Category: Tips & Advice

As wedding officiants, we love celebrating love in all its forms – all genders, all faiths, all cultures, all backgrounds, all races and all languages! Often, we find ourselves officiating interfaith weddings or helping to blend multiple cultures during a ceremony, as people from different walks of life come together. And for our couples planning bilingual ceremonies, we have our bilingual wedding officiants take the lead!

We asked two Young Hip & Married bilingual wedding officiants to share their experience officiating weddings in a second language and their top tips for couples planning bilingual weddings!

Meet two of Young Hip & Married’s bilingual wedding officiants, Beth (French-speaking) & Shalom (Spanish-speaking)

Beth, who speaks French, and Shalom, who speaks Spanish, are both officiants serving Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Below they share more about their experience with French weddings and Spanish weddings.

Beth says, “I think I’ve officiated 7 weddings now that have involved speaking some French. The majority of couples asked for the weddings to be fully or partially bilingual, with English and French woven together throughout the ceremony. One couple (whom I married just a few days ago!) eloped, and both of them grew up speaking French at home (one from Quebec, one from France), so they asked me to do their whole ceremony in French.”

Shalom shares, “I’ve done about 3 weddings in Spanish so far, including the VERY FIRST wedding I ever officiated! The weddings were completely in Spanish.”

How do I find a bilingual wedding officiant near me? 

Start here! Young Hip & Married currently has French and Spanish speaking wedding officiants in the Lower Mainland. We are always growing our officiant team and hope to have more bilingual wedding officiants offering more languages in all of our locations soon.

If you’re looking for a bilingual ceremony in French or Spanish, get in touch to book your wedding officiant!

Otherwise, you can always search for a bilingual wedding officiant on Google by simply searching the name of your city, the language you’re looking for, and the words “wedding officiant” (e.g. “Vancouver French wedding officiant”). You can also search wedding vendor databases, like The Knot or WeddingWire.

Another great way to find a multi-lingual officiant would be to ask friends or family. Particularly if you’ve seen a bilingual officiant in action at a friend or family member’s wedding, they should be able to provide you with an introduction!

You can also ask your other wedding vendors for recommendations. They may have the inside scoop on where to find a bilingual wedding officiant in your area.

Why do couples plan bilingual wedding ceremonies? 

The main reason to plan a wedding ceremony in another language is to accommodate non-English speakers, whether they be guests or members of the couple getting married. Beth and Shalom share their experiences below:

“Usually, the couple is asking for bilingual services for the benefit of some of their guests who do not speak English, such as for family members flying in from Quebec or France for the weddings I’ve done in French,” Beth explains. “That way, those guests can understand what’s happening in their own language. Sometimes even if there aren’t guests attending from those places, one or both members of the couple still wants to have their mother tongue spoken as a way to honour an important part of their identity or their cultural origins.”

Shalom shares, “In each of the Spanish weddings I’ve officiated, at least one person in the couple had very limited English. In all cases, both parties getting married spoke Spanish as their first language, and the guests were Spanish-speaking as well.”

Should a bilingual wedding be fully translated?

With bilingual weddings, couples have two options: fully translated or partially translated. For example, let’s say a couple is planning an English/French ceremony. They could do the ceremony completely in both languages, fully translating every line, or choose to only translate certain sections. Beth shares more about how she advises her couples:

“One important thing I tell couples is that doing a full translation of each paragraph of the ceremony script will double the length of their wedding. Plus, most guests will be “tuned out” for half of that length, which is not ideal,” Beth explains. “After hearing that, I’ve found most couples opt to have only certain parts of their script translated verbally during the ceremony.”

Beth continues, “For example, for the part of the ceremony where I tell the couple’s story, some couples have chosen to provide a written translation for their guests who do not speak English, so they can follow along, rather than having me speak the whole thing in both French and English.”

As Beth points out, a great way to ensure your wedding ceremony isn’t double the length is to only verbally translate some sections, while having a full written translation in your wedding program. Your officiant will be able to guide you on what sections should be verbally translated, versus which may be better to translate in writing. Plus, they can provide you with your ceremony script ahead of time for easy translating!

Can I say my vows in Spanish for a wedding ceremony?

Of course! Your vows are your heartfelt words about the love you share and the marriage you’re building together. You should absolutely feel free to say your vows in Spanish or whatever language feels right for you and your partner. You have the option to say your entire vows in another language, part of them in another language, or do a translation. Beth and Shalom share their experiences with bilingual wedding vows:

“I have a couple who are going to do part of their vows in their native language and part in English,” Shalom shares. “I thought that was really touching and meaningful. I don’t mind that I won’t understand everything they say. I’ll hear enough to be very confident in their intention to marry each other, and they will be able to speak the language of their heart – and the one that perhaps older family members understand best – as part of their vows. I simply loved that idea!”

Beth has had similar experiences. She says, “I’ve had couples who wanted to speak the same vows or the same “I do” statements, but with each of them doing so in different languages. I remember one beautiful ceremony where each member of the couple put in the effort to learn to speak their vows in their partner’s mother tongue, as a way to honour the language of the person’s heart.”

What should couples look for in a bilingual wedding officiant? 

While you obviously want to make sure your wedding officiant can perform your ceremony in the language you’ve requested, what else do couples need to look for? Beth shares some great tips for couples below:

“I would say that if a couple is looking for a bilingual officiant, it would be important to have a conversation with that officiant before booking them, to ensure the officiant’s comprehension and pronunciation are to their satisfaction.”

She continues, “Because Young Hip & Married weddings are fully scripted, it’s not essential that the officiant be able to easily converse with full vocabulary in the second language. The officiant should, at minimum, fully understand the script they’re reading to ensure their inflection and emphasis is appropriate. The officiant should also give the couple an idea of how much customization of the script they’re willing to do in a second language, and whether they will be relying on the couple to help with some of the translation of the script (e.g. the couple’s story) prior to the wedding.”

Bottom line: If you’re planning a bilingual ceremony, make sure you and your officiant are on the same page! Just because they speak the language you’re looking for, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask them any follow up questions about your bilingual wedding script.

How else can couples incorporate another language in their wedding ceremony?

