Your Role, Their Vows: A Wedding Planner’s Guide for officiants | Wedding Planner tips
- Ally Langfeldt
- Aug 7
- 3 min read
You’ve selected your ceremony location—an important milestone checked off your planning list. As you continue organizing the details of your special day, another essential question arises: Who will officiate your wedding ceremony? And perhaps even the bigger question: What will they say during the ceremony?
Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of attending numerous weddings and observing a wide range of officiants. Some exceptionally impactful, others less so. Drawing from that experience, we’ve curated a set of key recommendations to serve as a helpful guide for your officiant.
Our goal is to ensure your ceremony is meaningful, well-structured, and a true reflection of your unique love story.
Tip Number One
No couple or officiant wants to forget the order of events or miss any meaningful moments during the ceremony. To help avoid any hiccups, consider providing your officiant with a small notebook or journal they can discreetly reference throughout the ceremony. Not only does this keep things running smoothly, but it also helps maintain the aesthetic of your photos, keeping the focus where it belongs, on you and your vows. Not on shuffled papers or awkward pauses.
Tip Number Two
One thing we’ve seen far too often: ceremony photos filled with guests holding up phones. Even worse, Aunt Sue standing in the aisle with her oversized iPad. No couple wants their once in a lifetime moment disrupted by a sea of screens. To help prevent this, your officiant can make a gentle announcement before the ceremony begins, such as:
"We kindly ask that you silence and put away your devices. The couple has hired a professional team to capture this special day, and they’d love for you to be fully present in the moment with them."
It’s a simple, respectful reminder that helps set the tone—and ensures your ceremony photos stay focused on the emotion, not the electronics.
Tip Number 3
Looking to capture a photo with all of your guests in one place? The ceremony can be the perfect opportunity if the space allows and you’re not in a religious setting, where group photos may not be appropriate. With the right setup, your officiant can help seamlessly guide everyone into position for a quick, memorable group shot. Coordinate with your wedding planner or coordinator in advance to choose the best moment and work out the logistics, so everything runs smoothly and effortlessly.
The Siners did a beautiful job of capturing these special moments!
Tip Number 4 The ceremony went beautifully! What’s next? This is where your officiant plays a key role in guiding the flow of the day. Right after the ceremony, they should make clear announcements to direct guests and VIPs to their next locations.
For example, if immediate family members are needed for formal photos, your officiant can kindly ask them to stay behind. Meanwhile, they can also invite the rest of your guests to head to the cocktail hour or reception space.
Providing these clear, confident directions helps avoid confusion and keeps everything running smoothly as your celebration continues.
As the officiant, YOU have the HONOR to marry two people!
Your officiant plays a vital role in setting the tone for your big day, one that should never be taken lightly. It's important that you know and trust your officiant, but it's even more essential that they’re fully prepared to lead your ceremony with confidence and care. With a few expert BDE tips, we hope to help make your ceremony truly unforgettable and everything you and your future spouse have envisioned and more.
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