Wedding Officiant Archives

Wedding Officiant

Make Your Wedding Ceremony Your Own — the Modern Way!

Posted on August 1, 2013 | Author Dianne Daniels

If you are determined to break with convention by designing your own wedding, you are not alone. These days, Justices of the Peace are being asked to officiate at more creative and non-traditional wedding ceremonies. This trend is seen in the chosen attire, the wording of the ceremony, the style of music, and even in the way a couple travels down the aisle. Modern weddings often reflect a couple’s lifestyle and personality. Wedding attire, for example. I’ll never forget the couple who dressed quite casually — in jeans, while the groomsmen wore vests and the bridesmaids wore cowboy boots. The bride placed no requirements […]

How Small Was the Wedding? Only Thee and Me!

Posted on June 29, 2013 | Author Barbara Jay

With the pandemic, tiny weddings are increasing in popularity. That makes this throwback even more relevant for today ~ editor, July 2020. My favorite (actually, only) weddings are the smallest possible: only the couple and me, the officiant. In my years as a Justice of the Peace, I’ve only officiated at two weddings but I’ve married three couples. Yes, one of the weddings was a double ceremony. (And one other thing made this event unusual: they were all women.) That wedding took place at the home of one of the couples. The four women had created a moving ceremony in which […]

What’s the Difference Between a Legal Marriage and a Wedding Ceremony?

Posted on March 19, 2013 | Author Matt Loter

Updated: Legal Marriage vs. Marriage Ceremony, published November 23, 2020 A bride-to-be posted a great question on Ask a JP because it gets at one of the most commonly confused facets of getting married: the distinction between the legal and the ceremonial. When we think of weddings, we tend to think of the legal and the ceremonial as being intertwined and integral to each other. While this is typically the case, it doesn’t have to be. Here in Connecticut we have very specific laws about who is eligible to marry, who may officiate a marriage, and other technical details associated […]

Choosing a Wedding Officiant

Posted on February 13, 2013 | Author Adria Belport

This article was updated and revised on March 25, 2021. Choosing a Justice of the Peace to perform your marriage ceremony ought to be more important than the invitations you select, the food you serve, or the music you choose. Spending time selecting JPs to interview—summing up in a conversation the details of your romance, the hopes and dreams you share—is indeed very personal business. Just like the chemistry in finding your life partner, finding the right person to officiate is of special consideration. For me, the right combination of seriousness, humor and understanding makes the partnership comfortable and exciting, […]

Be On Time for Your Wedding

Posted on January 6, 2013 | Author Larry Gemma

“I entreat you to start your ceremony no more than 15 minutes after your scheduled time…” Your JP can have two to three ceremonies on your wedding day so please try to start your ceremony no more than 15 minutes after your scheduled starting time. Every ceremony is important to each bride & groom and your JP wants to do the best job possible. The confirmation email I now send couples lists all my fees, several ways to contact me (and me, them) and the telephone number of the wedding location… AND a gentle reminder to START ON TIME!” Find […]