Having a bilingual officiant lead your wedding ceremony is just one way for you to incorporate your language or culture into your day. If you can’t find an officiant who speaks your language, or you just want to add more of your language into the ceremony, here are a few more ways for you to add a second language into your wedding day:

• Wedding readings in your language of choice performed by a loved one who speaks the language
• Wedding prayers in your language that can be recited by a loved one or all of your guests
• Wedding quotes in your language – these can even be said by your officiant if they’re game to learn a few sentences in another language!
• Translation of your wedding ceremony script, in part of in whole, in your wedding program for guests to read

Bonus tip for bilingual wedding ceremonies

Beth has one more important tip for couples planning a bilingual wedding ceremony!

“In my first bilingual wedding, I always spoke the English version of the paragraph first, followed by the French. But I noticed that it meant the Francophones were always playing catch up, and it didn’t feel balanced. (For example, the Anglophones had the privilege of laughing at my wonderful jokes first, and it didn’t seem fair that the Francophones always got the punchline later, as though they had to have the joke explained to them!)”

The solution? Split it up! Beth continues, “So now, I try to move back and forth; sometimes the Francophones get to be the first to hear some of the material from the script, with the Anglophones waiting to understand!”

Why is it so important to have a bilingual ceremony? 

Having a bilingual wedding ceremony is about so much more than just making sure guests know what is going on. Shalom and Beth explain why bilingual ceremonies are so powerful.

Beth shares, “Having a bilingual ceremony can make guests feel honoured, remembered and seen. Often they have traveled from long distances only to spend time in a place where they do not understand much of what is happening. So speaking their language, even for a short part of the ceremony, is a way to make them feel instantly connected and included.”

Shalom agrees and points out the importance of a bilingual ceremony for a couple who may not speak English fluently. She says, “I’m glad that I can offer a ceremony that couples can really connect to and understand; it’s so much more meaningful for the couple than to smile and nod but not completely understand what their officiant is saying.”

Plus, Beth points out that bilingual ceremonies can be good for the wedding officiant too! She explains, “It’s also a nice chance for an officiant to switch up their usual routine and challenge themselves to learn to communicate well with people from different cultures. I’ve enjoyed learning particular phrasings and traditions in French weddings (for example, the French version of “I do” is more like “Yes, I want this” or “Oui, je le veux.”)”

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Thank you to officiants Beth and Shalom for sharing their wisdom and experience with bilingual wedding ceremonies. If you could like to hire Shalom or Beth as your bilingual wedding officiant, get in touch to book today! 

Most couples don’t feel like their wedding is really happening – and that wedding planning has really started – until they’ve booked their venue. But that’s easier said than done when there’s so much to know about wedding venues! Which is why we’re answering your top wedding venue questions in this post.

Keep reading to learn how to find the best wedding venues, when to book your venue, how to get a discount, and so much more!

What are wedding venues?

Let’s start with an easy one! A wedding venue is the place where you hold your wedding. Wedding venues can be indoors or outdoors, private or public, large or small. You may have one venue for your ceremony and another for your reception, or just a single venue where you host your entire wedding (more on that below).

Examples of wedding venues include ballrooms, halls, churches, gardens, event spaces, restaurants, beaches and more!

Should you have two venues – a ceremony venue and a reception venue – or just one wedding venue for everything?

Many couples opt to have two wedding spaces – one venue for their wedding ceremony and a second venue for their wedding reception. You could have even more venues if you go somewhere different for cocktail hour, a tea ceremony, etc.

There are pros and cons to both options. Let’s discuss a few of the different pros:

Pros to booking two different venues (one for your ceremony and one for your reception):

• With different venues for your ceremony and reception, you’ll have different decor, atmospheres and backgrounds. This can make your wedding photos and wedding day more varied and exciting!
• You may be able to pay less if you only need a venue for half the day or a few hours, rather than booking it for an entire day.
• With separate venues, you have more options. For example, if a venue you’re looking at is booked for your ceremony time, you could opt to have your reception there instead. You will also have access to places that only host one portion of your wedding – like religious institutions that are usually only available for a ceremony.

Pros to booking one venue for both your ceremony and reception:  

• Booking a single venue that can host both your ceremony and reception may save you money. You won’t have to spend money on transportation between venues and you can likely reuse the same decor for your ceremony and reception.
• Sometimes a single venue is easier for guests. They too don’t have to worry about mid-wedding transportation or figuring out how to navigate to another place.
• Many wedding venues that host both ceremonies and receptions will offer packages that may save you money and help you book all of your vendors, decor, rentals, etc. in one place.

How to find wedding venues near me?

There are lots of options for finding wedding venues in your area or the area where you’re getting married. Start with a simple Google search: “CITY NAME + wedding venue.” You can also check wedding directories, like The Knot or WeddingWire, where you’ll be able to sort through long lists of wedding venues.

For more firsthand recommendations, think back to past weddings you’ve attended in your area. Did you like any of the venues? You can also ask friends and family who have gotten married in the area what venues they considered. If you haven’t attended many local weddings, join a local wedding group (there are tons on Facebook) to ask for advice.

One creative way to find venues is to use your vendors. You likely won’t have any wedding vendors booked yet, since you don’t have a venue and, therefore, don’t have an official wedding date. However, you can look at the social media accounts of potential vendors for venue inspiration. Many will tag the venue in wedding photos they post, allowing you to see what venues are available in your area and what they look like during a wedding.

When should you start looking for your wedding venue? How far in advance do you need to book a wedding venue?

It is usually recommended that you book your wedding venue about a year out from your wedding date. So you’ll want to start looking into venues and doing your research a few months before that. However, if you have your heart set on a specific venue or are planning to get married on a popular day, you may want to start the venue booking process even earlier.

One reason why venues are booked so far in advance is because your venue is the first thing you have to book. You won’t be able to book any other vendors until you can confirm the date and location of your wedding – which is dependent on your venue and their availability.

Can you book a wedding venue too early? Yes and no. If you are completely set on which venue you want to choose and the desired date of your wedding, there’s no reason not to book as early as possible.

However, not all venues will open their booking calendars that far in advance. Some will only allow couples to book 1-2 years early.

You also want to ensure you take the time to figure out with your partner what kind of wedding you’re planning before you book a venue – especially one with a non-refundable deposit! Decide what kind of wedding you want, how many people you want to invite and what your budget is before doing any venue research.

How often are wedding venues fully booked?

