Don’t get us wrong, we love a DIY wedding just as much as the next thrifty spender. But there is one space that we encourage engaged couples to always fill with a trained professional: your wedding officiant.

You might remember our post from a few months ago, Six Reasons You Should Hire a Professional Officiant, where we chatted with a few local officiants about the benefits of hiring a professional. ‘Cause unfortunately, the officiant is an integral piece of a perfect wedding day that often goes overlooked or undervalued.

So let’s rectify this! We’re adding to the conversation now with some much-needed points from one of Albuquerque + Santa Fe’s most loved officiants, Kelly Atkin of Amor Ceremonies. We’re not being redundant either, there actually are more than six reasons to go pro! There are even more that aren’t included on this list of tips and tricks too — these just scratch the surface.

1.

Professional officiants keep your ceremony starting on time and running smoothly.

{Something as simple as the timing can affect your entire wedding day, especially if your reception or ceremony venues are available during specific times.}

2.

A professional officiant lends an air of formality &  legality to your ceremony.  

{Your commitment to one another is serious, and aside from love, there should also be respect for the real, life-changing step being made.}

3.

You can count on a professional to not to veer off track by talking about their own life/relationship or by telling personal stories.

4.

A professional officiant won’t start giggling because they are nervous. Or cry should you start to cry.  

{We’re all human! Giggling and crying — and telling personal stories, too — are natural responses to having dozens of eyes trained on you. A professional officiant will preserve the respect of the ceremony by maintaining a proper stature and emotional state.}

5.

A Professional won’t forget the important elements of your ceremony, like exchanging rings, sharing your personal vows, or of course, the kiss.

{You definitely don’t want to be worrying about the structure of the ceremony when your job is to simply marry the love of your life!}

6.

Officiants who have been performing ceremonies for years have the knowledge and expertise to ‘go with the flow’ of the event.

{Should things go awry, you can trust your professional officiant to handle the situation. Whether it be taking a moment of silence when someone is crying uncontrollably, smooth the way so split families feel included and wanted, making sure the front rows get filled, or anything else. Your officiant is always on your team, working to make sure your day is as you imagined.}

There you have it! Now a total of 12 reasons why hiring a professional wedding officiant will be one of the best decisions you make for your wedding — right behind deciding who to marry, and what to wear, of course.

Special thanks to Kelly Atkin of Amor Ceremonies for sharing her expansive knowledge of all things weddings here, to our local community. To book Kelly and ensure your special day is all love and no stress, click here.