Notes for Officiant

As the officiant, you have been selected for such an important role in the wedding day. We (Jenna and Jenna) are the wedding coordinators and will be your main point of contact. We are excited to work you on that special day!

Rehearsal Night

  • Once everyone has arrived for the rehearsal, we will give everyone an overview of how things will work on wedding day, we will line everyone up in the barn, we will send everyone down the aisle and then we will make sure everyone knows where and how to stand or sit.

  • On rehearsal evening, after everyone is down the aisle, you will take over to cover as much or as little of the ceremony as you feel comfortable. You definitely don’t have to read through everything and might want to save most of the actual wording as a surprise for the wedding day. The things that are important to us to cover

    • Anyone (other than yourself) doing a reading knows where to sit on wedding day, when to come up to the microphone and where to stand

    • If there is any type of unity ceremony we will decide placement of the unity table on the rehearsal evening

    • We want to make sure we know who has the rings and they know when they should hand them over.

  • After you have covered everything you would like to practice for the ceremony, we will explain to everyone how to walk back up the aisle and exit the ceremony.

  • Please check with the couple on the rehearsal night and make sure they are all set with the marriage license.

Notes to keep in mind for the ceremony

  • If the couple would like to you invite guests to please put away their phones and be present in the moment before the ceremony, this should typically done just before any parents, wedding party, etc. starts processing down the aisle

  • Make sure you actually say “Please Be Seated” in your ceremony script when you would like guests to sit down at the start of the ceremony (typically at the moment when the couple turns to face each other and any parents that have walked them down go to their seat)

  • The Kiss: many couples would like you to move to the side and get out of the picture for their first kiss. When you do so, please move to the side with the microphone, music stand, any paperwork, etc BEFORE you invite the couple to kiss. Additionally, please move far enough over so you are past the pavilion posts on either side of the arch.

  • Typically after the kiss, the very last part of the ceremony and the last thing you will say is something such as “It is now my pleasure to introduce for the first time…”

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where is the ceremony?

    • There ceremony takes place under the covered pavilion directly behind the reception barn. For pictures of the ceremony site check here

  • What happens if it rains?

    • Because the pavilion is covered, we typically can always do ceremonies outside regardless of rain. We will send wedding party down the aisle with clear umbrellas from the barn to the pavilion and collect the umbrellas as people get under the pavilion. That being said, it is always the choice of the couple what they prefer and we can move ceremonies inside with about an hour or two notice before the ceremony.

  • Do you have something for me to put my paperwork on?

    • We can offer you a music stand to set your paperwork on at the ceremony site. Please let us know if you would like or need one.

  • Is there a microphone?

    • Typically the DJ provides a microphone.

  • How do I fill out the marriage license?

    • The marriage license is typically pre-signed from by the couple at the time when they get it from their town clerk. As the officiant you will ensure all the questions in the certificate section at the bottom of the license are completed.

    • Marriage Licenses should be completed in Black Ink.

    • If you obtained your license from somewhere like Universal Life Church that would be a religious ceremony.

    • The Gallagher is in Orleans County in the Village of Medina.

    • Two additional witnesses will also need to print and sign their names at the very bottom.

    • After the marriage license is completed it can go in the preaddressed envelope it came with and get mailed back to the clerk.