Popular wedding venues absolutely book out – sometimes months or years in advance! For smaller venues, they may be only able to accommodate one wedding per day or a certain number of weddings per season. Once again, a popular wedding venue or popular wedding date is more likely to book out early.

Worried all of the wedding venues in your area are already fully booked? Your best bet is to be as flexible as possible. If you’re flexible on one or more of your date, location, guest count and/or budget, you have a much better chance of booking a great venue, even if it’s last minute.

Are wedding venues already booked for 2023/2024?

Absolutely, wedding venues are already booking for 2023 weddings, with some already fully booked for the year. Most are also already booking into 2024, and some even into 2025!

It can be hard to comprehend a venue being completely booked over a year in advance, but as mentioned above, popular or smaller venues will hit their max wedding limit sooner. You also have to remember that the wedding industry is still catching up after two years of postponed covid weddings.

But it’s not too late! As long as you’re flexible, you can still find a 2023 wedding venue.

How do you decide which venue to book?

Finding venues is just one part of the equation. You still have to decide which venue is going to be best for your wedding. Here’s how we suggest choosing your wedding venue:

Step 1: Sit down with your partner and talk about what you want in a venue. At this point, you should have already had a discussion about your larger wedding vision, your wedding budget and your guest list. Now it’s time to talk more specifically about the venue. Do you want one venue or separate venues for the ceremony and reception? Do you want it to be indoors or outdoors? Do you want to host your wedding in your area or somewhere else?

Step 2: Create a list of venue must-haves and nice-to-haves. Based on your discussion, put together a list of things your wedding venue must have and things you’d like it to have, but aren’t necessary. For example, your venue must-haves might include <$5000 price tag, ability to hold 100 people, within 30 minutes of the city centre, and ability to cater to vegetarians. On your nice-to-haves list, you may include a water view, ability to bring in your own alcohol, and on-site accommodation.

Step 3: Do your research. Once you have your list of criteria, it’s time to see what’s out there. Find wedding venues by doing a Google search, asking your friends and family, consulting wedding directories and/or getting advice from local wedding groups. You may also have to call or email venues to get all of the information you need. Compile a list of any venue that fits within the criteria that you two discussed.

Step 4: Narrow it down and set up tours. More on this below!

Step 5: Make a decision and book. Once you’ve gone on your venue tours, you should have a better idea of which venue is going to work best for your wedding. Take some time to discuss all of the venues back at home – rather than forcing yourselves to make a decision at a property. If you’re still not sure, go back to the criteria list you created.

You can also check out wedding photos of the venue on social media so you have a better idea of what weddings there look like. Simply search for the venue’s social accounts or for its tagged location.

How many wedding venues should you tour?

Check out our post on how many venues to look at for your wedding!

Once you’ve compiled a list of venues that fit your criteria, it’s time to narrow that list down. After all, it’s unrealistic to tour and consider 30 properties around the city! With your partner, create a shortlist of 2-5 wedding venues that you would like to visit and tour.

While 2-5 venue tours makes sense for many couples, there is no magical number. Some couples have their heart set on one venue or find a perfect match right away – that’s okay! You don’t have to keep touring if you like what you’ve seen.

And other couples prefer to tour more venues to see all of their options. While this is okay, make sure you give yourself enough time to tour a larger number of venues; you don’t want to spend so long on venue tours that you miss out on booking venues before they’re gone! You also don’t want to give yourself analysis paralysis by touring too many – at one point, all the ballrooms will start to blend together!

Can’t tour a wedding venue in person? No problem! Since the pandemic, many wedding venues now offer virtual tours or video tours on their websites. This is especially common for destination weddings. Or if you have a friend or family member who is available to tour the property, they could take you along on a video call.

What questions to ask wedding venues?

While on a venue tour, or when chatting with a venue on the phone or over email, you’ll want to ask questions to make sure all of your must-have criteria is being met. While it’s good to like the look or feel of a venue, it’s also important to know things such as pricing structure and occupancy limits.

Check out this list of what to look for in a wedding venue and what questions you need to ask!

What do wedding venues cost?

Wedding venue costs vary widely based on location, time of year, type of venue and what is included in that cost. A Manhattan hotel ballroom for 200 guests on New Year’s Eve with food and alcohol included is going to cost way more than a permit for your local park.

Venues can range from free to tens of thousands of dollars. While average venue costs can help give you a ballpark figure, it’s important to remember how much these costs vary from city to city and even from venue to venue.

Make sure that part of your research includes finding out what the total cost is for the venue and what that cost includes.

What are the cheapest wedding venues?

Of course, the cheapest wedding venues are free! If you choose to get married at home, you likely won’t have any venue costs. We’ve officiated some beautiful weddings in living rooms, backyards and patios!

Another cheap wedding venue would be a public space, like a park, beach or garden. You may be able to get married in these places for free or pay a small fee for a permit. Consult with your municipality for details and rates.

Save money on your wedding venue by getting creative! Consider non-traditional venues like restaurants, where you may be able to host your wedding for only the cost of food and drink, or apartment rentals that allow events. Check if any of your community affiliations could help you save money on your venue, such as a religious organization’s space you can use or a discount based on your alma matter.

Many wedding venues also offer discounts during off-peak wedding times – more on this below!

Are wedding venues cheaper on Sundays or other off-peak dates?

Many wedding venues do offer discounts for weddings that take place during off-peak times. For example, you may be able to get a reduced rate if you get married on a weekday in the winter, rather than a Saturday in the summer.

Keep in mind that “off-peak” means different things in different places. In some areas, summer weddings are actually less popular (and therefore, have a better chance of being discounted) than spring or fall weddings. Your venue may also have other peak times outside of wedding season, such as hosting conferences or corporate holiday parties.

You should also know that “wedding season” seems to get longer and longer each year. Especially with the boom of post-pandemic weddings, a Friday or Sunday wedding isn’t as rare anymore. Meaning that in order to get a discount, you might have to consider a Wednesday brunch wedding in January!

Are wedding venue rates negotiable?

Wedding venue rates are usually not negotiable – the rate is the rate. However, it never hurts to politely ask about discounts or other areas where you can save money.

As discussed above, you may have access to a reduced rate if you get married in an off-peak time. Or if a venue can’t provide a monetary discount, they may be able to throw in a perk, like additional time or chair rentals. Of course, not all wedding venues have these options.

