Wedding Officiant Honorarium (Fee) Guide - Wedding GuidanceNote: Wedding Officiant Honorarium (Fee) Guide does not only pertain to a Jewish Wedding . It can pertain to all other Life cycle events such as... Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, Bris, Baby Naming for newborn boys and for newborn Girls , Funeral, Unveiling and any other Jewish life cycle ceremony.The Jewish Wedding Rabbi says...Whether you know the Officiant beforehand or not, by the time the Officiant marries you, you will feel like you have known one another for all time! I always feel a very special bonding with the couples I marry. Your Officiant is a very vital part of the Wedding Day. Marriage License, Rabbi, Wedding Officiant Registered? You must have a Ceremony and a Marriage License signed by a legal Representative of the State where you are married in order to be really married! This is true for Destination Weddings as well. Every Rabbi or Wedding Officiant of a local Jewish Temple or not must sign the marriage license and send it into the County Clerk's Office to be recorded. If they don't, even though you will sign the Ketubah of marriage, receive blessings under the Chuppah, you will not be married! Each state has its own laws, but most do require a clergy to be registered. All officiants are required to file the marriage license within a certain amount of time - usually postmarked within 5 days your wedding day. So, whether you have anything else or not in your plans for The Wedding Day, choosing an Officiant is a #1 priority, and the honorarium (cost) for you, the couple - whatever it may be - should be considered a very small part of the overall expense of the occasion. Definition of Honorarium Payment that is given to a professional for services which fees are not legally or traditionally required. Tzedakah - acts of giving became interwoven into the basic foundation of Jewish society. It is a fundamental part of the Jewish way of life. Shalom The proper term for a Rabbi's fee or Wedding Officiant is not called a fee, it is an honorarium. Honorariums - can range from $575 to an extreme amount of $2500. Yes, a couple expressed to Rabbi Frank that a clergy 'suggested' $2500.00 to officiate their wedding ceremony including travel expenses. As mentioned, that is extreme. A Rabbi is 1% - 2% of your entire wedding budget if it does not reach the extreme number as mentioned above. How to offer the honorarium to the Rabbi Wedding Officiant? An honorarium deposit reserves your wedding date on the Rabbi's or Wedding Officiant's calendar. This offers peace of mind to the couple that they indeed have their Rabbi wedding officient secured for their wedding day. Wedding Day Do place honorarium in a sealed envelope so that the Rabbi can concentrate on the importance of the day. It is a good practice to give the responsibility to either the best man or a trusted family member to hand out all sealed envelopes on the wedding day. That includes the caterer, band, florist etc. Below is merely a guide on a a range of proper Honorariums for life cycle ceremonies.
Please note:The Jewish Wedding Rabbi wants to point out that each Rabbi offer differences in style, presentation, warmth, joy, love, comfort, charisma, appearance and energy. Most of the time, everyone asks "how much?" This is often difficult for a Rabbi, Cantor or Wedding Officiant to answer, but will offer a guide to assist. Before contacting a Rabbi, plan your budget to include a proper Honorarium to the Rabbi or Cantor that assists you in this wonderful life cycle ceremony. Reality Today, most couples are paying for their own wedding. It is not uncommon for a couple to 'shop around' for a Rabbi when they are unaffiliated with a congregation and/or their congregational Rabbi does not marry interfaith couples. A Rabbi's Honorarium is very small, it does not compare to all other expenses i.e. flowers, catering, attire, photographer etc. Remember: It is the wedding ceremony that makes the marriage happen. 98%-99% is everything else that makes your wedding day beautiful. Personalization The Jewish Wedding Ceremony has a specific order. The customs, the required items needed for the ceremony can significantly connect a couple's family trees. There are many opportunities for the Rabbi to guide, advise and write-into the ceremony text. Each couple is unique, so your ceremony should reflect both or you, your family, your traditions and so much more. If personalization is important for your wedding ceremony, then that is the type of Rabbi or Wedding Officiant you are seeking. If an Auf Ruf Aliyah - the pre-wedding Jewish custom takes place, it may be an honorarium to consider pertaining to the wedding budget. Discuss an Auf Ruf when meeting with the Rabbi who is to be the Officiant for your wedding. A Rabbi, a Wedding Officiant - What Should Be Expected? Today, a Rabbi is more than only your wedding officiant on your wedding day. Considerations:
Today, Ordained Rabbis are choosing other employment opportunities outside a synagogue/temple setting. You will hear more and more about independent Rabbis. With the internet, a Rabbi can offer assistance to a 'congregation without walls' via donations i.e. honorariums for services as opposed to membership dues and building funds. All Rabbis are appreciative of temple/synagogues, without them, there would not be those 'other options' available. Destination Weddings or Long Distance Traveling for the Rabbi It is customary for the wedding couple to provide travel arrangements including the honorarium. Remember, the honorarium is for the pre-ceremony preparations, meetings and at times, materials including the day of the ceremony. Making a memorable moment is what matters most. Rabbi Andrea Frank, the Jewish Wedding Rabbi cannot stress enough that the Rabbi you reserve for your life cycle ceremony should only require arrangements around the time frame of the ceremony. If a Rabbi extends their stay due to such beautiful locations as Mexico, St. Thomas for example, then it is their out-of-pocket expense and responsibility. Also, if clergy requires for their spouse to travel with them, again, it is their out-of-pocket responsibility and not the the couple. That includes meals, unless the hotel or resort is all-inclusive. Travel, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, parking garage fees is all that a couple should cover. If a couple or family invites and includes the Rabbi, Cantor or Wedding Officiant to the reception, this is a kind gesture. A Rabbi will feel blessed to be part of the festivities. If the reception is not Kosher, that is okay. All vegetables, fruit and certain types of fish are parve - neutral in Kosher terms. It is always best to have the Rabbi travel the day before and the day after the wedding ceremony, mostly for peace of mind for the couple. Again, this does depend on the time frame of the ceremony and the transportation companies' schedules. Will the Rabbi Wedding Officiant Show Up? A bride and groom can only pray that not only the clergy, but that all on their special day go as smoothly as possible. It is best to type a call sheet list. The all important telephone numbers along with a well charged cell phone. i.e. clergy, florist, photographer, limo service etc. The Jewish Wedding Rabbi states that your officiant should be communicating with you the week of your wedding day. This offers peace of mind to the couple; confirms the all important details; as well as if any changes had occurred. Be Prepared Be prepared for it may or may not happen. Check with the caterer, for a list of clergy for an emergency. This all important question and list is usually overlooked when meeting with the caterer by couples. Most caterers usually have a good relationship with local clergy that can step in within short notice. This may delay the ceremony since the couple would need to discuss important details, but most likely the ceremony will go well. Trust that the wedding day was planned to every detail, but to not lose focus on the most important element of this special day. Remove all the material items, the details, the schedules etc. and ask yourself what is left...is it wedding memories - yes, but more importantly, the marriage! Two people joined together in the union of marriage is with God's blessing. Mazel Tov! Wedding Officiant Honorarium (Fee) Guide is an extenstion of Wedding Guidance Also see Marriage Guidance Your Shopping List of Important Ritual Items Needed for the Jewish Wedding Do you find this article helpful? Perform Tzedakah and Receive an Item to use on your Wedding Day. Jewish Wedding Rabbi Home
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