes an officiant essential to the perfect wedding ceremony?

 

Have you had any memorable experiences involving an officiant at weddings you’ve attended?

 

 

This podcast is for engaged couples who are stressed out with wedding planning and family expectations but want a fun wedding day.

 

Our hosts Sal and Sam discuss the crucial role of the wedding officiant in setting the tone of the ceremony.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Do you want a ceremony that'smore traditional or religious?
Is choosing the right officiant important?
Now I know when you think about weddingplanning, the officiant may not be
the first thing on your checklist.
You're busy picking out the dress,the venue, the DJ, hopefully
us, and making sure Aunt Lindaisn't sitting next to Uncle Bob.

(00:22):
But your officiant plays a huge rolein setting the tone for one of the
most important moments of your life.
They're the person standing with youat the altar, guiding you through your
vows and making your marriage official.
So how do you find theright person for the job?
We'll break it down in today's podcast.
Thank you for joining us.
I'm Sal from After HoursEvents in New England.

(00:44):
We'll answer these questionsand more in today's Stress-free
Wedding Planning Podcast Edition.
Welcome to another edition of our podcast.
Hi, I'm Sam from Atmosphere Productions.
Listen now and discover, Say I do,To The Best Top Tips For Choosing
Your Ideal Wedding Officiant.
These are wedding insider secrets fora stress free, fun, and memorable day.

(01:09):
Our podcast helps engaged couplesnavigate wedding planning complexities
while addressing family expectations.
Yes, we'll guide you through thejourney of creating the perfect
wedding without unnecessary stress.
By the end of this edition, you'llget concise tips on budgeting.
Wedding party management, ceremony,reception planning, and more.

(01:30):
Perfect for anyone planning awedding, all in 30 minutes or less.
Trust us, you don't want to miss this.
Welcome to Stress Free WeddingPlanning, the podcast that will
transform your wedding planningjourney from chaotic to enchanting.
Sal and Sam bring over 80 years ofcombined wedding expertise and exclusive
insider information to the table.

(01:51):
If you're recently engaged, feelingthe pressure of wedding planning,
Struggling with family expectations, butstill dreaming of a joy filled wedding.
You've come to the right place.
Get ready to unveil the best kept weddingsecrets, discover practical tips and
strategies, and learn life changinglessons for a stress free wedding.
Your unforgettable wedding day awaits.

(02:11):
We're here to take you on a transformativejourney of love, laughter, and memories.
So don't miss out on the podcastthat just might change your life.
This is the stress free weddingplanning podcast with Sal and Sam.
On today's podcast,  SayI do, To The Best.
Top Tips For Choosing Your IdealWedding Officiant your wedding
officiate plays a crucial role insetting the tone of your big day.

(02:34):
In this edition, we'll coverhow to find the perfect fit.
Someone who matches your vision, bringsconfidence and experience, personalizes
your ceremony, and ensures all legalrequirements are handled smoothly.
Listen now for expert tips tomake your ceremony unforgettable.
Hi, I'm Sal from AfterHours Events of New England.

(02:57):
Your go to experts for creating stressfree and unforgettable weddings.
From DJ services and wedding officiatingto photo booths and lighting.
Our team brings energy,professionalism, and a passion for
making your big day truly special.
Whatever your vision, we'rehere to make it happen.
Visit us at after hoursevents of N.E dot com.

(03:19):
Learn more about our experienceand journey to help you with
Stress-free Wedding Planning in thetrailer or pilot of this podcast.
Selecting the right weddingofficiant is essential, as they
not only set the atmosphere foryour ceremony, but also ensure your
marriage is legally recognized.

(03:40):
I'm Sam from Atmosphere Productions,the award winning wedding entertainment
company with expert knowledgeand the difference in quality.
Visit us at atmospherehyphen productions dot com.
Today's edition is all about choosingyour ideal wedding officiant.
Hey, Sam, as you know, I'm a bit of anexpert when it comes to this subject

(04:00):
because I've been a wedding officiant nowfor over 16 years, and this is definitely
a subject that resonates with me.
So let's kind of jump rightinto things right away.
Choosing someone who matches your vision.
This is so important.
You have to figure out whatyour vision is first, of course.
Do you want something traditional?
Do you want it to be something religious?
something lighthearted or a deeppersonal and emotional moment?

