Many of you have been ordained by the Universal Life Church in order to officiate a wedding for a friend or family member. We receive emails and calls from ministers every day not only curious about how to perform a wedding, but how to advertise your services as an officiant. Weddings are such joyous occasions and that energy can be a bit addicting. Many self-described one-timers quickly realize that this is something they want to do more of, and this list of our top 6 tips can help you expand your officiant business.
#6. Buy Newspaper Ad Space
This one isn't the likeliest to yield results, but if you can work with a popular local paper this could still be an option for you. We recommend that you only try this as we approach the
wedding season. Put an ad out in the very start of Spring, when couples have wedding planning on the brain and are more receptive to considering your services.
#5. Enlist in Local Business Directories
There are many special interest listings where wedding officiants can advertise. Check to see if anyone in your area catalogs businesses based on religious belief (such as a Christian directory if you perform Christian weddings), a good record with the LGBT community (such as if you yourself are LGBT or open to performing weddings for LGBT people), or other such niches.
#4. Get a Website
Having your own website sends a message that you are a professional and mean business. Not all of us have the skills necessary to create one ourselves. You can always hire a talented friend or freelance web developer, or you can utilize services like Square Space where you can modify style templates without having to know a darn thing about coding to end up with a great looking site.
Creating a website will cost you some money, and it can be a worthwhile investment if you plan on making a career out of officiating, but there are other ways of making an online presence.
#3. Create Online Profiles
There are many online directories where you can create a profile advertising your services to couples and wedding planners. We have chosen some of our favorites here based on the amount of traffic these websites receive and because taking advantage of them involves little or no cost.
All of these services will let you put your lo
cation, contact information (including your web address if you created your own website), the types of events you are interested in and a short biography about you and your experiences as a minister.
Wedding Wire The unique aspect here is their "Pros I Know" section, where couples can navigate through networks of vendors. If they were impressed by their friend's wedding planner, they can see what officiants or florists that planner endorses. A trusted name in the wedding business can bring you many high quality leads and even seal the deal with potential customers.
Wedding Bee In addition to vendor profiles, this site gives brides and grooms the chance to blog about their weddings. You can actually make comments on these blogs, so long as you are not just blatantly advertising. If you offer something interesting to the conversation, people will click your profile and check it out.
Thumbtack This service is extremely user-friendly for couples. They first fill out a questionnaire about what exactly they are looking for in regards to style, religion, language, and whether they need help writing their vows. They are then shown matches to their preferences rather than having to sift through every profile in their desired location like the other sites on this list. Be aware that while creating a profile here is free, you will have to pay to respond to messages from interested parties.
Facebook This one is so obvious that it could easily be overlooked. You will need to create a Page for your business and have it linked to your personal Profile. Facebook offers a nice guide on how to do this here. A Facebook Page gives you the chance to take a more active role in promoting your services compared to the others listed above. You will be able to converse with potential clients and share stories and pictures from weddings you have performed.
#2. Hand Out Business Cards
These are a must! If you find yourself networking with vendors or guests at a wedding, or even casually talking about your work or hobbies, business cards help you make a lasting impression. Our new ULC business cards convey competence, professionalism, and a readiness to work. You can place an order for customizable cards here.
#1. Engage in Networking
As we said earlier, having a trusted name in the wedding business can do wonders for you. This involves working with qualified people and making sure that they know who you are. The members of the couple are highly unlikely to have several more weddings of their own, but if you impress the vendors, they might recommend you to their other clients. Remember to speak with florists, DJs, musicians, planners, photographers, caterers, bakers, and venue managers; they can be your best resources for finding new gigs!
Those are our top 6 ways to advertise yourself as a wedding officiant. We hope you find these suggestions helpful. If you have some ideas you want to contribute, share them in the comments section below!
36 comments
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Dorothy
Thank you so much for this information! I am interested and open to performing LGBT weddings, in addition to any other weddings, and I was wondering how to advertise it as a newer minister. Good information!
