haha No need to shake in your boots - you're going to be awesome!! Reach out on Instagram (@heyjeffmaeck) if there's anything I can do to help out, but I know you're going to crush this one!! Good luck!!

Well?! How did it go? 😊 Hope you loved it ans it made you want to do it again. My first (terrifying) is in June. Shaking boots and all. 💋

Oooh that's awesome! Steal away, I hope it's helpful! Let me know how it goes :)

Would you be willing to share the script you used?

Love this!

Ahh you're SO welcome!! This comment made my day ,thank you! Anything else I can be helpful with, reach out anytime! You can catch me most easily at @heyjeffmaeck on Instagram!

Wow what a great message!! Thank you! If there’s anything else I can help out with just let me know :) Good luck in your first ceremony - you’ll be great and you’re going to absolutely love every second of it!!

Absolutely agree!!!!

Ah I didn't even see your comment! Thanks for taking the time to leave one! So happy this was helpful, and you nailed it 10000%. You can dial down the formality but still keep it fun and classy! Couldn't have said it better myself!

Hahahaha!!! I hurt my stomach laughing so hard at that high five description 😂 So happy it was helpful!! You’re going knock this thing outta the park, and I guarantee you’ll love it! Anything I can do to help out reach out on IG @heyjeffmaeck. Best of luck!! ✌🏼

Thank you a million times over for this message!! Happy it was helpful :)

This makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks for the quick message, I appreciate it so much :)

Thanks for the kind message!! I try to my best keep it like a conversation between myself and the couple, looking at it that way has really helped me keep things extremely personal :)

Wowww! Dave what a great message! So happy this was helpful :) I have zeeeero doubts you crushed that ceremony and everyone loved you! I love that idea of the huddle with the wedding party and just the, "hey, we got this thing, and we've got each other's backs up there, ok?!" That's exactly the kind of thing that makes you stand out, nice work! What else did you find helpful in your search to write your ceremony? I won't pretend I have all the answers but I do really enjoy helping out in any way I can.

Ohhh that's awesome!! Happy to hear it was helpful!

You’re so welcome!! Happy it was helpful :) You’re a rockstar, you’ll be great up there! If you have any specific questions or how I prepare I’m happy to share that. Send me a message on Instagram @heyjeffmaeck and I’ll get back to you!

Aaw that's so kind of you! Thanks for the message. In a previous life, I actually WAS a model in Southern Ontario haha I've made a few changes to my approach for 2023, but if there's anything I can help out with, reach out anytime!

Aaaah that makes me so happy! I'm glad it could help out, even if just a little bit! Feel free to reach out any time if I can be helpful or if you have any specific questions :) All the best in September, you're going to love it!

That’s so great! I have a bit of a different approach (I’m a bit fan of having some laughs up there to keep the couple comfortable and the guests engaged :) but if you have any questions feel free to ask away! And ps you’re getting married - that’s AWESOME!! Woot!!

Ah what a great message! Thank you so much, I’m so happy it was helpful!! 🙌🏼 Is there anything else that I could have touched on to make it easier?

@@heyjeffmaeck I was a little confused by section 6 (signing the marriage license) because I haven't seen this take place and didn't see it in other wedding ceremony videos. I realized you (always?) officiate in Canada so I assumed that it was just a procedural difference between the US and Canada. That said, it might be nice to clarify if that is indeed a regional tradition. Always want to highlight your tip #11 (get out of the photo)! I felt like such a pro ducking out of frame just as the couple kissed and it certainly made for better photos. Certainly not something I would have automatically done in the moment if I wasn't prepared!

Aah this note makes me so, so happy!! You’re a pro - best of luck in your upcoming weddings! Couples are so lucky to have you up there with them!

That’s AWESOME!! You’re so welcome!! Good luck :)

How did it go?! I'm sure you nailed it!

Oh wow that's such a great compliment! So happy it was helpful, if there's anything specific you're curious about go ahead and ask! Best of luck with the upcoming weddings! You'll be great!

Oh you’re so welcome!! Happy it was helpful!! Goooood luck!!

Ryan that's going to be amazing!! You didn't ask for it, but my thoughts: your sister asked you because you're obviously not only incredibly important to her, but because she knows you're the perfect person to handle it and that'll be great! You're going to awesome, don't stress at all! Enjoy every second of it, it's going to be a pretty emotional day for you guys I think! If there's anything I can do to help out, reach out on Instagram (@heyjeffmaeck) - happy to help however I can! Good luck!

