Ensuring you have a wedding officiant or a wedding minister available for the big day. Putting all plans in place for a wedding can be stressful but amazing, considering that you will spend forever with your partner. Weddings are stressful because of the details that go into them.
Who Is a Wedding Officiant?
An official who performs marriage or civil unions is known as a marriage officiant. The consent of the intended spouses must be obtained and witnessed by them, and they must also ensure that all legal requirements are considered for the marriage or civil union to be valid.
The benefit of having a marriage officiant is that even if you want your wedding to be non-religious, you can still have them there. There are several Oklahoma City wedding ministers available for you to pick from.
Dr. Makayla Saramosing and Dr. Tinsley Keefe can be contacted to officiate your wedding. So, as a wedding officiant in Oklahoma, you have a couple who wants you to officiate their non-religious wedding. So, keep on reading to find the process involved in officiating.
How a Wedding Officiant Can Officiate a Non-Religious Wedding Easily
Write About the Ceremony.
Every couple has in mind what they want their dream wedding to look like. As a wedding officiant in Oklahoma City, you play a significant role in how that day will unfold. You are the one officiating the wedding, which means you know how to write about the ceremony in advance.
The exchange of vows, rings, and pronouncement of marriage has to be written out. You don’t want to forget anything. Since it is non-religious, readings or bible portions will not be included. Looking out for the legal requirements in the wedding is essential because they must be met.
As a wedding officiant, you don’t need to make the ceremony boring, so you should include some heartfelt sentiments and sweet stories about the couple.
However, it has to be done in moderation. Those close to the couple, like their bridesmaids or groomsmen, will be more than willing to share and tell you these stories.
Know What You Will Wear
Discussing what you will wear to the ceremony with the couple is essential. You are not
just a guest but a wedding minister in Oklahoma. The couple may say that what you wear doesn’t matter, but you must dress well because you will be standing with the couple to officiate the wedding.
As a wedding officiant, your cloth should look good and fit into the wedding. You should not stand out or act as though you are stealing the spotlight in the ceremony. Agreeing on an outfit based on the dress code is often best.
Exercise Public Speaking
Spend some time reading through your script before the ceremony rehearsal. Before being ordained as a wedding minister in Oklahoma, you may have gotten comfortable with public speaking, but it doesn’t hurt to still practice.
Make a note of the appropriate places to pause for effect, and practice speaking any words that might slip your tongue by re-formatting the document with line breaks. Doing this will help you on the big day.
Practicing your lines in advance will help you avoid getting too emotional. To improve eye contact with the pair and the audience, go over the script in front of a mirror. Make sure the couple also practices their vows and lines beforehand.
Go Over the Ceremony with the Couple.
Most couples are often too busy worrying about their wedding photography, wedding videography, and other things than worrying about how the officiant has planned what the ceremony to look like. But, going over this is very important.
Telling and agreeing with the couple on what will be said during the officiation, the introduction, and other essential statements are reasonable. It gives people the time to agree or disagree and make necessary changes.
Attend the Rehearsal and Run Through the Entire Ceremony Before the Big Day
Being a marriage officiant in Oklahoma City makes it extra essential to attend the rehearsal. Verify again immediately to ensure you’ve covered all of your bases. Make sure that everything is set up and prepared to go.
Ensure there is no confusion regarding the handoff and exchange of the rings during the ceremony, and ask who will have the rings. You don’t want to have a wedding without rings. Other details also need to be sorted.
Review the Marriage License
It is your job to ensure that the marriage license is filled and submitted according to the state’s rules as a wedding officiant. The couple is to return the license, and you must remind them of that in case they forget. All rules must be legally followed to officially be a couple.
Conduct the Ceremony
On the wedding day, it is time to conduct the ceremony and ensure it goes smoothly. Make sure you have a few additional copies of your ceremony script and your script on hand, just in case. It doesn’t hurt to do that.
As the wedding officiant, you should include backup copies of the couple’s vows. If somebody forgets these essential documents, they will likely turn to you for advice, and you don’t want to let the couple down. As you direct the ceremony, maintain confidence and composure.
Authenticate the Marriage License
You must sign the marriage license after your tasks are finished. The couple must sign the marriage license and two witnesses, depending on your county’s rules. At the county clerk, you can go ahead to file the marriage license. Alternatively, it can be done with a recorder or registrar or to who you submit it depending on your county. It is the last action that completes the transaction and makes it official.
Conclusion
Officiating a non-religious wedding is not difficult as you may think. The couple picking you to be their wedding officiant knows you are just the best person for the job. So, help them have a wonderful wedding and go through what the ceremony should look like with them.