A quick reminder that many wedding professionals are part of small businesses that are still recovering from the pandemic. While we understand that weddings can be expensive, please ensure you’re discussing rates in a polite way. If a discount is not available, please respect that.

Are wedding venue rates refundable? 

This varies from venue to venue; each venue will set their own refund policy. Before signing a contract with a wedding venue and paying a deposit, make sure you read all of the fine print. You should be completely clear about your payment schedule, what is included in your fee, and any additional charges, such as tips, taxes or insurance.

You should also be aware of a venue’s cancellation and refund policies and you should be comfortable with how they apply to your wedding. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask them and get answers in writing. That way, both you and the venue are protected.

Will wedding venues allow outside catering?

It depends on the venue. Some wedding venues allow outside catering and some do not. If bringing in your own catering is important to you, make sure you ask about it on your venue tour or seek out the information on the venue’s website.

But before you write-off any venue that doesn’t allow outside catering, take a moment to consider the pros of on-site catering. An on-site caterer or restaurant will be familiar with your venue, meaning you won’t have to coordinate any set up or transportation. Most on-site caterers also offer a menu tasting and are happy to work with you to create the perfect wedding menu.

What are the most famous wedding venues?

Want to get married somewhere iconic that you and your guests will never forget? Check out this list of 50 amazing wedding venues around the world and this list of the 28 best wedding venues, as chosen by wedding photographers.

What are the most popular types of wedding venues?

According to Zola, the most popular types of wedding venues are:

• Hotel wedding venues
• Barn wedding venues
• Modern wedding venues
• Estate wedding venues
• Backyard wedding venues

For more popular wedding venue ideas, check out this list from WeddingWire.

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Once you have your wedding venue booked, don’t forget to book your wedding officiant! Check out our ceremony packages and get in touch today to book! 

At Young Hip & Married, we’re on a mission to eradicate boring wedding ceremonies from the face of the planet. And one way we do that is with a meaningful and fun wedding officiant script at every ceremony!

If you’re tired of sitting through the same old, cookie-cutter ceremonies and want to have a wedding experience that is going to be memorable for you and your guests, read on for how we create the most fun wedding officiant scripts ever!

What is an officiant script and do you need one?

First things first: What is a wedding officiant script? An officiant script – also known as a ceremony script or a wedding script – is the written version of your ceremony. It includes not only the words that your officiant is going to say, but also all of the elements that will happen during your ceremony, from your processional to your vows.

The second thing couples want to know: Do we really need a ceremony script? And the answer is: Absolutely! The script is your outline for the ceremony so you know what is happening when and who is saying what. It’s super important that you put one together with your officiant and that you see your ceremony script before the wedding!

Read next: 15 Things to Include in Your Wedding Ceremony Script

6 ways to create a fun wedding officiant script

The best way to create a fun wedding officiant script is to personalize your wedding ceremony. By planning a ceremony that is true to you, you’ll create a memorable and meaningful experience not just for yourselves but for all of your guests.

A fun wedding officiant script doesn’t mean your ceremony needs to be full of goofy lines or silly jokes. You can include some humour and lightness, but you can also include lots of sentimental and serious moments. “Fun” simply means that you and your guests are engaged in a special ceremony – not that you’re attending a comedy show!

Here are 6 ways to create a ceremony that is memorable, meaningful and FUN:

Start with a custom ceremony script

The best way to create an engaging wedding ceremony is with a custom ceremony script. In our Custom & Creative Ceremony package, your officiant will write a personalized script that perfectly captures your love story. They will meet with you to learn what you want out of your ceremony, collect information about your relationship, and even reach out to your friends and family to get their input.

Once they have all of that info, your officiant will custom-write a script that shares your story with your guests and includes every ceremony element you’re looking for. Once the script has been drafted, your officiant will share it with you for as many edits and revisions as you need.

Plus, they’ll be on-hand to lead your wedding rehearsal to make sure everyone knows what is going to happen and what they’re meant to be doing on the big day.

Learn more about our Custom & Creative Ceremony package here!

Add in creative ceremony elements

An easy way to add fun into your wedding ceremony is to get creative! Wow your guests with something they haven’t seen before or personalize a wedding tradition so it best suits you.

A great creative element to add might be a unity tradition, like a unity candle ceremony or a handfasting ceremony. Both of these can be personalized to you and create a memorable moment of symbolic commitment during your ceremony. Plus, you can bring the candle or handfasting ropes home with you to be a reminder of your love and marriage vows.

Other creative additions to your wedding include a ring warming, variations on the processional, or a special memorial to loved ones who can’t attend. You can also get creative with your decor, your seating and even your outfits.

The best creative additions to a ceremony are ones that are meaningful and personal to you. Your guests will be so much more impacted by a choice that represents who you are or shares something you believe in.

For inspiration, look to your passions! If you’re craft beer lovers, add in a beer blending. If you’re obsessed with your fur baby, have them walk down the aisle. And if you’ve watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy more times than you can count, plan the perfect nerd wedding.

Involve your guests in your ceremony

If you want to ensure your guests are having fun during your wedding ceremony, get them involved! Check out some of our best ideas for involving your guests in your wedding ceremony, from doing a community vow to inviting guests to take special roles during the wedding day.

When your guests get to be an active part of your ceremony, you almost guarantee that they’ll have more fun. Guests will be engaged and attentive knowing they are part of what’s happening. Plus, it makes the experience so much more meaningful for you when you can include your favourite loved ones in your ceremony.

Don’t forget that your wedding party can take on a special role in your ceremony too. You can think outside the box and create a wedding party experience that best suits you – it doesn’t have to be gendered attendants in matching outfits. Have some fun with your wedding party – or skip the wedding party altogether!

Read next: 7 Tips for a Stress-Free Wedding Party Experience

Incorporate your culture, traditions and beliefs into your wedding

One of the best ways to add meaning to your wedding ceremony is by incorporating elements of your cultures, traditions and beliefs. For some couples, this is an essential element of designing a wedding officiant script and committing to one another.

There are so many ways, large and small, that you can incorporate your beliefs into your wedding day. Some examples include: Asking your grandparents to lead a prayer or blessing, wearing a traditional outfit, including a cultural ritual, speaking another language in your ceremony, and using cultural decor in your ceremony space.

