Photo: Patricia Lyons Photography
More often than not, couples live far away from their hometowns. And, if that's the case, that means they're a good distance away from the religious institution in which they were raised. But what happens when you want to fly in your childhood or parents's priest, minister, or rabbi to officiate your wedding ceremony? Here, everything you need to consider when accommodating an out-of-town religious officiant for your wedding.
It happens: You don't want to get married in your hometown, but you want the clergyman (or woman!) you had growing up to officiate your ceremony. If that happens, before you even invite him out to your wedding, you need to confirm a few things with your ceremony site.
Let's say you want to wed in a church or synagogue that's this priest or rabbi isn't affiliated with, you'll have to first check with that institution that it is ok to bring an outside person in. Sometimes, the facility may require their own clergyman to stand alongside yours and help with the ceremony. Other times, it's totally fine, but there may be a fee for helping organize everything.
One you presumably get permission for using the religious venue, make a list of necessities for your out-of-town officiant. Be sure to put the local clergyman and your minister or rabbi in contact with one another, this way they can coordinate everything on their own.
Last but not least, you're definitely obligated to pay for all of your officiant's travel, hotel, food and any other things he or she needs during their stay for your wedding weekend.