How to choose your Philadelphia Wedding officiant
How to choose your Philadelphia Wedding officiant
Are you wondering how to choose your Philadelphia wedding officiant for your wedding day? Planning a wedding involves lots of decision making, including who’s on the guest list, which Philadelphia venue to choose, how many people to invite, and the list goes on and on. One important decision is who will actually marry the two of you and officiate your ceremony. After all, the ceremony is the heart of the wedding. It is where you say your wedding vows, exchange your rings, and officially get married. There are many different options to consider when choosing your officiant. Will it be a religious leader of your faith? Will it be a friend? Or will you choose a professional wedding officiant? There is no one right answer; it is a personal decision that you will make as a couple that fits your day. In this blog post, we will focus on tips and what to consider when choosing a wedding officiant for your Philadelphia wedding day, and some good questions to ask when selecting an officiant to lead you through your ceremony.
Let’s start with the basics. You might be wondering, what are the key roles of a wedding officiant? Yes, they lead the ceremony on the day of the wedding, but there is more to it. Many officiants can help guide in the planning of the ceremony. They can get to know the couple to understand their story and journey, and having a professional wedding officiant has lots of perks that you may not have thought of! They will have experience and expertise in helping the ceremony go smoothly, bringing warmth, welcoming, and professionalism in this tender moment and follow the legal guidelines to make the wedding official.
As a Philadelphia wedding photographer, I have seen all kinds of weddings with many different people leading a wedding ceremony, from parents to friends to judges. There are certain areas where having a professional can really help bring ease, grace, and direction to this life-changing moment.
There have been times when I saw the couple’s friend officiating, and they never asked the guests to sit down, so everyone stood for the full ceremony. An innocent oversight that is understandable if this is not something you do every weekend. A professional officiant knows how to smoothly lead this key part of the day reminding the couple with subtle but important reminders such as “come closer” if they are standing too far apart or “you two can hold hands”, asking for the rings, and so many other details that someone who hasnt done this hundreds of times may not know or may forget in the moment.
Susan Harte Philadelphia officiant
To help explain the ins and outs of the wedding officiant role, I will interview Susan Harte, a Philadelphia officiant of Journeys of the Heart, for some invaluable first-hand insight into the wonderful world of officianting wedding ceremonies and what couples need to know when planning this central part of their celebration.
Susan has truly found her calling. Her warmth and joy are a perfect match for a wedding celebration. She knows how to bring people together and shine a light on the union of the couple. She helps set the tone for the day and reflects the couple’s values in her ceremonies. Her calm and confident demeanor puts everyone at ease as she guides the couple through this rite of passage. Her years of experience allow her to balance sincerity and humor to the ceremony, to coordinate effortlessly with other vendors, and add a special touch that can elevate the ceremony from routine to heartfelt and personal.
Let’s talk to Suasn Harte to learn more about her and her role as a Philadelphia wedding officiant.
How long have you been a wedding officiant in Philadelphia, and what led you to this career?
I have always had a great love of ritual, even when I was young and especially to celebrate and mark life passages. I worked in Philadelphia as a college chaplain, then development director for almost 25 years. When the financial crisis hit in the early 2000’s, I was suddenly out of a job and looking for work that was meaningful as well as sustainable. At the invitation of a dear friend, I joined a wonderful group of officiants at Journeys of the Heart in 2010 and haven’t looked back!
Do you travel outside of Philadelphia? If so, what is your travel radius?
Our organization offers officiant services within a wide radius of the area. While I live in South Philly, and celebrate most of my ceremonies in or close to the City, including Love Park Wedding Wednesdays, I am available within an approximate 50-mile radius, including PA, NJ, and DE.
How would you describe your style of officiating weddings? Can couples customize their ceremony?
My philosophy when crafting ceremonies is to follow the couple’s lead and listen, listen, listen! Because every couple is truly unique, I always start by hearing their love story and then their thoughts about the atmosphere and tone they seek for their wedding day.