(04:23):
Your officiant should reflectthe vibe you're going for.
Talk to them about their style andmake sure it aligns with your vision.
This is something truly important.
So, Sal, since that is so important,how do you go about finding that person?
There's different ways.
One I suggest is talking to friendswho have gotten married and see who

(04:44):
they abused and see why they liked thatperson or maybe didn't like that person.
Sometimes talking to the managementof the facility you're at.
So if you're having it at a facilitywhere you're having a reception,
they have good ideas for differentwedding officiants, like I'm knowing
for the lighthearted type thing.
So they would tell people, ifyou're looking for lighthearted

(05:04):
and fun, he's the one for you.
But if you're looking for someone who'ssuper religious, this person's for you.
So you really need to do some research.
You can even go out onto The Knot.
There's a wedding officiants out there.
You get to see reviews and reallyget to hear what people and how they
felt about their wedding officiant.
So, bearing that in mind, what elseshould engaged couples look for?

(05:25):
So when you're going to interviewdifferent wedding officiants,
you want to get a feel.
Are they understandingwhat you're looking for?
Can they bring out what you want?
Are they trying to be the centerof attention while they're
having a meeting with you?
You want to feel that this weddingday is about you and nobody else.
And that's, what's going tohappen with the wedding officiant.

(05:45):
Something you do have to watch out.
There are wedding officiants thatmake it totally about themselves.
I know one, he finds a way, no matterwhat town he is officiating in.
He always talks about how that townand how's it resonates with him
and goes through a whole spiel.
It should be all about you.
We should be telling your lovestory and using pieces that

(06:05):
resonate with you and nobody else.
Just as a reminder, you can alsojoin us on our YouTube channel.
Just search for Stress-free WeddingPlanning Podcast with Sal and Sam.
Subscribe and get it first.
Now, Sal, discuss with us about thelegalities and the licensing processes,
because this is a very important partof hiring your wedding officiant.

(06:30):
So things you need to find outabout your wedding officiant is if
they are a Justice of the Peace.
You want proof that they are a Justice ofthe Peace of the town they say they are.
This is very important.
This is a political position.
this is what makes thema Justice of the Peace.
A Justice of the Peacecannot go state to state.
That is illegal.
You can't do that.
So if you're having your weddingin Connecticut, they can't jump.

(06:53):
to Massachusetts, unless if they get a oneday pass, that's one of the laws there,
but we'll get into that in a moment.
So, uh, when it comes to weddingofficiants, if they're not a Justice
of the Peace, they're "Ordained".
Either they are priests that have beenordained by the church, or the newest
thing, of course, is being ordainedby online services, which makes

(07:13):
it absolutely legal to be married.
Not at all States.
So you have to be careful.
So you need to knowwhat your State allows.
Now I'm going to talk about twoStates that I know about because
that's where I work most of the time.
So in Connecticut, you could geta license up to 65 days prior to
your wedding, and it must be atthe town hall of the location of

(07:34):
where you're going to be married.
That's very important.
You can't be getting marriedin Middletown and trying to
get your license in Simsbury.
It has to be in Middletown.
You both have to go together.
there is a little formyou have to fill out.
Most places are asking foryou to send it ahead of time.
So when you get to townhall, they are ready for you.

(07:55):
And you're in and out in about 10 minutes.
Now, you have to be together.
You must have a validlicense or a state ID.
That's very important.
You don't need anything else.
In Massachusetts, a littlemore, involved here.
So in Connecticut, you'll get yourlicense the moment you walk in
and go through all the paperwork.

(08:15):
In Massachusetts, you have to give thepaperwork, show your IDs and typically
your long form of your birth certificate.
And then you got to come back inthree days to come pick it up.
It's a little weird on how they doit, but that's just how it goes.
So both of you don't haveto be there to pick it up.
It just needs to be one of you.
So you just have a valid ID to provethat you're one of the two people.

