When it comes to who you want officiating your wedding ceremony, its all about personal choice. If you grew up in a very strict religious home, you may decide you want a specific minister or someone who embraces your unique faith to perform your marital ceremony. If you have always dreamed of having a small wedding officiated by someone you are close to like a friend or relative, that’s perfectly acceptable to. Whether you want a minister or non-denominational officiant is something you have to decide for yourself, alongside the love of your life.
Who you choose to officiate also depends on the wedding you hope to have. If you want a very modern or secular wedding, a minister or religious officiant who often refers to holy text and religious passages may not feel right or fit in with your overall ceremony, and the same is true vice versa. Of course, you don’t have to dismiss your family’s pastor just because you have a certain outlook of how your ceremony should go. Sit down with any and all potential officiants and get a feel for whom you and your future spouse both like. You may deeply desire a minister for your ceremony, but not like the first five that you sit down and speak with because of a specific view they have. It’s okay to be picky with who will perform your ceremony and present you as a married couple to the world. You don’t need to be religious to have a minister marry you, and you don’t need to be a non-believer to prefer a less traditional officiant. It’s your wedding; it’s 100% your decision.
Another thing to consider when choosing between a minister and non-denominational officiant is your guest list. If you have grandparents who would rather keel over than see you married by someone not of the family church, that is definitely something you need to consider, whether that means choosing their way or ignoring their requests. Or perhaps you and your future spouse come from very different or opposing religious backgrounds, this may cause you to opt for a non-denominational officiant simply for the sake of respectable peace between families during the ceremony. Whatever your reasons are for choosing your minister or non-denominational officiant for your wedding, just make sure they are well thought out reasons that were at least run by your significant other. Getting married is a journey you must embark on with the love of your life, and although it doesn’t technically matter who prompts you to say your “I do’s,” it is still an important decision that needs to be made together. At Vintage Gardens Wedding Chapel & Event Center, all packages include a non-denominational minister with the signing of the marriage license.
If you’re looking to plan a wedding, give one of our wedding event coordinators a call at 586.930.5400 to make an appointment to view Metro Detroit’s premier wedding chapel. Your dream wedding is just a phone call away.