Let’s face it, most couples hold off on planning their ceremony until the very last minute!

If that is you, don’t worry! There are so many ways to make things official while showcasing your personality, religion, traditions and more! Here are some things you will need to think through as you plan your ceremony.

Find an officiant!

Do you want a professional officiant who will personalize your ceremony script and lead you through it?
We provide our couples with a short list of professional officiants working in upstate NY. These officiants have experience personalizing the ceremony script to fit you as a couple and will meet with you ahead of time to plan all the details out.

Maybe you want to keep things personal and ask a friend to officiate?
Many of our couples choose to have a friend or family member officiate their wedding. This is best arranged through an online service where one can get ordained. A couple of these services include American Marriage Ministries and Universal Life Church though there are others. These sites even have some great resources to plan your ceremony script.

Do you want your marriage to be recognized by your religion?
While most religious ceremonies take place in a place of worship, it’s worth asking if the leader of your congregation would be able to offer ceremony officiating services outside of the church, chapel, synagogue, mosque etc.

Choose any traditions, rituals, readings, songs, etc. you want to incorporate

Many cultures and religions have their own traditions so do some research to determine if you would like to incorporate anything special into your ceremony. It’s okay to keep things short and sweet or extend the ceremony with song, dance, readings and rituals. This is a great way to personalize your wedding and incorporate your values into this special moment.

Determine how the wedding party will enter and exit the ceremony

Do you have a wedding party? What about parents or grandparents, dogs, nieces, nephews, or others that you would like to incorporate into your ceremony entrance? Think through who these people, animals, others might be and how you wish for them to enter. Are some of these people stationed ahead of time or will everyone make the walk down the aisle? What order do you want them to go in? Do you want anyone to walk together? Separately?

Also think about what kind of entrance you want to make. Do you wish to dance down the aisle to drums and horns, want a harpist to serenade you as you walk gracefully or jaunt down to your favorite folk or pop song? What feels right for you?

Write your vows!

Will you say traditional vows or write your own? Many couples decide to write their own vows as it makes your ceremony that much more special and personalized. For couples that are nervous about other people watching them, consider sneaking away for a special moment to yourselves where you can share your personal vows just the two of you. There are no right or wrong ways to get married!

Don’t forget to get your marriage license!

Remember, you need to arrange your marriage license BEFORE your wedding takes place! If you are located out of state and need to arrange your marriage license when you arrive, you can do so at the local town hall in Schoharie or a nearby town hall through the town or city clerk. Check availability on the municipality website.

HERE is a great resource with marriage license requirements in NYS.