Im in the exact same boat, except it's my sister-in-law. My wife and I were there the night they met and have been around since. I am both honored, and stressed as hell to officiate! Lol

​@@joshbecker8048 - haha wow, I'm in essentially the same situation with my SIL and have the same reaction... t-minus three weeks here. good luck to us!

Ooooh man your little sister's wedding!! That's SO exciting! All I can say is embrace the fact that you might be a lot more emotional than you think, and that's a great thing. Enjoy every moment of it, and be sure to get some photos of you in action, you'll cherish those forever! Best of luck! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help out!

Yay!! I’m so happy this was helpful :) What a cool job you have! Best of luck with your writing!!

Thanks for watching! You're so welcome :)

Ah what a great message!! Thanks for the note :) So happy it was helpful!!

Melanie that's AWESOME!! Congrats on finishing your training - you'll be great! Happy it was helpful. If you have any questions at all, feel free to reach out! I can't promise I have the answer but I'll certainly try my best :)

Mike that's aaaaaawesome! Oh man, super exciting! You're going to crush it! Let me know how it went or shoot me a message on Instagram at @heyjeffmaeck, would love to hear all about it! Good luck!

How did it go?!

@@heyjeffmaeck great, the guest all wanted to know how many do I do every year, funny thing this was my first time, and they handed me a mic at last minute, was a little nervous holding mic and book to read from. But I followed your advice and had a script. They loved it. Would do again! Thanks for your help.

So happy to hear it went that well! You’re a natural!

Aaaaaw that's the BEST!! So happy it was helpful! If there's anything else I can do to help out reach out anytime!!

That's awesome! Officiating a friend's wedding is SO MUCH FUN! You're seriously going to laugh (and like cry) the entire time haha enjoy every second of it!

You're so welcome!!

Thanks Jay!! Appreciate the message!! I do have a few more in mind...I’m curious though, is there anything in particular that might be helpful for you or that you’d want to see?

@@heyjeffmaeck I was going to ask the same thing. I would like to see videos that include unity ceremonies if possible. Love this video.

Hey hey!! Thanks for the message and encouragement, more in the works for sure! Happy it was helpful :) And definitely, feel free to shoot me an email anytime, jeff@maeckweddings.com!

Ah I’m late on this reply!! You’re so welcome :)

Awesome!! What a great experience for you! Best of luck!

Wowwww what a great comment!! Thank you so much :) That's going to be so, so much fun!! You're going to love it and I knoooow you'll nail it!! Any questions at all shoot me an email or a DM on IG! Oh, and that vibe setting announcement gets asked about a lot, I think I'll do a quick video just on that part alone. Good luck at the wedding!!

Woohoo! Happy to hear that! Best of luck :)

☺☺☺

That’s exciting!! You’re so welcome!! Best of luck in the ceremony 🙌🏼

Awesome Brian! Glad it was helpful :)

Aaah this makes me so happy to hear! Have you already done it?! How did it go?

Hi @@heyjeffmaeck the ceremony will be at 15:00 CAT today: 17 December 2021. ❤️ I will come back to give feedback.

Awesome! You're so welcome :)

Hey hey! Thanks for checking out the video! You're right, the audio is terrible haha although truthfully I made this for a handful of people and I didn't expect it to get the reach it did. I should do a properly updated version for sure!

In a few days?! Oh wow!! That’s going to be a blast!! Best of luck, you’ve got this!! ✌🏼

@@heyjeffmaeck Thanks Jeff, I have been preparing for some time and have visited your video again and again for inspiration. I must admit that I have "borrowed" a few of your best bits and tailored to suit. Invaluable. You are very good at what you do and your smile is quite infectious. Thank you again. Stay awesome x

Hey Stephanie!! Thanks for the message :) Unless the couple has a different picture of how that part will look, I normally have the Declaration of Intent, or the "I do" part, as they exchange rings. Basically, I would ask Partner 1 (in this video it's Mike): "Mike, do you take Becca to be your wife? Do you promise to....." and his answer is (hopefully!! haha) "I do," then he'd put the ring on her. Then I'd turn to the other partner and ask a similar question, and their response is "I do," then they put the ring on. Does that sort of answer that?

