Choosing and Hiring a Maine Wedding Officiant
Is an important part of your wedding day. Recently, we talked with Maria Northcott of A Sweet Start – One of Maine’s Best Wedding Officiants to talk about how she creates special moments without feeling like a stranger. Maria is dedicated to creating a fun, loving, and care free wedding ceremony with her personalized, & undivided, attention.
1. How did you become an officiant?
I worked as an office manager for a nonprofit that handled real estate transactions, so they asked me to become a Maine notary public. During the certification workshop the instructor explained that there are three states in the US that allow notaries to perform weddings and…Maine is one of them! Immediately I decided “That’s what I want to do!”
2. How many weddings you have officiated?
My very first wedding was September 2011 and since then I’ve officiated over 120 ceremonies! For the first few years, I worked full time and only officiated 10 weddings a season. When I quit my day job and became completely self-employed in 2015, I doubled the number of ceremonies I would officiate each summer to 20. I only officiate one wedding per weekend, as my process is very unique, and I put all my love and attention into each wedding couple.
Photo Credit: Emily Delamater Photography – emilydelamater.com
Photo Credit: Emily Delamater Photography – emilydelamater.com
Choosing and Hiring a Maine Wedding Officiant
Is an important part of your wedding day. Recently, we talked with Maria Northcott of A Sweet Start – One of Maine’s Best Wedding Officiants to talk about how she creates special moments without feeling like a stranger. Maria is dedicated to creating a fun, loving, and care free wedding ceremony with her personalized, & undivided, attention.
1. How did you become an officiant?
I worked as an office manager for a nonprofit that handled real estate transactions, so they asked me to become a Maine notary public. During the certification workshop the instructor explained that there are three states in the US that allow notaries to perform weddings and…Maine is one of them! Immediately I decided “That’s what I want to do!”
2. How many weddings you have officiated?
My very first wedding was September 2011 and since then I’ve officiated over 120 ceremonies! For the first few years, I worked full time and only officiated 10 weddings a season. When I quit my day job and became completely self-employed in 2015, I doubled the number of ceremonies I would officiate each summer to 20. I only officiate one wedding per weekend, as my process is very unique, and I put all my love and attention into each wedding couple.
Photo Credit: Emily Delamater Photography – emilydelamater.com
3. What you love most about being an officiant?
The stories and the connection! I love learning about my couples and forming a meaningful connection with them. I love hearing about how they met, how they got engaged, what they do for work, where they live, if they have pets – I want to know all of it. Because I’m going to tell their story on wedding day, I love listening to them talk about their relationship, their beliefs about marriage, their family traditions and values. Learning all about them helps form a warm connection between us, so on wedding day, I don’t feel like some rando stranger, I feel like a friend!
4. What’s the back story on how you came up with the name “A Sweet Start.”
Well, “I give my couples a sweet start to their marriage” so it only seemed appropriate!
5. What makes you different than a friend of the family or a JP? (I know there are others… celebrants and religious… feel free to touch on as many as you would like!)
For starters, justices of the peace in Maine do not have the authority to perform weddings. Isn’t that interesting? Friends and family members can perform weddings here, if they get “ordained” online, but they’re not always the best choice.
Being an officiant is so much more than just writing and reading a script or being a good public speaker. It requires creativity, gravitas, quick-thinking, grace and organization. A professional wedding officiant will not only guide you through the process of planning, organizing and coordinating the ceremony, they’ll offer you wisdom on readings; elements to add into the ceremony to personalize it; how to write your own vows; how to include family members in the wedding; how to get the marriage license in Maine and so much more. And, that’s just the organizational work. Then there’s the stuff you can’t see or touch – the grounding energy, the calm amidst the beautiful chaos of wedding day, the ability to create and hold a sacred space. These skills don’t come with the online ordination.
Just because a friend is witty or can “hold a room” at a party, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll know how to engage your wedding guests; how to make everyone feel welcome and included; how to gracefully make the ceremony about you (and not them) while still being a loving authority; how to organize and run an efficient and fun wedding rehearsal; how to work with your planner, photographer, videographer, and DJ/musician to ensure an effortless and seamless production.
If you’ve read this far, I think you’re getting the picture that while a friend or family member would add a meaningful touch to your ceremony, not all of them possess the skills and abilities it takes to create and produce a ceremony that reflects your love, your values, your culture; that engages your guests and makes them exclaim “That ceremony was so ‘you’! It was the best ceremony I’ve ever seen!”
Photo Credit: Leslie Swan Photography – leslieswanphoto.com
Photo Credit: Emily Delamater Photography – emilydelamater.com
Photo Credit: Leslie Swan Photography – leslieswanphoto.com
5. What makes you different than a friend of the family or a JP? (I know there are others… celebrants and religious… feel free to touch on as many as you would like!)
