Get to know your Registrar

If there is one wedding vendor you’d really like to connect with on a personal level, it should be your Registrar. This is the person who will legally join you and your future spouse together. They’ll coach you through reciting the special vows that will help you express your love and commitment, and they’ll possibly even impart important wedding advice that you’ll keep with you forever.

That said, we thought it would be helpful to provide a list of five questions you should ask a potential Wedding Registrar to be sure you’re hiring the best person to work with you. Here we go:

1. What are your credentials?

You’ll want to work with an experienced Registrar who can provide testimonials from other happy couples. They’ll need to be familiar with the marriage laws and requirements where you’re getting married,

2. Can we customize our ceremony?

If your Registrar works directly with a wedding venue that does numerous weddings every day, they may stick to a set “script” for every wedding and may not allow customizations. If you want to write your own vows or include particular readings, make sure the potential Registrar allows it.
3. Do you attend/run the rehearsal?

Some Registrars include a rehearsal and others don’t. Most charge an additional fee for it, which you’ll want outlined in your service contract. If there is an event coordinator find out whether they or your Registrar will run the rehearsal.
4. Have you ever made a mistake during a ceremony?

This is a tricky question, as most people will be tempted to say no. But we’re all human and make mistakes, right? The key thing to look for here is if they can admit they’ve made mistakes and how they responded when they did.
5. Why are you a ceremony Registrar?

This is perhaps the most important question you can ask a potential Registrar. Why do they do what they do? Does their answer tally well with the reasons you’re getting married? You can get a great sense of their personality based on their response.

There are other questions you can ask to gauge the Registrar’s character, such as what they considered the most romantic thing they’ve ever seen at a wedding, but the above questions should give you the answers you need to determine if the person you’re interviewing is the right for you.