@@heyjeffmaeck that makes a lot of sense, thank you for the reply! After talking to the couple, they liked the flow of the "I Do's" after the ring exchange and it's there day so we are making it work without keeping it redundant after the vows and rings. Loved the video, very helpful!!!

So happy to hear that! If there's anything else you think would be helpful, let me know! I've changed things a bit from here, but I tend to make small adjustments year to year to keep things fresh and fun!

Hey sorry for the late response here. I think I'll make a video about this announcement, but for the part of the phones I normally say something along the lines of, "and hey, if you have a phone or iPad, go ahead and launch that thing immediately. They've hired an incredibly talented photo (or photo and video) team who are going to capture everything, and I promise, their photos are going to be....WAY better than your cell phone shots. Seriously, go ahead and put them away."

I love that!! Let me know how it goes, the first one is always a blast! Best of luck, you're going to be GREAT!!

@@heyjeffmaeck thank you for the motivation. I was a bit nervous but pulled it off nicely. Much blessings 🙏. Have a productive week. One love 🇯🇲.

Aaaaawesome!! So happy it helped :) Best of luck!!

@@heyjeffmaeck Any tips for transitioning between segments. Instead of "next we will do the vows" or "now we will do the unity candle"

For sure! You’re definitely right. I don’t outline any of the legal requirements since I’m in 🇨🇦 (Ontario, specifically) and I know there are viewers from around the world where the legal requirements are different :) Thanks for watching!

You’re so welcome Claudia :)

Hmmm this is likely a bit more of a conversation than a note I can leave here. If you have Instagram, feel free to send me a message there and I'll send you a video back (@heyjeffmaeck) or an email jeff@maeckweddings.com. Super excited for you to have this opportunity, I just know you're going to love every second of it (and I know you're going to be great :)

Great question! I know a lot of people like to talk about the significance of the ring, but instead I ask them the Declaration of Intent/"I do" question at that point (instead of saying something like, "the rings are a circle, and like a circle..."). In the example above, Mike has Becca's ring, and I'd look at Mike and ask, "Mike, do you take Becca to be your wife? Do you promise to..." and looking at her, he would answer, "I do" and then place the ring on her finger. Turning to Becca, who has Mike's ring, I'd ask her a similar question, before she placed the ring on Mike's finger. Sorry that wasn't clear above, hope that helps :)

@@heyjeffmaeck got it thanks so much Jeff!

So happy it was helpful! Best of luck in your first wedding - I know you're going to love it (and rock it!).

You’re so welcome!! Good luck with your weddings!!

Hey Lydia! Congrats on getting married - that's the BEST!! I don't actually post any of my full ceremonies. From a creative standpoint, I love writing them but I don't give them out. I know you can track down some general ones online, that might be a good place to start, then you could find creative ways to personalize it!

No way! That's awesome!! I actually pinned the announcement but I'll post the link here as well (I was getting asked about it a lot haha) kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jJ51f8l2z6e1nKc.html I kind of modify this and wing it most times, but the goal is the same each time - remind people they were invited to witness something awesome, and that their role is to celebrate! Good luck with the upcoming wedding - you're going to crush it! If I can be helpful in any way, just let me know!

@@heyjeffmaeck 🤦‍♂my bad, I appreciate you posting it for me again anyhow - and thanks for the support!

Thanks!! And great question! If a couple was doing that, I'd typically add it immediately after the signing. It's a natural break in the ceremony (we're already not standing at the front), and it doesn't disrupt the flow of the ceremony by having us leave the front a second time. Before we sign the marriage licence, I'd tell everyone what we're going to do though. Just a, "hey, we're going to get to the best part in just a second, I promise, but before we do we're going to sign the marriage licence. While we're signing the licence, we're also going to _____. This was important to _____ and _____ because....." Something along those lines. Hope that helps!

Happy it was helpful, Dave!

Hey hey!! Thank you so much! I would just make sure to follow whatever the legal requirements are in your province or state. It's weird that it differs place to place, right? Even though personalized vows really do confirm intent, I still ask the couple a variation of a declaration of intent that is answered with "I do." Hope that helps!

Thanks Anthony! Hmm great question. I always try to focus on the couple's journey up to this point. It's no secret they were married and divorced, so I don't avoid it but I more allude to the fact that sometimes life takes on detours before we end up exactly where we should be - marrying our best friend like they are. I like to talk about their family as well, like a "and hey, this isn't just about the two of you, it's about your families coming together." I like to talk about what that means to them and why it's important, and include stories about the kids (depending on their age, it can really help the kids feel included in the ceremony and day). Again, depending on age of the kids, I always recommend couples make some vows also to their partners kids, and look at them when they share them. It just lets them know they're loved and accepted. Hope that helps a bit Anthony!

