So the truth is there are basically three kinds of wedding officiants in the world, meaning you've got three options if/when you're looking for someone to oversee your wedding service. Unfortunately most people don't realize they have options at all. In most cases they either default to their religious leader or follow the guidance of a family member, but if you're ever in that spot, please know you have alternatives:
You can hire the County processor, who's a very nice stranger at the government building but has no connection to you whatsoever;
You can ask your cousin/uncle/bishop, who's also very nice but likely has zero experience either presiding or public speaking; or
You can hire a professional wedding officiant, who's also very nice but offers industry/process knowledge and speaking expertise
Professional wedding officiants are rare, but what they offer is expertise and knowledge surrounding the wedding ceremony and the wedding process that can help guide you from start to finish. I'm lucky to be a non-denominational minister, a justice of the peace, and a professional wedding officiant, and I can speak from experience that there is a difference. I've officiated 200 weddings over the last year, and during that time I've worked with all or most of the major wedding venues in the area (Louland Falls, Millennial Falls, Aspen Landing, This is the Place, Grand America, etc) as well as most of the service providers in the space (photographers, videographers, planners, DJs, etc). This positions me to recommend these resources if needed, and I have answers to all of your other questions about the ceremony or license or processional or recessional (lots of moving parts). Happy to help however I can.
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