Having a favorite relative or close friend (I’m going to just say “uncle” in this blog) officiate your wedding is an increasingly-popular approach to the person that both sanctifies and legalizes your marriage.
I’m a Taos wedding minister so I may project a bit of a bias.
I will try to objectively present some pros and cons of having your uncle officiate your wedding. This is regardless of your wedding being in your backyard or a destination, and whether your guest count is 6, 60 or 600.
Your Uncle’s Experience
Your uncle loves you and will be thrilled to officiate and will most likely do an excellent job for you. I have been that uncle, so I speak from experience. The first time I ever officiated was for a nephew. To this day I credit him with helping point me toward this profession back in 2006. We figured our way through the process and the ceremony was exactly what he and his bride wanted – a very unique, nature-based spiritual ceremony. I was nervous right alongside them – last minute details galore – and shared their tears during the ceremony.
To the nervousness point, that is really something it’d be nice if you could avoid. That was 11 years ago for me and I’ve officiated hundreds of wedding ceremonies since then. Even when I have served subsequently for family members, I bring calm to the altar. And I would say that is one of the top reasons you might consider a professional officiant.
If you want an officiant working on your behalf in a calm and competent manner, shoot me an email at Dan@EmbracingCeremony.com or give me a call at 720-849-5967 to ask any questions you might have. I’d love to work with you and understand you have to determine if I’m the right fit for you.
The serene composure you’d like from your officiant comes from experience as well as being someone that derives particular joy from sharing such a meaningful moment as when you exchange vows. Behind the confident calm your celebrant can emanate to you and your guests there is the peace of mind for you that everything about the ceremony is being handled and you can let go and simply be present for your big day. Going back to my first wedding, I forgot to sign the marriage license. That’s definitely not a detail you want to overlook!
Questions to Ask your Uncle
- Is your uncle comfortable speaking in front of people?
- Is he organized so he can keep track of the ceremony details for you?
- Will he print a script and follow it so there are no surprises?
- Will he avoid using an iPad to read from? (Many an embarrassing moment when something goes wrong with it.)
A professional wedding officiant is going to know all the possible ways to do things before, during and after your ceremony. They can share with you the conventional and unconventional way things can be done. And all the possibilities in between; a good wedding officiant will gladly hybridize to meet your unique situation, needs or desires.
But at the core, you have their experience as a background coach. If your uncle has not officiated extensively, you’ll likely be the one researching and figuring out the approach you’d like to take to your ceremony.
Designing your wedding processional is one of the more important aspects of wedding planning and your officiant can do that with you. And doing it well makes a difference on your wedding day. You’ll want everyone in their correct places, walking at the correct time and at the right pace – and without stress! Which all leads to the processional showcasing you!
Taos Wedding Minister
If your uncle is going to be your officiant, don’t forget to have him sign your marriage license, like I did back in 2006! And if you’d like to find out the availability of a Taos wedding celebrant, fill out my Contact Form and start the easy process of having me facilitate joy on your wedding day!
Want more information on this topic? Email Dan at Dan@EmbracingCeremony.com