Speak with your family or religious/cultural leaders for insight into how you can best incorporate your beliefs and traditions into your wedding day. If you’ll be blending a few different cultures, religions or practices, you can always ask your officiant for advice. Our Young Hip & Married officiants have lots of experience working with couples from different backgrounds and perfectly blending what matters most to them and their families.

Consider adding a reading, prayer or quotes to your wedding ceremony

We believe that every word spoken at your wedding ceremony should feel good to you. The words should represent what you believe in and what is most important to you two as a couple.

A great way to include words you love in your officiant script is by adding a wedding reading, prayer, blessing or quote. These can be short or long, read by your officiant or by an honoured guest, and taken from anywhere – literature, movies, poetry, etc!

Check out our full list of wedding readings, scripture, sayings, wedding prayers, blessings and more!

• Wedding Ceremony Readings from Songs
• Romantic Wedding Ceremony Readings 
• Wedding Ceremony Readings from TV & Movies
• Wedding Ceremony Readings from Literature
• Offbeat Wedding Ceremony Readings
• Alternatives to 1 Corinthians 13 for Your Wedding
• The Best Wedding Prayers & Blessings for Your Wedding Ceremony
• 33 Wedding Love Quotes to Include in Your Wedding Ceremony

Write your own wedding vows!

Last, but certainly not least: Our favourite way to ensure you have a memorable, meaningful and fun wedding officiant script is by writing your own vows.

Ask any wedding guest and they will probably tell you that their favourite part of a ceremony is hearing personalized vows. Your loved ones want to hear why you’re getting married and witness your love story. More importantly, your spouse-to-be wants to hear why you chose them and what promises you want to make for your life together.

Scared you’re a terrible writer? Not sure where to start with writing your own vows? Embarrassed to get emotional in front of your guests? Worry no more because we’ve got your back! Download our FREE guide to writing the best wedding vows and learn more about our vow writing course.

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A fun wedding officiant script starts with a fun wedding officiant. Meet our team of officiants and book your Young Hip & Married wedding ceremony package today! 

Unless you’re planning a wedding, you may not have given too much thought to the wedding processional. Somehow, the couple of the hour and their wedding party just get to the front of the venue in time for the ceremony to start! But turns out, a little more planning goes into a ceremony processional walk.

What is a wedding processional?

A wedding processional is the order in which the important people of a wedding – usually the couple and their wedding party – make their way down the aisle to the front of the ceremony space. Or, in other words, how they will process down the aisle.

The processional includes everyone who will be coming down the aisle at the beginning of the wedding. Sometimes it’s just the couple or the couple and their wedding party, and other ceremonies include parents, honoured guests and even the wedding officiant.

When planning a processional, you not only have to think about who to include and the order in which they will process; you also will need to consider the music you’ll want played and the timing. What song will play when the wedding party comes down the aisle? Do you want a different song for the couple or the parents? How long will it take for everyone to get to the front?

Of course, if you’re planning to include children, pets or elderly folks in your processional, you may need to make extra accommodations for them. For example, what will you do if your ring bearer refuses to go down the aisle or stops midway? Who is walking your dog down the aisle and where is your dog going after the ceremony? And who is escorting grandma?

What is a recessional? 

The opposite of a processional is a recessional. A recessional is how everyone at the front of the ceremony – the newlyweds, their wedding party and (optionally) honoured guests – will make their way back up the aisle after the ceremony is over. It’s the order in which the couple and their party recess back up the aisle.

Does every wedding have a processional?

Most larger wedding ceremonies do include a processional, but it’s not mandatory. Obviously the nearly-weds and their party will need to make their way to the front of the ceremony space somehow, but you can opt out of a traditional or formal processional if you don’t want one. In fact, you could skip it altogether and start your ceremony by already standing at the front when guests arrive!

You could also choose for only certain people to be part of the processional. For example, you could have your wedding party already seated at the front of the ceremony or enter through the side door, and only the couple process down the aisle.

With smaller weddings, such as intimate elopements, we usually don’t see a processional. As these are smaller affairs without a formal aisle, there’s no need for a traditional processional. Most elopement couples prefer a “gather and wed” approach where they simply arrive at a spot with their officiant and guests all together.

What is the traditional processional order?

A traditional processional will vary based on where you are getting married and if you’re getting married under a religious institution. Check out 6 common processional orders, including traditional and religious variations.

The typical processional we’re used to seeing in movies and at most North American weddings is some variation of the following:

1. The officiant, groom and groomsmen enter (either by coming down the aisle or from the side)
2. The bridesmaids come down the aisle
3. The ring bearers and/or flower children come down the aisle
4. And finally the bride, escorted by her father, processes down the aisle

Of course, a typical or traditional processional order doesn’t work for all weddings and all couples – many wedding don’t have a bride and a groom, or bridesmaids and groomsmen!

What are creative or modern ways to process down the aisle?

If the traditional processional order doesn’t work for you and your wedding, go ahead and change it! There are no rules to how you enter your own ceremony. You can start with one of the traditional orders and tweak it or create your own.

For inspiration, check out 8 unique ceremony processional ideas to enter your wedding!

Do you follow the same order for the recessional?

No, you do not need to follow the same processional order for your recessional. For example, it might be kind of odd for the bride and her father to exit the ceremony together instead of the bride and her new partner!

The recessional is generally less formal than the processional and much faster. It usually begins with the newlywed couple exiting together (to uproarious applause!) followed by their wedding party, often in pairs.

Some couples also choose to include their parents or honoured guests who were seated in the first row in the recessional. Not only would this give your loved ones another special moment of recognition, it also helps ensure they don’t get trapped behind all of your guests trying to leave the ceremony space since they were seated the farthest from the exit!

No matter what order and who you choose to include in your recessional, make sure you practice the recessional at your wedding rehearsal so everyone knows how they’ll exit the ceremony.

How do we decide which processional order is right for our wedding?

Start by looking through the 6 common processional orders and 8 creative processional ideas together. Then, do a gut check. How do those options feel to you? Is there one option you’re leaning towards or some options you know won’t work for you? Remember, you don’t have to go with a traditional processional if it doesn’t fit with your beliefs or ceremony style.

Consider what is most important to you. Are there any important people you want to include in your processional, such as your children, grandparents, chosen family or pets? Is it important that both members of the couple have a special moment to walk into the ceremony? Do you want to include your parents? Would you prefer to walk in alone, together or with an escort?

