When picking an officiant for your wedding ceremony, you want to take some time to think about what kind of ceremony you want. Are you and your fiance religious? Different religions? Or do you want it to be a basic civil marriage with no religious undertones? This first question will help determine if your ceremony will be more of a sermon or more of a nice speech.
After deciding what kind of ceremony you'd like, you can then add your own personal touches to it. More often now, couples are choosing to write their own vows. If you and your fiance aren't the best with words, you can always opt for the traditional "In Sickness and Health" vows.
Another way to personalize your ceremony is to do a Communal Blessing of the Rings. This works better with smaller weddings. During the ceremony, you pass around your rings in a small decorative box and each guest has a chance to say a prayer or send positive vibes to the couple about to get married.
If you're lucky enough to have important family heirlooms, you can always find a way to work those into the ceremony as well to symbolize your two families coming together.
In the end, your wedding can be as traditional and by the book, or as modern as you'd like! Make sure to spend time to find the officiant that's right for you, who will make your wedding day as special as it should be!
If you have a question you'd like to "Ask Abby," please send an email to abby@sandiegostyleweddings.com.