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Inexpensive officiants

pinkie798pinkie798 member
Sixth Anniversary First Comment
in California-San Diego
I've been looking around for an officiant in San Diego and I think they are completely overpriced!! I don't want to pay someone $500+ for a 20 minute ceremony. Does anyone know of any good civil union officiants? My husband to be and I both have Buddist like beliefs if that helps at all...
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Re: Inexpensive officiants

  • LauraChristinLauraChristin member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Just in case you haven't thought of these benefits: On top of the 20 minute ceremony there's the meetings in advance and the officiants I know work really hard to personalize the ceremony. It's not cookie cutter so it takes time to come up with the ceremony wording, tweak it, get to know you, meet with you, handle the marriage license etc. Another part of what you're paying for is their experience so that the ceremony runs smoothly. I've watched plenty of weddings where it was someone unexperienced performing it where they forgot to ask the guests to be seated after the bride walked down the aisle (so the guests awkwardly stood for 20 minutes) or the officiant stumbled/mumbled through the ceremony.  

    With that said, we're all entitled to what we want to pay for what and if it's not something that you want to pay for you obviously shouldn't. Have you looked into having a friend apply for a permit to perform a marriage? I believe you can do that in San Diego, just make sure you're comfortable foregoing having a professional! 
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  • KellyRenee1979KellyRenee1979
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I agree with LauraChristin's comments.  The officiant sets the tone for the wedding and no one remembers a boring wedding, but everyone remembers an awkward one! 

    My Fi & I met Bethel of Ceremonies by Bethel at the Bridal Bazaar on Sunday and she is AWESOME!  She takes her job so seriously and wants to make sure that she gets to know her couples.  She doesn't want to marry just anyone, if that makes sense.  To me, it is worth it to pay a bit more to have a great officiant, but that's JMHO.

    I would recommend finding a family member or friend that you can get them ordained for the day if you need to save money.  I've been to a few weddings like that and they can be good (but I think they are hit or miss!).  My mom & step-dad were married by their good friend in a very small wedding and he did a fantastic job.
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    engaged on 5/29/11... Kelly & Andy to be married -- September 29, 2012
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  • LauraChristinLauraChristin member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Bethel is awesome, Kelly! I'm so glad you found her. I would have definitely hired her had we not been going the route of going with my fiance's church.
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  • melindasr5melindasr5 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We had a friend officiate our ceremony. They become Marriage Commissioner for a Day ($50) through the County (same office that handles marriage licenses). This allowed us to write our entire ceremony so that we could personalize it to our personal taste.  Just a thought...
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  • abuabu
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    "Say I Do"  Fred Schlessel is great. www.sayidobyfred.com
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