Next, think about your specific ceremony logistics. How large is your venue? A long aisle may mean you need to send wedding party members down in pairs to save time. Or a narrow aisle may mean you can’t walk in with both of your parents. How many wedding party members do you have? How many guests do you have? How long is your ceremony? All of these things can help you plan a processional order that makes sense for your ceremony.

Lastly, and most importantly, talk to your wedding officiant (and wedding planner, if you have one). Your officiant has seen dozens or even hundreds of processionals before and will be able to give you feedback and suggestions. They can help you navigate tricky family dynamics and honour your beliefs so you can walk into your ceremony feeling your best.

5 top tips for a seamless ceremony processional

1 – Decide on the order ahead of time

The way you walk into your wedding – and into your marriage – is important! Take some time with your partner to discuss what is important to you and what people and what beliefs you want to honour through your processional. Have this discussion ahead of time, and not in furious whispers on the morning of your wedding.

2 – Communicate your wants to your wedding officiant and planner

Once you’ve decided on a processional order for your ceremony, make sure you share your choices with your wedding officiant and wedding planner/coordinator. They can give you feedback and ensure your vision for the processional comes to life. If they don’t hear otherwise, they may assume you’re defaulting to a traditional processional.

3 – If you’re going outside of the box, let people know ahead of time

If you’ve decided to do something less traditional and more creative for your processional, good for you! But if that impacts your wedding party or other important people in your life, you’ll want to let them know ahead of time.

For example, if you’ve decided you’ll be walking down the aisle alone but your parents assumed they’d be escorting you, you’ll want to give them lots of notice. You can be firm in your decision but still deliver the news kindly and allow them time to process their feelings, rather than springing it on them on the wedding day.

4 – Practice your processional during your wedding rehearsal

If you’re getting married in anything other than an intimate elopement, you need to have a wedding rehearsal. And part of that rehearsal should be practicing the processional (and recessional!) with everyone involved. That way, everyone will know where they need to go and when on the big day.

5 – Smile your way down the aisle!

By deciding on a processional order that suits you, communicating it to your vendors and loved ones, and practicing it with everyone at your rehearsal, you’re all set to walk down the aisle with no stress, knowing you’re entering your marriage exactly as you intended!

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We’d love to know: How will you be processing down the aisle at your wedding? 

 

featured photo by John Bello Photography

Choosing outfits for a wedding – from ballgowns and tuxes to jumpsuits and leather jackets – is no easy task. And while the couple and the wedding party usually spend the most time planning their outfits, a wedding officiant has to think about their attire too. After all, what makes the best wedding officiant outfits?

In this post, we’ll answer all of your questions about wedding officiant outfits: What should an officiant wear? Should they match the wedding party or stand out? What if you’re hosting a theme wedding – will your officiant dress up?

Plus, we’re providing our top tips for what makes the best wedding officiant outfits and how to add personality to an officiant outfit. If you’re an officiant, this section is for you!

What should a wedding officiant wear to the wedding? 

Generally, a wedding officiant will dress formally and professionally for the ceremony. You’ll often see wedding officiants in business-appropriate outfits, like suits and skirts. Contrary to what you may have seen in movies, wedding officiants do not have to wear overly stuffy and fancy outfits, religious attire or all black.

Most wedding officiants don’t want to be mistaken for guests or members of the wedding party, so will skip options like floor-length gowns. They will also opt to be overdressed rather than underdressed, as you don’t want to be the only person at the wedding in jeans!

Of course, some wedding officiants will have a specific uniform. If you’re working with an officiant through a religious organization, they may have specific robes or outfits they wear in their role.

Does the officiant wear the same outfit as the groom? 

No, the wedding officiant does not have to wear the same outfit as the groom or other wedding party members. This is up to the couple and their officiant.

Some couples want their officiant to blend in with their wedding party and may request they wear a suit, tie or skirt in the same colour that the wedding party is wearing. Other couples will want their officiant to wear a different colour so they’re not mistaken for a member of the wedding party.

Can I ask my wedding officiant to wear something specific?

Yes, you can ask your wedding officiant to wear something specific… but within reason! For example, it would be okay to ask your officiant to wear a dark colour or to avoid pink, but it would not be okay to make them buy a specific lavender jumpsuit you picked out.

Definitely let your officiant know how formal your wedding ceremony is going to be. If you have any no-go colours (for example, if you don’t want them to wear the same colour as your wedding party), most officiants are more than happy to accommodate that sort of request.

Even without guidance, you should trust that your officiant will show up dressed professionally and looking put together. Check out their social media to see how they’ve dressed at previous weddings. If you’re nervous about their outfit or have a specific look in mind, make sure to have a conversation with them ahead of time.

Can I ask my officiant to dress up for a theme wedding?

Most wedding officiants are more than happy to dress up to suit the theme of your wedding. At Young Hip & Married, we’ve had officiants dress up as cowboys, witches, TV show characters and Elvis at past weddings – check out Jane as a witchy officiant at the Halloween wedding above!

Once again, you’ll want to make sure your ask is reasonable. Give your officiant lots of notice and specific instructions on what type of costume will work. If possible, give them options so they can find something out of their own closet. For example, asking your officiant to come in any costume for a Halloween wedding is easier than requesting they specifically come as Little Red Riding Hood.

If you prefer that your officiant wear something specific, you may have to cover the cost of buying or renting that item. You’ll still want to give your officiant a heads up and make sure they’re comfortable wearing what you’ve chosen. Remember that you can make a big impact with a simple addition, like a crown or cape, instead of a full costume that may be expensive or uncomfortable.

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All right, wedding officiants – this next section is for you! 

The best wedding officiant outfits…

…look professional

The most important rule when it comes to wedding officiant outfits is to look professional and put together. You need to look the part; you are a professional wedding vendor offering a professional service.

Remember that professional does not necessarily mean fancy. Aim for a business or business casual look rather than cocktail or evening attire. For example, you probably wouldn’t want to show up to a wedding ceremony in a floor-length gown and be mistaken for a guest or member of the wedding party.

Keep things simple and monochrome for an easy professional look. Consider dressing in grey, navy, black or another solid colour. Suits, skirts and simple dresses are all great options.

…don’t pull focus

The last thing you want to do as a wedding officiant is outshine the couple – especially since you’ll be in so many of their ceremony photos! If more people are talking about your outfit than the couple’s outfits, you’ve stolen their spotlight.