I deeply appreciate the level of trust couples place in me to stand both with and for them, as they mark this passage in their lives, and I hold that closely to my heart. I believe that the ceremony is “the heart of the day” but the heart of the ceremony is when they make their pledges to one another. Everything in the ceremony builds to that, so the entire focus should be on them, not me!
After getting to hear some of their vision, we move on to the details – what in their ceremony is most important to them. For some, it includes family members and friends; others want to honor religious or cultural traditions. Most have firm ideas about their vows, but simply need a little help putting their feelings and ideas down on paper.
I am open to including any and all elements that uplift the things that are most meaningful to them. Every wedding should have integrity toward the couple, their values, and desires. That said, many couples are starting from scratch and simply want to hear some suggestions from me about what may be possible in order to create their personal, meaningful and sweet wedding ceremony.
What is the planning process like? Do couples meet with you beforehand?
For small weddings or elopements, I meet virtually with a couple at least once and offer ongoing communication. For the larger weddings, I will plan on meeting virtually at least twice. Our initial consultations are always without obligation, so there is no pressure to hire me.
I never mind if a couple wants to pick my brain about things, but later decide to choose someone else to officiate for them – really, I don’t! I believe they should absolutely have the officiant that is right for them.
After we meet, I send them a few planning tools, including my “Love Story Questions” in order to weave in their own voices. Then I send an initial draft of the text, for them to look over and edit. We meet again and talk through the whole ceremony together. They have final approval and there are no surprises.
What are some questions that you would encourage couples to ask when talking with a potential officiant for their Philadelphia wedding?
The number one question I encourage couples to ask is: “Do you provide a back-up in case of emergency?”
Over the years I have received calls from venues or planners or couples desperately asking if I could be available to officiate their wedding on short notice because they had asked a family member or friend, or even a clergy member, but there was no contingency in the event the officiant had to cancel. Trust me, that is not something you want to worry about on your wedding day!
Other questions I appreciate are more about my flexibility and willingness to really hear and honor their wishes. I am always honest if they request an element that I have not seen or incorporated before, but I’m always up to try something new.
I also assure couples that every wedding has some solemnity but can also have some lightheartedness. Not like a stand-up comedy routine, but some little romantic, sweet or even quirky details which speak to their unique relationship – their love! I strongly believe there is value in hiring a professional who knows the difference.
The last thing I would encourage them to ask about is their officiant’s knowledge and experience with both obtaining and processing the Marriage License. Every State and County have different rules and procedures. The process can be very confusing. I am fastidious about Marriage Licenses!
How can couples reach out to you to get more information and inquire about hiring you for their wedding day?
Our website is Journeys of the Heart you can go there to read more about how we work and a bit more about me personally. You may contact us right from the site to set up an initial, no-obligation consultation.
Then the fun can begin!
You may also contact me directly by email: Susan@journeysoftheheart.org OR phone/text me at: (215) 370-9840
Keep these things in mind when choosing your Philadelphia Wedding officiant:
Decide what kind of ceremony you want
Are you looking for something short and sweet? Are you looking for a religious ceremony? Will you write your own vows?
Understand the legal requirements of getting married in Philadelphia
It’s important to know the steps to getting your marriage license in Philadelphia, and to keep in mind that there is a waiting period of 3 days once you get your marriage license before you can actually use it. It also expires within 60 days, so you have a limited time period when it is valid.
Start your search early
Weddings have a funny way of sneaking up on you. When you first book a wedding day, it may seem so far away, and then all of a sudden, the day is around the corner. Don’t forget to start thinking about and booking your Philadelphia officiant.
Interview potential officiants
It’s always a good idea to request a phone call to chat with your potential officiant and get to know them a little before making your final selection.
Planning Your Philadelphia Wedding
For more tips about planning your wedding in Philadelphia, visit my blog for everything from local venue lists to best locations for photos and insider guides. Here are a few pages you may want to visit:
Philadelphia Wedding Photo Timeline
Self-uniting Marriage in Philadelphia
Ultimate Guide for Small Philadelphia Wedding Venues
