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Best Wedding Officiants in Seattle, WA

Our Recommended Top 9

We did the research for you!

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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Seattle Wedding Officiants on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

154Reviewed

96Curated

9Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

Shoreline, WA 98155

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.0 (11)

Why choose this provider?

Forever, Together officiates weddings in Seattle, across Western Washington, and extending north to the Canadian border. It specializes in Spanish and bilingual ceremonies and caters to mini-weddings, as well as same-sex and last-minute nuptials. Couples receive a ceremony design packet that helps them plan their wedding ceremony according to their preferences. Services for those who only need papers signed are also available. The officiants were ordained by the non-denominational Rose Ministries, whose members respect the various beliefs and traditions of family members.

  • handfasting
  • spanish officiant
  • wedding officiant

Lynnwood, WA 98037

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (52)
Facebook
5.0 (30)
Yelp
5.0 (20)

Why choose this provider?

Rev. Ray Van Winkle & Associates has been officiating weddings in Lynnwood for years. The primary officiant has performed over 1,200 weddings, and the team is known for being personable, professional, and reasonably priced with light-hearted ceremonies, including elopements, which can be religious or secular. The ministers were all ordained by the Universal Life Church, and many specialty services such as Unity Candles, Sand Ceremonies, and Filipino traditions are available. Couples can also request premarital counseling via the Prepare-Enrich relationship inventory system. The team won First Place four times for Best Officiants in Western Washington from King 5/Evening Magazine, was a 2013 Pick for The Knot Best of Weddings, and has won a Wedding Wire Bride's/Couple's Choice Award six times.

Seattle, WA 98122

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Reverend Patrick Callahan has been officiating Seattle weddings for 25 years. The officiant has overseen hundreds of wedding ceremonies for couples from numerous backgrounds, and couples receive two planning sessions for a service that properly reflects their story and beliefs. Rev. Callahan is a former Catholic priest of 15 years who left to marry and today handles weddings under the auspices of the Federation of Christian Ministries. Potential clients can look through the many testimonials from past brides and grooms on the group's website, and the ministry is certified by the Federation of Christian Ministries and meets all state requirements for officiating. A number of venues such as the Woodmark Hotel, Edgewater Hotel, and Stimson-Green Mansion recommend Rev. Callahan as well.

Lakewood, WA 98498

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Rev. Eric Warn offers officiating services in the Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia area and backed by 30 years of experience. The non-denominational ordained wedding minister has been a wedding officiant, public speaker, event planner, and master-of-ceremonies, and couples from all faiths and backgrounds are welcome. Brides and grooms always appreciate the officiant's sense of humor and dedication to making each ceremony special, and Rev. Warn handles everything from same-sex unions to traditional ceremonies. Each ceremony is uniquely crafted to be meaningful, yet brief and worry-free, and Rev. Warn was voted one of the top two wedding officiants in Western Washington in the 2010 King 5/Evening Magazine Best of Western Washington contest.

Seattle, WA 98107

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.5 (42)

Why choose this provider?

Seattle Wedding Officiants has been officiating weddings in Seattle since 2009. Elaine Way is a licensed and ordained non-denominational wedding officiant who performs ceremonies for all faiths, same-sex couples, civil unions, and other backgrounds and traditions. Couples receive a free one-hour consultation and can opt for a larger wedding service or a small ceremony, elopement, or last-minute service. The group is known for its customer care, passion, and top-notch communication as well as attention to every detail. Couples can also request free Skype consultations and check out various styles, trends, and stories on Elaine Way's blog, and information on the required wedding license is also available online.

Seattle, WA 98011

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (3)
Yelp
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

The Wedding Gentleman is a Seattle wedding officiant service. The non-denominational wedding officiant, minister, and Life-Cycle Celebrant deals with couples from every background including secular, agnostic, Buddhist, atheist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Wiccan and collaborates with clients until the wedding perfectly reflects their personal story and beliefs. Ceremonies are fully customizable, and The Wedding Gentleman performs services for same-sex couples, vow renewals, elopements, and bonding ceremonies for seniors as well. Rehearsals at the venue are available, and clients can first request a no-obligation interview to discuss their needs. The officiant is Certified with the Celebrant Foundation & Institute, and the group has won a WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award.