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Ronnie smith
The picture you have used shows a minister marrying a couple of guys. That is against God's word. By my faith in God and His words, it is WRONG TO MARRY SAME SEX. God said that a man must leave his father and mother and take up a bride, which means female, so it is wrong for you to use or support gay marriage. It's a sin in God's eyes
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michael gibbs
Dear Ronnie Smith after reading your response I think its more your words that's against Gods using gods words to use then to promote hate, this world have enough hate its dose not need you to give more
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AnaMarie Medina
Thank you Michael Gibbs! I'm so tired og ignorant remarks made in God's name.
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Jo Anne
In my eyes, marriage is the unity between two people who love each other. No matter what color, gender, or sexual orientation they are. If you as a minister can not see that, then you are discriminating. Judging. Tho must not pass judgement upon others, lest you become judged yourself. I accept everyone for who they are. I am not of any particular religion myself, and I find the amount of discrimination appalling.
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Corey Carpenter
My father prefers the modern edition of the bible for Its easy read. His wife prefers the classic old English version for its traditional translation.
I handed them (a copy) of the original Hebrew texts... and they couldn't tell me what it said.
This proves that with human infallibility, translations over time can alter words, definitions and implications.
Consider, What if we were created in God's ESSENCE rather than IMAGE.
Two similar retranslated again and again into different languages that can alter how we interpret the Bible.
Rather than being created in the physical appearance we are created in the moral code we associate with the highest power
Peace and be well Corey
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Beth Ann Knox
GOD is LOVE.......not sex as gender!
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William Richardson
Ronnie - Speaking at a gay man myself, if you want to make an impact on same sex couples, than try being a friend or show them God's love. When we are told all the time that we are going to hell, why would I listen to anything someone like you has to say. If you want to express your opinion or what you consider to be facts of God's Word, than first, trying showing me God's love, and being my friend. You will find that you will not catch my "gayness", but may gain a really good friend. By the way, just because I am gay, does not mean that I want you.
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Anuschkah
Can we get an AMEN!? :D Well said Mr. Richardson.
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Carol
I Officiate for same Sex Couples and really enjoy bringing Couples together. Can you recommend some LBGTQ websites to advertise?
Thank you, Carol Richardson Siebert
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Rev. Eric Floyhar Ph.D
Who are we to judge, God is a spiritual being, a deity. He created man and woman out of his own image. You stipulated that a minister marrying a couple of guys. That is against God’s word. By my faith in God and His words, it is WRONG TO MARRY SAME SEX. God said that a man must leave his father and mother and take up a bride, which means female, so it is wrong for you to use or support gay marriage. It’s a sin in God’s eyes
According to the Webster Dictionary, the meaning of BRIDE is a woman newly married, or about to be married or an object ardently loved. Where in the bible says that God is a male? I respect your believes, but you should respect other believes and tradition’s, what you are doing is spreading hate and you call yourself a true Christian. This is not a place for you to bash anyone’s believes or rituals. Do you believe that your faith is the right one? What about other faiths, can you prove that they are the wrong ones? You should spread LOVE not hate!!!
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Jessica Vee
Agreed. One of the reasons I decided to become ordained was in honor and celebration that everyone has a legal right to be married. I am not hurting anyone. My couples aren't hurting anyone. In fact just the opposite. We are spreading love and tolerance and in no way sre we forcing our open hearts and minds on your beliefs. Although I don't expect it I would appreciate the same courtesy.
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Rick
what picture are you talking about? The one in the article? Because that's a man and woman networking at a function - it's not even a wedding. Maybe you are wanting to see a gay marriage and see one when there isn't even one there...
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Susan Cohen
Two lines down and it's an abomination to eat shrimp, too. hmmmm....
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Rev. Michael Mooney
In the Old Testament only
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mELISSA
abomination only means unclean
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Lady
Your "God" is a mixture of stories stolen from other cultures and can be disapproved by nearly anyone with a basic knowledge of world history. Your religion is a mass tool used to enslave the masses and responsibile for more deaths and mass genocide than anything else on earth. Stop wasting your life sitting in judgement of others and clinging to your fairy tale. Stop using your delusions of divine entitlement to wag your finger at others, judging them in a way that your own false God told you not to do. It's time to hit the library for some research and then back home to rethink your life, sir.