Avoid flashy prints, busy patterns or bright colours unless the couple specifically requests a certain style from you. And while we hope it doesn’t have to be said: Please don’t wear white!

…match the formality of the event

You always want your wedding officiant outfits to match the formality of the event and venue where the ceremony is taking place. You don’t want to show up in a tux to a relaxed backyard wedding or in jeans to an elegant affair.

When in doubt, check with the couple. They can let you know how formal they and their wedding party will be dressing and give you an idea of the overall formality of the event. You could also ask them about their wedding party colours to ensure you don’t clash or match.

…allow the officiant to do their job in comfort and style! 

As an officiant, you want to look great but you still need to think about the practicalities of the job. Your outfit should be one you’re comfortable standing in for a good chunk of time while you address a crowd and have your photo taken. Get rid of anything itchy, tight or uncomfortable.

If the wedding ceremony is taking place outdoors, consider the weather. How will your outfit hold up in rain, wind or snow? Do you need to walk on a muddy path to get to the ceremony location? Will you be too cold or too hot in the elements?

Since you’ll be on your feet for a while, you’ll want to wear comfortable shoes that still look formal and professional. Skip the heels if you’ll be standing on grass or climbing around a mountain for a helicopter elopement.

Lastly, don’t forget to do a mic check! If you’ll be wearing a microphone for the ceremony, ensure your outfit has a place to clip it on and carry it. Certain fabrics don’t work well with microphone clips and you may need a belt or pocket to hold the battery pack.

How to add personality to wedding officiant outfits

Just because you’re dressing professionally and not pulling focus doesn’t mean you can’t show off a bit of your personality. In fact, some couples are looking for an officiant who has a fun and creative vibe!

Look for small ways that you can add personality to your wedding officiant outfits. Consider wearing funky shoes. Officiant Shawn is a big fan of his colourful Fluevog boots (worn at his helicopter elopement above) and Officiant Jane loves her animal print sandals.

You could also inject personality into your outfit with your accessories. Officiant Beth has an awesome collection of bow ties she wears to her weddings (check out her polka dot bowtie above!). You could add on a piece of statement jewelry or even rock some nail art on your fingers.

Remember, you don’t need a closet full of wedding officiant outfits. A few key pieces that you can mix and match will be more than enough to get you through wedding season – plus you can always change up your accessories for a new look. While it may feel like you’re wearing the same thing to every wedding, each couple will only see you in that outfit once!

Female wedding officiant outfit ideas

While officiants of any and all genders can dress in whatever makes them feel their best, we have heard from some that female wedding officiant outfit ideas are hard to come by! While some male officiants may find it simple to throw on a suit, other officiants struggle.

So here are some female wedding officiant outfit ideas that our female-identifying officiants love to wear:

• Simple black, navy or grey dress
• Pencil skirt and blouse
• Slacks, dress shirt and bow tie
• Blazer over a dress, skirt or slacks

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What wedding officiant outfit ideas do you love best? If you’re a wedding officiant, what do you like to wear to weddings? 

Below we’re talking all about wedding officiant gifts, tips and more. Do you have to tip your wedding officiant? Do you need to buy your wedding officiant a gift? And what sort of present would they actually want? Let’s find out!

Bottom line: The best present for a wedding officiant is getting to be present on your special day! Cheesy, but true. All gifts and tips are always optional – a cherry on top of an already amazing wedding sundae!

How do you thank a wedding officiant?

As officiants, we absolutely love hearing from our couples that they enjoyed the experience of working with us. A sincere thank you on the day of the wedding puts a huge smile on our face.

Of course, weddings are busy and you might not have time to pull your wedding officiant aside and thank them properly. Sending an email afterwards sharing your feedback and thanking your officiant is always so appreciated. Or, if you prefer snail mail, a thank you card is a nice touch too!

Bonus: If you can put that positive feedback into an online review, we really appreciate those too!

Do you have to give your wedding officiant a gift?

No, wedding officiant gifts are not mandatory or expected in any way. In fact, you do not have to give any wedding vendor a gift. No one will be upset or confused to not receive a gift on your wedding day.

If you do choose to give gifts to your wedding vendors, they should be small tokens of your appreciation. Don’t let wedding officiant gifts or other wedding vendor gifts become something to stress out about. Think of them as a sweet surprise that your vendors will appreciate (but not expect!) and only give gifts if your time and budget allows.

Do you have to tip your wedding officiant?

Tips are never required. Besides vendors who have tips written into their contracts (e.g. serving staff), tips are appreciated, but never expected, by your wedding vendors.

However, many couples do choose to tip their wedding vendors. There are guides you can consult, such as this one, to determine who to tip and how much. But in our experience, there is no uniform answer. Some couples choose to tip, some don’t. Some tip a little, some tip a lot and some tip nothing. And some couples choose to give gifts instead of a tip.

While there are articles online that can advise you about tipping, you need to be personally comfortable with the amount you’re tipping and who you are tipping. Don’t let an online guide override what you feel is right in your situation.

If you do decide to tip your vendors, sit down with your partner ahead of time to decide who you will tip and how much. Then come up with a plan for how you will distribute those tips. You could designate someone you trust in the wedding party to hand out envelopes with tips, you could give out tips at the wedding rehearsal, or you could take a modern and simple approach and send tips via e-transfer after the big day.

What are the best wedding officiant gifts?

The best wedding officiants gifts are a sincere thank you, an online review and a personal referral. In fact, these are probably the best gifts you could give all of your wedding vendors!

Taking a moment to thank your officiant on the big day, or follow up with an email or card after the fact, is truly the best gift we could ask for. If you loved your experience with us, we’d love to hear about it!

Leaving a review is another amazing way to thank your officiant for their work. With a review you’re helping to spread the word to other couples by sharing your honest (and hopefully positive!) feedback about your experience. Your officiant feels the love and more couples find out about their services.

Lastly, there’s no better gift than a personal referral. It means so much to us when couples have such a good experience with Young Hip & Married that they can’t wait to tell their friends. Many of the couples we book are actually referred to us from past couples we’ve married. We love keeping it all in the YHM family!

Plus it’s so much fun seeing past couples we’ve married as guests at another wedding we’re officiating because they recommended us for the job!

Okay, but what about actual, physical wedding officiant gifts? 

