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Wedding Officiant Speech Ideas For A Friend’s Wedding + Templates
Written by Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Jul 14, 2023
Short And Sweet Wedding Ceremony Template
Playful and humorous wedding ceremony template, how to prepare.
- Meet with the couple beforehand to get an idea of what they expect or wish to see at their ceremony. Be sure to discuss the length, tone and order of your speech. Whether they prefer a short ceremony, a secular officiant script or want to add their own creative spin, you’ll be prepared to provide that for them.
- Start writing your speech as early as possible and ask the couple for feedback. It’s always best to have a third party review your speech for any errors.
- Ask the couple for any rules they wish to implement during the ceremony. They may want to ask guests to silence their phones or refrain from taking too many photos.
- Establish the order of the ceremony with the couple. Some couples opt to sign legal documents at the ceremony in front of their friends and family, while others prefer to sign them in private, either before or after the ceremony. Make sure you know how they wish to proceed with this component of their wedding.
- Confirm that the marriage license is valid. States have different laws regarding the window of time a license is valid and can be signed.
- Be prepared for how and when to submit legal documents. Once the license has been verified, complete all relevant fields. On their wedding day, make sure all required parties have signed including yourself, the couple and witnesses.
- Be aware of any filing deadlines in your state and return the license to its issuance office appropriately. In many states, the couple can return the marriage license themselves.
From An Acquaintance
Dos and Don’ts
- Do include a short and sweet anecdote about their love story. If you know how they met or got engaged, weave it into the speech to make it unique to the couple.
- Don’t get off topic. Avoid going on a tangent by keeping your script short and to the point.
- Do practice your speech and the names of important family members. Depending on the style of the wedding, some speeches thank or mention parents and grandparents of the couple so you want to make sure you’ve got their names down.
- Don’t go heavy on the jokes. Humor is great but when in doubt, keep it light. If you don’t know the family very well, some jokes may fall flat or not go over well with certain family members.
- Do type up a nice copy of your speech for the couple to keep afterward.
INTRODUCTION
Declaration of vows and commitment.
EXCHANGE OF RINGS
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Pronouncement, from a close friend or family member.
- Do include an endearing short story about the bride and/or groom. Use this story to add a little playfulness to your speech and pull at the heartstrings of friends and family.
- Don’t tell embarrassing stories about the bride or groom. Keep your stories light and focused on their love for one another.
- Do write a unique introduction. Since you know them personally, give yourself the freedom to stray from the traditional wedding ceremony introductions.
- Don’t go into too much detail. Although you know the couple well, they may have invited acquaintances and distant friends to the ceremony so keep your speech concise.
- Do type up a nice copy of your speech for the couple to keep afterward. A great wedding gift idea would be a framed print of their vows they can cherish for years to come.
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Written by Shutterfly Community | View all posts
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In order to help you write a wedding officiant speech for an acquaintance or close friend, we put together this guide of things to prepare for, some dos and don’ts, and examples you can pull from for your own speech. Jump to: Short And Sweet Wedding Ceremony Template; Playful And Humorous Wedding Ceremony Template; How To Prepare
The Key to an Inspiring Wedding Officiant Speech. As the wedding officiant, your role is an important one. However, you’re obviously not the star of the show. Captain the ship soundly, and then get out of the way. Creating an inspiring wedding officiant speech often means striking a balance between humor and heartfelt moments.