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Mathew James Olson
Well said
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CAROL
The word also condemns fornication.
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John Owens
As it should.
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Pastor Melody
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Proverbs 9:8
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Rayna Knowlton
These are some great tips to advertising my new minister skills. Thanks for the heads up I'll be researching them tomarrow.
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Fred Summers
I think that networking will always be the best way for finding events to officiate. Getting into the wedding business seems like a very word of mouth business. I love the tip to speak with the other wedding services to get new business.
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breetcalvin
Fantastic post on how you can market your DJ services. I’ve got a question though, what about using Pinterest alongside of Facebook and Twitter? I imagine that it’ll do well considering the female population on Pinterest. Love to hear your thoughts!
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Jennifer
How much should avwedding officiater charge in a small town, including rehearsal? Any idea?
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Rev. Angel Mason MH.,HHP.
I have been preforming wedding ceremonYes for very long time and so happy that I can now officiate the marriage between two people of the same-sex my hope is that someday it won't be called gay marriage or same-sex marriage but only marriage. As for a fee I've never charge one, and for people who insist I asked that what ever they were going to give simply gave it to a local food pantry instead.
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Taylor Bishop
Thanks for the interesting read about advertising wedding officiant services. I'm glad that you mentioned that it's important to have a website, especially since it sends a message to potential clients that you are a professional. Not only that, but with how important the internet is in our society, this sounds like a great way to make sure that people can find your business. Definitely sounds beneficial to make sure that you site is user friendly so that people can stay on there and learn more about your business.
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aman
Thanks for posting about the Matrimony service that really helpful for those who searching their soul mate online.
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Gerardo Defendini
Look, it is simple. Not that complicated. Only God can judge what is in the heart of men, or women. (Mat. 7:1-3). The Christian religion is NOT the only one that debates this issue. The Dalai Lama said the same Buddhist scripture that advises against gay and lesbian sex also urges heterosexuals to refrain from oral sex, anal sex and masturbation. "Even with your own wife, using one's mouth or the other hole is sexual misconduct," he said. "Using one's hand, that is sexual misconduct." Strict huh? Yet Some Buddhist orders say that the Dalai Lama is wrong - there is nothing in Buddhist teaching about homosexuality being unacceptable. I quote Dalai Lama: "If two men really love each other and are not religious, then that is OK by me."
The same debate takes place in Hinduism and other religions. Even radical Islamist are having debates on this. Same can be said about all other religions.
What seems to be clear to most religions that, for some reason, does not appear to be clear to some "so called" Christians, is that other religions refrain from condemnation and, somehow, some of us "Christians" seem to believe we are judges appointed by God.
Bottom line. Nowhere in the Bible are Christians ordered or even asked to judge others. In fact, Christians have been ordered NOT to judge. James 4:12 "There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?"
Our duty as officiants is to perform a ceremony, not to judge it. Whatever opinion we have about the the decision made by the participants is our opinions only.
If you feel uncomfortable performing an LGTBQ wedding, simply turn it down. You don't have to officiate it if you don't want to. The only one that can judge is God. That simple.
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Kasey King
God was cool with gay guys...he just preferred that they smoke a little bit of weed first. "If A Man Shall Lay With Another Man Let Him Be Stoned"
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Mike B
Hello, I would like to start my own officiant service/business. Questions; *Can I use the word ministry in my web/business name?
*If the business is run by myself what type would it be LLC?
*Do I need to open a business acct. and get an EIN?
*How would I be taxed and would I need to hire an accountant?
Thank you and God Bless
When authorized to perform marriages in the state of West Virginia, there is a clear statement that advertising is not allowed.
Please give me the location of this in the wv code. I can locate nothing that forbids advertising. I would appreciate it if yo u can point me to the section to which you are referring. Thank you.
I'm interested in the answer too as I'm an officiant in WV.
§48-2-505. Unlawful solicitation of a celebration of marriage. (a) It is unlawful for any religious representative in any manner to solicit the celebration of a marriage ceremony.
Even IF you are not allowed to advertise as such, you CAN blog about your activities including weddings. Approach it as a journal / news / local event thing.