A wedding officiant business provides couples who want to marry with someone who is licensed and authorized by the state to perform the wedding ceremony. Wedding officiants must be ordained to marry people in a wedding ceremony. Notable ULC ordained officiants include Richard Branson, Paul McCartney, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Usually, wedding officiants perform non-religious ceremonies, but some wedding officiants are ordained by a religious organization to perform religious weddings. Some wedding officiant businesses provide couples with wedding planning assistance for an additional fee.
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Start a wedding officiant business by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Wedding Officiant Business
- Form your Wedding Officiant Business into a Legal Entity
- Register your Wedding Officiant Business for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Wedding Officiant Business
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Wedding Officiant Business
- Get Wedding Officiant Business Insurance
- Define your Wedding Officiant Business Brand
- Create your Wedding Officiant Business Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your wedding officiant business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Wedding Officiant Business Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening a wedding officiant business?
One of the best aspects of starting a wedding officiant business is that you can start this type of business for little or no money. However, there are a couple of purchases that will help your business run smoothly:
- Ordination – You can become ordained for little or no money online. There are several options. Many wedding officiants choose to become ordained through the Universal Life Church for free. There are other groups online who can ordain you, like the American Marriage Ministries.
- A computer – You will need to keep track of your reservations, and a computer is a great tool to help you do that. Any computer is suitable for this task, and if you don’t already have one, you can buy an inexpensive computer for $300.
- A website and hosting – Most of your clients will find you through your website. It is worth investing a decent amount of my money to have a professional web presence. For this type of business, you don’t need a complex website, but simple, well-designed should cost under $500. You can host your site for around $60 a year.
- Transportation – You will need a vehicle to travel to ceremonies. Most wedding officiant business owners use their personal car.
- Formal wardrobe. Weddings can range from informal, theme-based weddings to very formal occasions. You will need to have clothing to fit a wide range of situations. Most wedding officiants wear personal clothing. You may choose to buy a wardrobe specifically for your business.
What are the ongoing expenses for a wedding officiant business?
Marketing, hosting and maintaining your website, transportation, and the cost of updating your wardrobe are the only ongoing expenses.
Who is the target market?
Most clients of wedding officiant are couples who want a non-religious wedding for personal reasons. Since the nationwide legalization of same-sex couples to marry, many clients are members of the LGBTQ community.
How does a wedding officiant business make money?
A wedding officiant business makes money by charging for conducting a wedding service.
How much can you charge customers?
Professional wedding officiants typically make between $100 – $400 per ceremony and some require a small fee for the rehearsal. Additionally, it is not uncommon to charge a per mile transportation fee.
How much profit can a wedding officiant business make?
With the low startup and running costs, a wedding officiant business may seem ideal. The one downside is that the amount of money you make greatly depends on where you located and how many weddings you do each week. Since most weddings are seasonal and only take place during the weekend, your opportunity to earn is limited.
How can you make your business more profitable?
It is possible to make a very good profit as a wedding officiant when you combine the business with wedding planning or event space leasing. Wedding officiants who want to turn their businesses into full-time ventures should definitely consider these two add-on businesses.
Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your wedding officiant business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.
This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.
In practice, this means that if your wedding officiant business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
Ready to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Reality?
Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.
Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
In most states, it is necessary to obtain a wedding officiant license. Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a wedding officiant business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.
For information about local licenses and permits:
- Check with your town, city or county clerk’s office
- Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources.
Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.
Service Agreement
Have a service contract ready and signed before putting aside time out of your schedule to officiate. Although unfortunate, be sure to include terms on how a situation is handled if the wedding is called off or other circumstances arise. Here is an example service agreement.
Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional service agreement for your wedding officiant business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.
Certificate of Occupancy
A wedding officiant business can be operated out of an office. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.
- If you plan to lease office space:
- It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
- Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a wedding officiant business.
- After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
- If you plan to purchase or build office space:
- You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
- Review all building codes and zoning requirements for you business’ location to ensure your wedding officiant business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Find out what types of insurance your Wedding Officiant Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Wedding Officiant Business.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market a wedding officiant business
There is usually no repeat business for a wedding officiant business. That means you will constantly need to be looking for new clients. However, providing a wonderful experience for your clients can lead to referrals for additional clients.
Use your website to drive business with content marketing and online advertising. Create partnerships with other wedding service industries like florists and event spaces who are in the position to recommend you to their clients. Promote your wedding officiant business within local groups and organizations.
How to keep customers coming back
A lot of your business may come from word-of-mouth. It’s critical that you treat each of your clients special, to encourage them to suggest your services to their friends. Always keep a few business cards on hand to give out at the ceremonies where you officiate.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.
Is this Business Right For You?
A wedding officiant business is a good match for anyone who is looking for a side business. Wedding officiants themselves should enjoy interacting socially with a wide range of people, be comfortable speaking in public, and love weddings. In addition, since weddings are typically held on the weekend, someone thinking about starting this type of business should have a flexible schedule.
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
What happens during a typical day at a wedding officiant business?
A wedding officiant spends most of the week marketing and speaking with potential clients. Many people choose to run their wedding officiant business on a part-time basis, and they only work an hour or two a day answering emails and speaking with clients. Wedding officiants usually spend a few hours at each wedding presiding over the ceremony. Some wedding officiant businesses choose to offer wedding planning services, so they spend much more of their time consulting with clients, caterers, florists, space managers, and other wedding-related businesses.
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful wedding officiant business?
In order to marry a couple, an individual needs to be ordained. Luckily, it is very simple to become ordained online. In addition to being ordained, a wedding officiant business owner should have a natural ability to engage with a wide variety of people. A business owner should feel comfortable working with people from the LGBTQ community and should not hold any biases against any race or religious group. A wedding officiant business owner should also have a solid background in running a business including marketing and accounting.
What is the growth potential for a wedding officiant business?
Since the legalization of LGBTQ marriages, more same-sex marriages are performed in the US than ever before. The number of heterosexual couples plus the rising number of same-sex couples seeking non-religious marriages means that wedding officiants will continue to be in high demand.
Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
- Funding
- Events
- Guides
- Support
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a wedding officiant business?
Start close to home, go slow, and have realistic monetary goals for your business. Many people in the industry never have enough clients to allow them to work full-time in the industry.
How and when to build a team
Unless you are pairing your wedding officiant business with another wedding-related business, there is very little reason to build a team.
Useful Links
Industry Opportunities
- American Association of Wedding Officiants
- National Association of Wedding Professionals
- American Marriage Ministries