(08:35):
So in Massachusetts, you canget your license about 30 days
prior to, and you can go to anytown hall to get your license.
But I always suggest make that phone callto make sure someone is going to be there
so you're not showing up to an emptyoffice, because that's just horrible.
Now, I do want to remind you, wetalked about  Justice of the Peace.
Now, in Massachusetts, someone that'sa  Justice of the Peace in Massachusetts

(09:00):
can marry you in Massachusetts, butcannot marry you in Connecticut.
They would have to be ordained togo over to the Connecticut area.
If they're from Connecticut goingto Massachusetts, they have to get
what's called a "one day pass."
So a  Justice of the Peace, again,as a political position, this is
something they have to go for on theyear of the presidential election.

(09:20):
So this is something that we're dealingwith Republican and the Democratic party.
And sometimes a lot of these, Justices ofthe Peace are independents, it's easier
to get in that way, but it's a politicalposition that they have to re up every
four years, so every time the presidentis being elected, they have to go for
it in their town, and it's a lottery,you may not get it again the next year,

(09:41):
so that's something that you have to becareful of, if you know you're in that
election year, and they may not be ableto get, re affiliated with their town.
You might have to go with someone else.
So something you want tokind of be careful with.
Thanks for explaining that, Sal.
Very technical informationthere, but very important.
So we just explained choosing someonewho matches your vision, look for

(10:03):
experience and confidence in yourwedding officiant, and also making sure
they're legally qualified and can guideyou through the licensing process.
Coming up next, how personalizationis key and the chemistry matters.
But first, if you have a questionor concern, go to Facebook and
join us on the Stress-free WeddingPlanning Community and ask away.

(10:24):
You can also join uson our YouTube channel.
Just search for Stress-free WeddingPlanning Podcast with Sal and Sam
and subscribe and get it first.
This is the Stress Free WeddingPlanning Podcast with Sal and Sam, a
podcast for engaged couples concernedabout wedding planning and family
expectations, but who want a stressfree, fun, and unforgettable wedding.
Now it's time for our favorite segment.

(10:46):
It's Wedding Tip Wednesday.
Marriage is a relationship whereone person is always right and the
other person is called the spouse.
That's so funny.
No comment.
Oh my goodness.
Today is Wedding Tip WednesdayAnticipating Rejection.
You should expect at least 10 to 20percent of your guests are not going

(11:07):
to be able to make it to your wedding.
And it's for various reasons, it'sbecause of the date, they may have
something that they already had plannedfor that day or they're out of town or
out of state or even out of country.
So the more people you invite thatare from a far distance, a greater
chance, you're going to have rejection.
So be prepared for thatand even have a "B list".

(11:28):
So if you have an opportunity toinvite more people later, you can.
So get used to hearing the word,"no", I'm not coming to your wedding".
There's nothing wrong with that at all.
And that's another weddingtip from Sal and Sam.
Experience the magic of your specialday with Pfitzner Productions, a
premier wedding videography companybased in Middletown, Connecticut.
Fitzner Productions dot com.

(11:50):
Our mission is to capture your lovestory, candidly and authentically,
creating stunning, high quality videosthat you can cherish for years to come.
Our founder, Carson Fitzner,combines technical expertise
with a passion of storytelling.
Ensuring every moment from the excitementof getting ready to the heartfelt
ceremony is beautifully documented.
We offer a range of customizable packages,including drone footage and multi location

(12:15):
shoots tailored to fit your unique vision.
Let us help you relive the romance,laughter, and tears of your wedding day.
Visit Fitzner Productions dot com.
That's F I T Z N E R productions dot com.
This is the Stress Free WeddingPlanning Podcast with Sal and Sam.
Welcome back to our discussion.
Say I do to the best.

(12:36):
Top tips for choosing yourideal wedding officiant.
I'm Sal from After HoursEvents in New England.
In the first half of this edition, wetalked about choosing someone who matches
your vision to look for the experienceand confidence and also making sure
they're legally qualified and can guideyou through the licensing process.
All good things.

