When Might You Look for an Officiant for a Custom Wedding Ceremony Washington DC Offers?

To get legally married you’ll need a wedding officiant to declare the union between you and your beloved. He or she has a responsibility to witness the consent of each spouse and ensure all legal formalities are in place. Officiants might also handle other important tasks such as helping to plan a custom wedding ceremony in Washington DC, write vows, and issue the marriage license. Many officiants will oversee traditional and non-religious wedding ceremonies, but there are additional scenarios that might require their professional services.

Civil Ceremony

A civil ceremony is a type of wedding that is overseen by an official of the government; such as a Justice of the Peace. The purpose of a civil ceremony is to solemnize a marriage license. The occasion is typically informal, secular, and brief. However, you can still create a custom wedding ceremony in Washington DC that is also a civil ceremony.

Elopement Ceremony

Elopement ceremonies are not legally recognized in all states. In some states, the couple will qualify for a confidential marriage license; whereas in other states they must perform a civil ceremony before they can receive a marriage license. A wedding officiant in Washington DC can oversee the elopement ceremony. Typically, these types of weddings have very few or no guests. Most couples who choose an elopement ceremony prefer to exchange vows in their own custom wedding ceremony.

Surprise and Ambush Weddings

An ambush wedding is a type of custom wedding ceremony that is planned by the couple, but they do not inform their guests until the proceeding is underway in Washington DC. These weddings are a lot of fun and typically promote a free flowing event.

Surprise weddings are different from ambush weddings in that one person will surprise the other with the idea of getting married. There are legal technicalities with these weddings because by law, both parties must agree to the marriage before the ceremony. Furthermore, convincing a person who is reluctant to get married or feels obligated to do so, could be considered coercion. Many wedding officiants would not encourage people to have a surprise style wedding.

Commitment Ceremony

A commitment ceremony is not legally binding and is simply meant to affirm the love and devotion between two people who do not want to, or cannot, legally marry. A custom wedding ceremony in Washington DC can be a simple but wonderful commitment between two people.

Marriage by Phone

Marriage by phone is not legally binding. However, there are couples who choose this type of “marriage” for one reason or another. A wedding officiant can be there to oversee the exchange of vows, but he or she cannot legally recognize this type of custom wedding ceremony.

Renewal of Vows

When two people are already married but would like to reaffirm their commitment to one another, they may choose to renew their vows in a custom wedding ceremony in Washington DC. The presence of a wedding officiant is not legally required, but they can add to the romanticism. In fact, you can request the officiant to repeat the same words spoken by the officiant in the original ceremony to recall special memories.

If you would like to know more about the services of an officiant for a custom wedding ceremony Washington DC will always remember, call Lindsey Hoskins & Associates today.