Wedding Customs & Traditions Forum

No Officiant @ The Rehearsal

Ok, so I found an officiant, whom I met with and really liked. I got all the paperwork together, and emailed him to tell him that I was sending it out and to give him the time of the rehearsal the day before the wedding.
His repsonse was that he doesn't go to the rehearsals, that he has been doing this for over 20 years this way, and that all of his event come out wonderfully. But that if it was I was not comfortable, that I could hire him for that day at the same price that we are paying for the wedding, or if we didnt want to do that we could look for another officiant, if we were not comfortable with him not being there.

My question is, does the officiant have to be there? Is anyone not having their officiant at the rehearsal?

Re: No Officiant @ The Rehearsal

  • I am gettiing married in February & my officiant will not be attending the rehearsal. We have to pay $100 more if we want her to come. She has done many many weddings at our hall so I feel confident that everything will work out. I wouldn't worry!

    BabyFruit Ticker
  • My pastor doesn't attend rehearsals.  It's no big deal.  You're rehearsing movement mostly, not what will be said.
  • we are paying for our minster to be had the rehearsal. that way we can make sure we know when the groom comes out and how re movements we be
  • How will you rehearse if you don't know how he does the ceremony?  He just lets you decide I guess?

    Our Officiant ran the whole rehearsal, it was a big deal.  But I guess if this guy says he never does them, then it will probably be fine.  Just clarify with him that since he won't be there, you guys will decide on the processional and all that. 
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    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • edited December 2009
    Thanks Ladies. I think I am going to go with him, even though he will not be at the rehearsal. He has an outline on his website that tells when things should happen, etc. So I think we will be fine.
  • most people have rehearsal out of the tradition and then the rehearsal dinner.

    If you don't have A. a huge WP or B. many different traditional acts occuring during your ceremony.. it shouldn't be a big deal. Our ceremony shouldn't last more than 20 mins so I don't think we need a rehearsal. There will be no standing up, sitting down, singing songs, etc. It's simple vows and sand blessing.
  • For every wedding I have been a bridesmaid/reader in, the officiant has always run the rehearsal and said who does what when.  I find it highly unusual that he wouldn't be there but I guess expectations vary, as several people on here have said they didn't need him for rehearsal.  I would suggest that you insist on sitting down with him before the rehearsal to make sure that the way you plan the rehearsal coincides with how he is planning to run the ceremony.
  • I have experienced the opposite as the PP.  Every wedding I have ever been in the officiant has not been there.  We practiced walking in, where to stand, walking out, etc.  The coordinator at the venue has always run it every time.  As the couple, haven't you talk to your officient enough about the actual ceremony to know what is going on?  I personally would not want my officiant to run through the ceremony even if he was going to be at the rehearsal.  If you just want to practice logistics of the ceremony then I would say don't worry about him being there.  If you want him to actually run through the entire ceremony, then hire him to be there.
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