(12:57):
Hi, I'm Sam from Atmosphere Productions.
Now let's talk about personalization.
The best ceremonies in my mindare the ones that feel unique.
Sal, as an expert, how do youmake sure of the personalization
and uniqueness of that ceremony?
So what I like to do is I will show acouple, a number of popular, different,

(13:22):
scripts and I let them know you'renot going to like any script in it's
entirety, but what you are goingto like is certain bits and pieces.
So let's create your own unique script.
And also let's includeyour love story in there.
That is so important.
Adding some details thatmakes it you and yours only.
You want to be carefulwhen talking to officiants.

(13:43):
If they say they have a set scriptand that's not what you want, you
definitely want to look at someone whowill create the script with you and make
it perfect to fit you and your vibe.
Now, chemistry is very important.
The fact that the two of you have toget together and be on the same page.
It's the same as picking your DJ.
Why does chemistry matter?

(14:03):
Because it's going to show whenyou're up there with a couple.
If you are just not, you'rejust not matched properly.
I had a couple of ones.
This was the greatestcompliment I could ever get.
they hired me literally two weeksbefore their wedding, but we had so many
conversations within that two weeks.
And when the ceremony was said and done.
The guests are asking, so how didyou, how long have you known Sal?

(14:25):
And they were like, wejust met him two weeks ago.
So it's just really learning your coupleand their likes and dislikes and learning
more about, them as people and tryingto implement that into this ceremony,
because that's what everyone knows.
They know those people.
Bring things out that they knowabout that will make them feel
more comfortable in the ceremony.

(14:46):
That's all great information, Sal.
Any last tips or suggestions that you'dlike our listeners to take with them about
choosing their ideal wedding officiant?
Basically, what I want to say is makesure you pick someone that fits your
vibe, who's understanding what you arelooking for, which is so important.
At the end, you need to be comfortablewith the choice you've made.

(15:08):
Are they the person thatyou were looking for?
You've asked many questions, youwant to know about personalization,
you want to know how theyactually present the ceremony.
Sometimes it's better to get somevideo of that wedding officiant
so you get a really good feel.
Most wedding officiants do you have video?
And now don't expect to have the sameexact thing you see in that video, because

(15:29):
again, it's going to be unique to you.
Once you go with someone that makesyou feel comfortable, which is,
ultimately the best thing, becausewhen you walk down that aisle, you
need someone who's going to takecommand of your guests, but also make
you feel really great up there andkind of lessen the nerves for you.
So in my experience, these are allthe things you need to look for to
find the perfect wedding officiant.

(15:50):
So there you have it.
We've just provided you some insidertips from our resident expert, Sal, on
choosing your ideal wedding officiant.
If you're looking for an officiantwho brings warmth, personality, and
professionalism to your wedding day, whilealso helping you navigate the legal side.
Hopefully these tips have helped you.

(16:11):
As we always say here at theStress-free Wedding Planning
podcast, do your research.
Find out more, ask a question andtell us all about your experience
in the Facebook community.
Now, as you spend the next weekplanning your wedding, if you want
me, Sam, or our community of stressfree, engaged couples and wedding
experts to answer any wedding relatedquestions, join us over in the Stress

(16:34):
Free Wedding Planning Facebook group.
Once you're in, go ahead and share yourconcerns and worries and we'll let you
know if you're on the right track or ifthere's something we need to work on.
The link to join us is in the shownotes of this edition, or go to
Facebook and search for the StressFree Wedding Planning Community.
A new edition is released every Wednesday.
Subscribe and get it burst.
Remember to do something nice forsomeone today, and if you can't,

(16:57):
do something nice for yourself.
We'll catch you then.
Ciao.
Thank you for listening to this edition.
If you've enjoyed what you've justheard, leave a review and share it
with a friend or someone who wouldbenefit from this information.
Until
next time, it's TTFN.
Ta ta for now.
The Stress Free Wedding PlanningPodcast is produced and copyrighted by
Atmosphere Productions in associationwith After Hours Events of New England.
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