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Follow Us The wedding ceremony and reception are like a finely choreographed dance. Everything is timed and orchestrated to flow seamlessly and without missteps. That is why couples should hire professionals who officiate weddings week in and week out – and who know the proper procedures and timing, says longtime Pastor Peter Starzyk of Elegant Weddings Vegas.
Wedding Officiant: I Do or Don’t?
The wedding day is hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime event to be remembered fondly with photographs, videos and social media posts. In any case, these should also be official. Pastor Pete’s Elegant Weddings Vegas aims to ensure that “it’s your wedding your way.” He has more than 50 years of experience in the industry, 25 years in Chicago and now 26 years in Las Vegas.
“We found a need for the personalized minister, not just the standard ‘dearly beloved,’ ” Pastor Pete says. “Anyone can be a minister nowadays. You take a test and pay $25. But, there’s no training to cover all the details, and sometimes there’s no personality. Anyone can perform a wedding, but it doesn’t mean they’re qualified to be a good officiant.”
The affable Pastor Pete shared some memorable wedding mishaps. He remembers the officiant at a wedding at JW Marriott in Summerlin, a relative of the bride, forgot to tell people to sit down for five minutes. This was definitely the officiant’s misstep. Other times, it’s out of the officiant’s hands no matter how experienced.
At a Chicago reception, the maid of honor smashed cake on the groom’s face, and he left in anger and didn’t return for two hours. One groom made faces at the bride thinking the wedding was a joke. And at a recent wedding in Las Vegas, the groom was two hours late and they forgot the license, so the marriage didn’t happen.
More Mistakes To Avoid
Other common errors? “It’s important to have the sequence and rhythm down,” says Pastor Pete. “It’s the first thing a couple does together – the ceremony. Anyone can perform but have a professional there to coach. They screw up the paperwork and use blue ink instead of black ink, they use cursive instead of printing, they sign in the incorrect place. Have a minister there who knows what they’re doing.”
The lesson here: Don’t trust the wedding day to an inexperienced officiant – or DJ, florist or photographer, for that matter. Ask the following questions: What experience does the officiant have? Do they know the proper sequence for the ceremony after walking down the aisle? Do they know the legalities of the license and the filing procedure and when all of this needs to be completed?
Besides Elegant Vegas Weddings – which contracts ministers covering nine languages and has mob, Santa Claus and showgirl officiants and canine ring bearers and flower carriers – Pastor Pete says the Las Vegas Wedding Chamber is a great resource for hiring a professional officiant, someone who is “reputable, insured and licensed.” He adds that, “The Internet is a godsend. Get referrals from the wedding venue. What is the officiant’s rating on Google?
Wedding Officiant Pastor Pete Weighs In
All things considered, Pastor Pete reminds that a guest officiant can certainly perform the ceremony well if a licensed professional officiant can to coach them for the ceremony. This ensures that the marriage license is properly completed and filed with the county clerk for certification.
Pastor Pete says everyone makes mistakes, and those errors shouldn’t ruin a wedding. Nonetheless, ease your mind leading up to the big day by hiring an official and experienced wedding officiant to say “I do” with confidence.
“A lot of it is common sense, but things get overlooked,” Paster Pete says. “That’s why I can be there to coach them. Make certain that the paperwork is in order, and don’t forget the paperwork.” Anything else? “I’m the best-looking minister in Las Vegas,” Pastor Pete says.