Seattle, WA 98133

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Window to the Soul Ministry offers wedding officiant services to Seattle brides and grooms and has over 20 years of experience. The group aims to create an enriching and unique ceremony for all couples, including same-sex and multi-cultural, that will set the tone for the many years a couple will be together as well as leave a lasting impression on guests. Rev. Mary Calhoun is known for her fun, witty, and warm approach, has also worked for 10 years in event planning, and has written The Distinctive Wedding Ceremony. Brides can peruse a list of preferred vendors on the company's site as well. Window to the Soul Ministry has been voted Best Seattle Wedding Officiant by Seattle Bride Magazine from 2010 through 2015 and has been seen in Seattle Met Bride and Groom.

Seattle, WA 98115

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Seattle Wedding Pastor handles wedding officiant services in Seattle and is backed by over 12 years of practice. Rich Sclafani is a non-denominational wedding officiant, licensed pastor, and a member of Wedding Pastor USA who has a reputation for being respectful, fun, and flexible. Mr. Sclafani offers premarital counseling as well and holds a BA in Speech Communication from the University of Washington as well as an MA in Counseling from The Seattle School Of Theology & Psychology. Seattle Wedding Pastor won a WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award from 2009 through 2012 and has been featured in Style Me Pretty, Seattle Bride Magazine, and Seattle Metropolitan Bride & Groom. Initial meetings are free of charge.

Seattle, WA
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (669)

Why choose this provider?

Young Hip & Married works with men and women in and around Seattle. It provides a selection of wedding services to enable couples to make their big day fun and memorable. The wedding officiants strive to avoid dull and boring wedding ceremonies. They handle adventure and intimate elopements and sweet and simple ceremonies. The team also helps clients build a strong foundation through its relationship counseling and coaching services. Young Hip & Married has been in the industry for over a decade.

  • Relationship Coaching
  • Intimate Elopement
  • Simple Ceremony

Compare our Top Wedding Officiants

NameExpertise RatingAddressPromotionsLearn more
Forever, Together
Shoreline, WA 98155
Rev. Ray Van Winkle & Associates
Lynnwood, WA 98037
Reverend Patrick Callahan
Seattle, WA 98122
Rev. Eric Warn
Lakewood, WA 98498
Seattle Wedding Officiants
Seattle, WA 98107
The Wedding Gentleman
Seattle, WA 98011
Window to the Soul Ministry
Seattle, WA 98133
Seattle Wedding Pastor
Seattle, WA 98115
Young Hip & Married
Seattle, WA

FAQs

  • Introduction

    Planning a wedding is a lot of work. You have numerous tasks and responsibilities. Even if you opt to hire a wedding planner, your input is required for everything. One of the decisions you need to make is who will marry you. Choosing your wedding officiant can be a challenging undertaking.

    If you have a religious background and are a regular member of a church, synagogue or other house of worship, the choice is probably easy. But if not, you may want something less traditional. You can choose a professional or ask a close friend or family member if they would be willing to officiate the ceremony. These FAQs can help you make a decision about your wedding officiant.
  • What is a wedding officiant?

    A wedding officiant, also called marriage officiant, is an individual with the legal authority to perform wedding ceremonies. Local judges and clergy members commonly act as wedding officiants. But, nearly anyone can obtain the necessary certification to become an officiant, although requirements vary from state to state.

  • What does a wedding officiant do?

    The main role of a wedding officiant is to lead and perform the marriage ceremony. They must follow state law to ensure the union becomes official. Wedding officiants draft what they’ll say at the ceremony, often with input from the engaged couple. Some of their associated duties are signing and filing the marriage license.

  • Can you officiate your own wedding?

    Officiating your own wedding is referred to as self-solemnizing. This practice is only legal in a few states, including Colorado, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Kansas, Maine, Illinois, California, and Washington, D.C. The rules governing self-solemnizing in these jurisdictions differ. All states legally recognize self-uniting marriages that are properly performed in a state where they're permitted.

  • What do you call a person who officiates a wedding?

    A marriage officiant’s title depends on who they are and what they do. For example, clergy members are called reverend, father, minister, rabbi, pastor. Common titles of civil marriage officiants are judge, your honor, magistrate, or mayor. Friends and family members who get temporary officiant status usually have no title.

  • Who can officiate a wedding?

    The individuals who are allowed to officiate a wedding depends on the laws of the state where the ceremony is performed. Typically, most clergy members and certain civil officers can perform marriage ceremonies. Many states also permit other individuals to obtain temporary officiant authorization or to become ordained to perform a marriage.

  • Can a notary officiate a wedding?

    Public notaries may perform marriage ceremonies in only a few states. They include Florida, Maine, South Carolina, Montana, and Nevada. Of course, a notary may officiate a wedding in other states if the state they’re in allows individuals to become wedding officiants, and the notary follows those guidelines.