That's What Friends Are For

Tip #8

Have a friend officiate

Remember the Friends episode when Joey, dressed in WWII military dress, married Chandler and Monica? He'd come directly from a film rehearsal still in costume and in typical Joey (aka Doofus) style, warmed our hearts with his genuine, though gone a tad awry, sentiments about marriage and his dear friends about to be married. 

It wasn't Joey's oratory skills that got Chandler and Monica married. It was a combination of two factors: 1) He went online and became ordained and 2) he loved his friends and wanted to support them.

If you're needing to stretch your wedding dollars, consider asking a friend to officiate your ceremony.

Now... I hesitate to write this because of all the wonderful ministers, priests and officiants that I have the great privilege of working with. Please, dear officiant friends, forgive me.

While a Santa Fe officiant’s fee ranges from (approximately) $250 to $350, for the time the officiant spends with you helping you design your perfect ceremony, meeting with you to get to know you and officiating at your ceremony, for the hours they’ve spent with you, their compensation is minimal. I often wonder how my most favorite and beloved officiants make a living from their fees.

If you do decide to ask a dear one to officiate for you, getting ordained can be free or cost a nominal fee. Here are some great resources:
For an informative article at the Wall Street Journal Online, read "Chapel Bound: Getting Ordained Online."  There are several links here for getting ordained.

To become ordained for free, find out more information about the process or for state-by-state Marriage Law, visit Universal Life Church Monastery. Also at this site is Perform a Ceremony: A Three-step Guide.

And last, but not least, to help you write your ceremony, here is highly recommended book, The Wedding Ceremony Planner by ecumenical/interfaith officiant and life coach Judith Johnson.