@@heyjeffmaeck yes! I love the bit about including vows to the kids. Thank you for taking the time to respond!

Hey Parker! Thanks for the message!! Man first one coming up?! That's the best! I've adapted a version of a question that another great officiant down under taught me. Basically, I ask the guests: "what do you do when something good happens?" and I actually ask them to shout out some answers. Most say "clap" or "cheer" or "drink!" - all good answers. And I remind them that this is also good, so I want them to feel free to do the same here. Clap, cheer, get excited, cry - it's all good. I just want them to be real. It's led to some really cool processionals where guests are clapping and cheering like crazy when the groom comes in, or they clap and cheer after the vows. It's always reading the room and reading the couple. When it lands, it's awesome. If you try to get a mostly quiet crowd to be excited, it's a bit trickier (I've learned the hard way haha!). Hope that helps!!

@@heyjeffmaeck Thanks for taking the time to respond! I’m definitely getting hyped as the ideas flow and time draws near. Currently working my hardest to flesh out the “love story” piece. I’m absolutely using that question in some form; it’s gold. I hope you get to make more content soon. Love your vibe!

Come onnnnn man! That's the BEST! So happy you crushed it! Thanks for this comment too, means a lot!

You’ve got this!! Good luck!!

Oh my goodness, sorry I'm just seeing this comment now. Thank you so, so much for the kind words! Sheeeesh :) I hope things are going great and your calendar is full of weddings to celebrate!!!

Aaaah I'm too late on replying to this, I'm sorry!! If I'm not, shoot me a message on Instagram @heyjeffmaeck and I'll send you a quick video on how I introduce these and where I place them in the ceremony!

Great question! I always ask them questions separately then keep their answers/ceremony script a surprise. I find couples are far more willing to tell me hilarious stories when they’re on their own vs together haha

Hey!! Thanks for the message and congrats on the first ceremony!! Woohoo!! So fun :) I have a bit of a process that I've refined over the past few years that seems to work pretty well. The gist of it is that I like to ask them questions individually, it's amazing (and hilarious!) what people are willing to tell me separately vs together haha I like to grab questions about how they met, what was going on in their life at that time, first impressions, first dates, funny/memorable dates, one or two annoying habits and even an embarrassing thing about their partner (only like a 4 or 5/10 on the embarrassing scale, it's their wedding date, not a time to roast them haha). I have maybe 10 or 12 questions, but I try to let them take the lead and tell me anything they want. Once I have all that info from each of them, I find the story almost writes itself, the pieces fall together and a good storyline trajectory is set. I hope that helps, even a bit! Let me know how it's coming along!

@@heyjeffmaeck thank you so much. I forgot I left this question and I sent you an email, too! Feel free to disregard. And thank you so much for the awesome feedback/suggestions. I’ll keep you posted! ☺️☺️

You're the best! Thanks so much!!

Hey David, sorry, "the rings that I use?" Happy to explain, just let me know what part you mean :)

Hey hey! Glad it was helpful! My ceremonies are generally 22-25 minutes :) I think there’s a sweet spot that isn’t too short (which leaves guests feeling like it was rushed) and too long (where they’re ready for the next thing). Hope that helps!

Hey hey! That's awesome!! You're going to LOVE it!! I like to start every ceremony with a solo announcement before the processional, it's a fun announcement to get everyone excited. That's when I introduce myself. "Hello everyone and welcome, my name is Jeff and I have the great honour of helping _____ and _____ get married today..."

Aaah that’s amazing!! You should definitely do it, I know you’ll love it :) Let me know how it’s going or how I can help encourage you in your journey!! Good luck!!

You’re so welcome!! If there’s anything specific you’re wondering about by all means just ask :) Happy to help any way I can!

Rob you're awesome, thanks for watching!

Don't be nervous, you're going to be awesome :) Happy to help out however I can, even if it's just a message reminding you how much fun you're going to have up there!

Hey bro! Thanks for the message! I pinned a video of a variation of that Vibe Setting Announcement in the comments :) Hopefully, it helps!

