We’d like to thank Brides magazine for the shout-out yesterday in their article, “Friends Officiating Weddings 101: Everything You Need to Know.” Along with noting that having a friend or family member perform your marriage ceremony can be more intimate and personal — not to mention cheaper — than hiring a professional Wedding Officiant, the article also importantly points out that there are pitfalls, not the least of which is that all Officiants — whether friend or pro — must be ordained in accordance with all state and local laws. While you may be concerned about the elements of your wedding ceremony (which we cover here), two key elements in the…
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Getting Married This Year? Here’s What You Need To Know…
You were engaged over the holidays? Congratulations! If you are getting married this year, now the fun begins — the planning, the worrying, the “sweating the details.” Okay, “fun” may be a relative term, but there’s no reason for one of the biggest days of your life to be daunting. The first thing to know is that you have options, even if you are planning everything on your own. Gather your resources — The Knot, Brides Magazine, and Bridal Guide are excellent places to start. And, now that you know who you will be marrying, it’s time to figure out who will marry the two of you! If you belong…
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Choose Your Wedding Dress, Flowers, Bridesmaids … and Your Officiant!
So you were recently engaged to get married — congratulations! Now the fun part — planning your wedding — begins in earnest. On your long list of things that need to get done, you probably know who your bridesmaids will be, and you have an idea what your wedding dress will look like, and where your marriage ceremony will take place. But do you know who will perform your wedding ceremony, the person who will guide you through your “I do’s” and pronounce you as husband and wife? If you belong to a church, your pastor or minister will probably be your first choice as your Wedding Officiant. But what…
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First Nation Minister Kim Kirkley Celebrates Salik-Riffat Nuptials
The entire First Nation family extends its congratulations and warmest wishes for a lifetime of joy and love to Dr. Irim Salik and Mahmud Riffat, who were married last weekend at Park Savoy Estate, with Kim Kirkley serving as their Celebrant. Kim Kirkley, an ordained and licensed First Nation ceremonial minister, is one of the leading Life-Cycle Celebrants® in the New York and New Jersey area. In addition to her service as a Celebrant, she serves on the faculty of the Celebrant Foundation and Institute, focusing on Fundamentals of Celebrancy, Weddings, Ceremony Across the Life Cycle Certifications, and Advanced Marketing Courses. She is the author of several books, including “Love Stories: A Celebrant’s Work,”…
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What To Wear: Proper Attire For Officiants
We recently received an inquiry from Robert Marsh, a First Nation ceremonial minister in Texas, who asked: What type of clerical garments are we able to use? This is a great question, and a great subject for us to discuss in detail. For most ceremonies, including weddings and funerals, Officiants will generally wear what is commonly regarded as “business attire,” such as a standard suit and tie for men, or a dress or pants outfit for women. Black or dark blue is recommended, with a white shirt or blouse, although a tasteful blue shirt or blouse is also acceptable. In such situations, the attire should not be too bright or flashy —…
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The “Standard” Format For Marriage Ceremonies
One of the most-asked questions we receive — right up there with “what the heck am I supposed to do next?” — is actually fairly important: What is the standard structure of a wedding ceremony? Most weddings follow basically the same format, with minor adjustments here and there depending upon the desires of the bridal couple. Keep in mind that the bridal couple usually comes up with their own format for the ceremony, but many times you’ll show up and they’ll be looking at you for guidance every step of the way — and you had better be ready with a plan! Keep in mind that, aside from traditional ceremonies…
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First Nation Minister Weds NYC Couple
We extend our best wishes for a lifetime of love and joy to Elise Chang and Alastair Kusack, who were married in Manhattan this weekend, with First Nation ceremonial minister Kim Kirkley officiating. Their full, wonderful story is detailed in the pages of today’s edition of the New York Times.
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Anglican Wedding Ceremony (1662): The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony
We are often asked for sample ceremonies, or guidance on how to perform a specific style of wedding, by members of our clergy. We were recently contacted for assistance on planning an Elizabethan or Olde English ceremony by a minister who was asked to perform a marriage at a Renaissance Faire-style event. In our research, we came across this amazing period piece — an Anglican Wedding Ceremony from more than 350 years ago. Read, and enjoyeth thyself: First the Banns of all that are to be married together must be published in the Church three several Sundays, during the time of Morning Service, or of Evening Service (if there be no…
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Choosing The Perfect Song For Your First Dance
We had gone through all the prep work — putting together lists, getting a variety of opinions, listening to dozens of songs — on the way to writing an article about the perfect song for the first dance. We had checked off all the boxes: It had to be memorable. It had to be meaningful. It had to be special. As I said, we had it all ready to go. …And then we read this article from our friends at You & Your Wedding, in which they not only list 100 amazing potential first dance songs, but then break it down into categories (“The Sway,” “High-Energy Swing,” “Something Latin,” etc.) and…
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State of the Union: Serving As A Wedding Officiant In New York
This article is part of a series for ministers on performing marriage ceremonies in the United States and elsewhere. In this article, we focus on New York State, as well as New York City, which has its own specific set of rules and regulations. We often hear from ministers and officiants that are concerned about the complexities of performing marriage ceremonies in New York. While it may seem complex on the surface, it’s actually fairly simple and straightforward — as long as you follow the rules. Basically, you must be legally ordained before performing a wedding ceremony in New York. If you are currently ordained and in good standing with the…