While gifts aren’t necessary, some couples do like to go beyond a thank you, review and referral to gift an actual item to their wedding vendors. Whenever this happens, we are always pleasantly surprised and super appreciative that you thought of us!

Bottles of wine, coffee, candles, flowers, gift baskets and gift cards all make great wedding officiant gifts. You can arrange to have the gift given to your officiant on the wedding day or at the wedding rehearsal, or coordinate to send it to them afterwards. Or look for online options, such as gift cards you can send via email.

While any gifts are appreciated, our absolute favourite gifts are ones that are connected to the couple. For example, Officiant Jane recently married a couple who own their own brewery and they gifted her with beer they made themselves. Similarly, we’ve married restaurant owners who have given us gift cards to their restaurant as a thank you.

It’s always fun when the couple has a personal connection to the gift they’re giving and when we can help support their business or passion.

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The best gift we could ask for is booking us to officiate your big day! Check out our packages, meet our team and book your wedding officiant today! 

You and your partner sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! We all know the song, but even years after singing it on the playground, we have some questions about kissing at a wedding.

Even if you’ve had thousands of kisses in your lifetime, you may be a little unsure about what is involved in the first kiss on your wedding day. Below we’re answering all of your questions and giving you the best smoochy solutions – no lipstick stains here.

Let’s learn all about kissing at a wedding!

What does the kiss at a wedding mean?

Kissing at a wedding symbolizes love and commitment. The first kiss usually happens at the end of the ceremony, after the vows and rings. Now that the couple has exchanged vows and rings, they solidify their commitment with their first kiss as newlyweds.

Did people always kiss at weddings?

While the history of kissing at a wedding is a little muddled, it appears that the tradition began in Ancient Rome. Back then, marriage was seen as a contract and instead of signing your name, you would confirm your commitment with a kiss. That’s why we say, “to seal with a kiss!”

In other accounts, kissing at a wedding is a Christian tradition. In the Bible, a kiss may symbolize the wedded couple “becoming one flesh.” Catholic priests also used to give grooms the “kiss of peace” which grooms would then pass onto their brides. This is perhaps how we got the phrase, “You may now kiss the bride.”

How do couples kiss at a wedding? How do you have your first kiss at a wedding?

For most couples, their first kiss as newlyweds is not their first kiss together. You’ve likely kissed hundreds or thousands of times before! But now that there’s an audience for your most important kiss, it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous.

The key to kissing at a wedding is to find the perfect balance. A quick peck may come off as insincere but a full on make-out session will make your guests uncomfortable. Aim for a kiss that is affectionate, sweet and sincere – but remember that grandma is watching!

You want to kiss for long enough that your photographer has a chance to snap a photo – and your wedding officiant has a chance to get out of the way! But you don’t want the kiss to go on forever. Remember, you’ve got the rest of your married lives to smooch.

While you may be tempted to choreograph the perfect first kiss, a practiced kiss can come off stiff and inauthentic. Instead, talk with your partner about what you both want the kiss to look like. Plan to skip any dramatics, like a dip, and trust that the emotion of the moment will make your first kiss perfect for you!

What kind of kiss is appropriate for a wedding?

We won’t go into specifics here, but an appropriate wedding kiss is usually G rated. If you have to come up for air or find your hands roaming, you might want to save that for the honeymoon!

Remember that your guests are watching. They want to cheer you on and celebrate your commitment, but they don’t want a preview of your bedroom activities. If you kiss lasts longer than a few seconds, you may find your guests start to look away.

PS: Anyone remember that scene from The Wedding Singer when Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler discuss “church tongue” as appropriate for a wedding kiss? Give that scene a re-watch!

When does the first kiss happen? What happens after the wedding kiss?

The kiss usually symbolizes the end of your wedding ceremony. Depending on your exact ceremony script, the kiss will come after any readings, vows and your ring exchange. Your wedding officiant will pronounce you as a married couple and then invite you to share your first kiss.

After the kiss, you may go off to the side to sign your marriage licence, thought some couples choose to do this after their ceremony instead. Once the licence is signed, your officiant will announce you as a married couple for the first time. Your guests will go wild as you process back up the aisle!

Check out a sample wedding ceremony here! 

Modernize your wedding ceremony: What to say instead of, “You may now kiss the bride.”

Why do we say you may now kiss the bride? As discussed above, this likely comes from the Catholic tradition of the priest giving the groom a “kiss of peace” and then asking him to pass it onto the bride by saying, “You may now kiss the bride.” It also speaks to the patriarchal tradition of weddings where men were the decision makers.

Of course, many couples find this line to be dated, sexist and even inapplicable in weddings where there is no bride. Luckily, “you may now kiss the bride” is NOT a mandatory part of the wedding ceremony. You can change this line to whatever you want!

Here are some of our favourite alternatives:

• You may seal your promise with a kiss
• And now for your first kiss as a married couple
• You may now kiss each other
• Let’s begin the adventure of marriage with a kiss
• Now might be a good time to kiss

For more ways to change up the pronouncement at the end of your ceremony, check out this blog post! 

Do couples have to have their first kiss in public? Is kissing at a wedding mandatory?

Does all this talk of kissing give you the ick? If so, you’re not alone. Many couples are not fans of PDA and prefer to save their first kiss for private.

Because the first kiss during a wedding is traditional, your guests will likely expect to see a smooch at your ceremony. But if you’re not comfortable with that, you can change it up or ditch the kiss entirely.

Here are a few options:

• Have your ceremony in private or with a smaller group, such as an elopement ceremony, so there are fewer people to witness your first kiss. You can still celebrate with more loved ones at a larger reception!
• Exchange a shorter kiss that you’re more comfortable with.
• Exchange hugs during your ceremony instead of a kiss.
• Invite all of your guests who are coupled up to kiss at the same time, so not all eyes are on you.
• Invite your children up and give them smooches on the cheek to symbolize your family coming together.
• Or you may skip the kissing moment altogether!

If you are planning to skip or alter the first kiss, make sure your wedding officiant is aware of your choice. Your officiant can help you edit your ceremony script so that the moment isn’t missed by any of your guests and so you two feel comfortable with what will happen on the big day.

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Now that you know everything there is to know about kissing at a wedding, you’re ready to get your smooch on! But before you do, don’t forget to book your wedding officiant for the big ceremony!