That's a great idea (and I've pulled it off a few times with some pretty good success). Have you tried it? One way I keep their reactions natural and candid is by not sharing the ceremony script with them, so the first time they hear it is the day of their wedding. Check out @heyjeffmaeck on Instagram for some photos of what that looks like :) It makes for an entirely candid ceremony full of laughs.

@@heyjeffmaeck Yeah, I was able to get a few stories from the wedding party and it worked pretty well. Traded stories with the best man too so he can use some in his speech. Great experience. And I agree that keeping the script from the couple is good idea.

Thank you thank you!! I always bring my own wireless mic and wireless speaker, even if the couple has hired a DJ, I guess I like having the fate of the sound of the ceremony in my hands haha I've had more than a few where the DJ's batteries died or they didn't have a windsock or it was bad quality etc. I use a Sennheiser AVX-835 mic and a Bose S1 Pro speaker. They work perfectly together and no annoying cords or hydro needed, meaning I can bring it anywhere. Oh! And the speaker has a backpack, so I can literally carry it all on my back, zero hassle.

@@heyjeffmaeck awesome! Thanks for the info

Awesome question! I aim for the tried and true Ted Talk number, 18 minutes. Once you add in a processional, vows, signing the licence, and recessional it normally works out to about 25 minutes from start to finish (but only 18ish minutes of me actually talking). Sometimes it's longer, but I find that number works well.

Awesome, thanks! This video was great and definitely relieved some stress!@@heyjeffmaeck

@@user-zg8oo2nt6f Love hearing that! Anything else I can help out with let me know! Good luck in October, you're going to be awesome up there!

Thanks for the comment - great question! I keep this part pretty quick, the intro to a reading isn’t some big moment, I more try to to say something nice about the person doing the reading so they feel encouraged going up, like I’m cheering them on, because most people are super nervous to share a reading. So I’ll say something like this, “before we keep going, I’d like to invite the groom’s uncle Carl/Aunt Susie to the front to share a reading they’ve chosen. Uncle Carl has always been such a big part of their relationship and they’re so excited to have him share this with you now. Uncle Carl, come on up here.” Depending on how formal or informal things are, I might even try to have guests clap to get him up there and feeling calm and welcomed. Hope that helps!!

Hey hey!! Since you’re in Texas I’d reach out to the good folks at The American Marriage Ministries, they’ll get you set up to legally perform a ceremony (plus they have a million great resources!!). Hope that helps!

@@heyjeffmaeck will do! Thank you, Jeff!

Gail great question!! Congrats on your first ceremony coming up 🎉 I’ve always used a dedicated ceremony iPad and *knocks on wood* have never had an issue. I think it’s the cleanest way to do it, and I also stream music for a lot of ceremonies as well (but that’s a video for another time haha). A few things to note about an iPad: -if it’s a dedicated ceremony iPad, get a nice case (Dodocase is my favourite). I only use mine for ceremonies and basically have zero apps on it to cause issues or distract, and keeps it in great shape -make sure it’s charged (obvious I know, but still important) -figure out how you want read it, personally I write my ceremonies in Google Docs, save it as a PDF and upload it to Google Drive. When you do that, make sure you access it on your iPad with wifi and make the document available offline (that one’s important) otherwise you’ll only be able to access it with wifi/data -disable all notifications on your iPad -if it’s a billion degrees out, don’t leave it lying in the sun (it will shut itself down 😬) -turn off auto rotate so it doesn’t turn the doc as your presenting -practice holding a mic (or holding anything) in one hand and the iPad in the other to get comfortable with scrolling with one hand and mic in the other I think those are the ones that come to mind right away!! This seems like a big list, but I promise they’ll come naturally once or twice through. And at the end of the day, here’s how I approach a ceremony: perfection isn’t the aim, creating a memorable experience for two people to get married is. That being said, if you fumble anything no one cares, promise! Hope that helps!

@@heyjeffmaeck thank you so very much for this very detailed information!! This is so helpful Jeff! More than you know! I’m probably overthinking everything but I’m so honored to be asked to be the officiant of my best friend’s son’s wedding and like you said, I just want it to be memorable and personable. These simple logistics will make all the difference in the overall experience and I certainly don’t want to appear too nervous! Thinking through the details and scenarios helps me greatly. Thank you so very much for your help! I’ll be back to report in after the wedding! I have a feeling it’s going to be fantastic!! ♥️