How to Hire a Wedding Pastor

Hiring a pastor requires a number of additional considerations over hiring a secular officiant. Start the process as early as possible to ensure you hire the pastor who understands the unique approach you've developed for your wedding.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Contact a church in line with your religious beliefs and notify the pastor of your intent to marry. If the church is not local to the wedding site, you may have to pay transportation costs for the pastor you hire.
2. Interview the pastor you want to hire by asking him to describe his favorite type of wedding. Note whether he prefers a humorous, light tone or a more solemn one. If you're planning a non-traditional wedding, make sure he's a good match for the unconventional mood of your ceremony.
3. Ask the pastor for a written or video record of past ceremonies that she's performed for other couples who share your religious and personal convictions regarding marriage.
4. Ask friends for recommendations of pastors they have hired to marry them. Be sure to ask what impressed them the most about the pastors they used.
5. Ask the pastor for testimonials or personal recommendations from other couples he has married, or ask him whether you can contact any of the couples who have hired him previously to discuss their wedding experience.
6. Determine the extent to which friends and family of different religious backgrounds can participate. Some pastors will have strict rules about who can be included in the wedding party, give readings or sing, while others will be more lax.
7. Discuss with the pastor her feelings on input from the bride and groom. Some pastors are happy to co-write the ceremony or let the bride and groom draft their own vows, while others, such as those performing a Roman Catholic mass, will most likely insist on using a traditional religious script.

Tips & Warnings

• Begin searching for your pastor as soon as you become engaged to ensure you have ample time. For example, most U.S. dioceses require a 6-month notice to marry a couple, to ensure that the couple has time to complete the pre-marriage counseling requirements held by the Catholic church.
• Avoid scheduling your wedding during popular holidays like Easter and Christmas. If you must hold your wedding during those times, begin the hiring process for your pastor at least 9 months in advance to avoid a holiday rush.

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