For starters, justices of the peace in Maine do not have the authority to perform weddings. Isn’t that interesting? Friends and family members can perform weddings here, if they get “ordained” online, but they’re not always the best choice.
Being an officiant is so much more than just writing and reading a script or being a good public speaker. It requires creativity, gravitas, quick-thinking, grace and organization. A professional wedding officiant will not only guide you through the process of planning, organizing and coordinating the ceremony, they’ll offer you wisdom on readings; elements to add into the ceremony to personalize it; how to write your own vows; how to include family members in the wedding; how to get the marriage license in Maine and so much more. And, that’s just the organizational work. Then there’s the stuff you can’t see or touch – the grounding energy, the calm amidst the beautiful chaos of wedding day, the ability to create and hold a sacred space. These skills don’t come with the online ordination.
Just because a friend is witty or can “hold a room” at a party, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll know how to engage your wedding guests; how to make everyone feel welcome and included; how to gracefully make the ceremony about you (and not them) while still being a loving authority; how to organize and run an efficient and fun wedding rehearsal; how to work with your planner, photographer, videographer, and DJ/musician to ensure an effortless and seamless production.
If you’ve read this far, I think you’re getting the picture that while a friend or family member would add a meaningful touch to your ceremony, not all of them possess the skills and abilities it takes to create and produce a ceremony that reflects your love, your values, your culture; that engages your guests and makes them exclaim “That ceremony was so ‘you’! It was the best ceremony I’ve ever seen!”
Photo Credit: Emily Delamater Photography – emilydelamater.com
6. How do you personalize all of the weddings you do? (Do you use a script, do you have excerpts from certain writings that you use, give me the start to finish on Maria’s personalization of a wedding ceremony!)
My Super Sweet Ceremony, which is fully customized and personalized for each couple, starts with input from my couple. They have access to a Dropbox folder full of goodies, like sample ceremonies, elements to add into the ceremony, readings, and more. They provide me with feedback on any and all elements they want to add into the ceremony, including any family traditions they have or cultural elements they want to incorporate. That’s how we create our first draft, but the best is yet to come… They each get a love story questionnaire which asks them all about their relationship, their marriage, their future, role models, etc. I take their responses and weave them into the ceremony so that it’s all about them! It will reflect their values and beliefs. Working this closely with my couples builds trust between us. It deepens our connection so that I feel like a friend or member of their family by wedding day! Do you help couples write their vows? (Do you have the run-of-the-mill stuff to use as well? …. in sickness and in health, a ring has no end… all of that stuff.. You may be able to tie this into #3) The beautiful thing about how I work is that, based on my years of experience, I can provide endless possibilities, but ultimately the client gets to choose what they want to do. The same is true for the vows. I offer many different – really creative and unique – wedding vow samples, but my clients get to decide what they say. They can write their own personal vows, with my guidance, if needed, or they can pick from my samples, they can do a combo, or I can write something totally new just for them – it’s up to them! I guide, they choose.
7. What is your planning and preparation process for a wedding? (I want to show a prospective client what you put into a wedding…. part of price justification..)
There are really three phases to my work with my couples. Phase one is the Discovery and ceremony Creation phase where we collaborate to craft the actual ceremony. Phase two is the Envisioning phase where we plan and organize all the details of how the ceremony will unfold. The final phase is Manifestation, where I bring their vision to life with warmth, love, and confidence. Within each phase there are many tasks such as: Every single thing I do to create your Super Sweet Ceremony Every single thing I do to create your Super Sweet Ceremony All the things I do that have nothing to do with the ceremony script Guidance on how to get the marriage license How I prepare for the wedding How I manage the wedding rehearsal What I do on the way to your wedding …and so much more! I’m a self-employed wedding professional so I’m also fully insured, my business is registered with the State of Maine as an LLC, and, as a notary public, I’m a legal entity of the State. I also do all my own blogging and marketing and am constantly looking for professional development opportunities to enhance my knowledge and experience. In this way I can offer my clients the most relevant techniques, modern practices, and sophisticated service to ensure they have the most relaxing, joyful, peaceful experience throughout the entire ceremony planning process!
Photo Credit: Brea McDonald Photography – breamcdonald.com
Image Credit: Kivalo Photography – kivalophotography.com
Photo Credit: Andree Kehn Photography – andreekehn.com
Photo Credit: Brea McDonald Photography – breamcdonald.com
6. How do you personalize all of the weddings you do? (Do you use a script, do you have excerpts from certain writings that you use, give me the start to finish on Maria’s personalization of a wedding ceremony!)
My Super Sweet Ceremony, which is fully customized and personalized for each couple, starts with input from my couple. They have access to a Dropbox folder full of goodies, like sample ceremonies, elements to add into the ceremony, readings, and more. They provide me with feedback on any and all elements they want to add into the ceremony, including any family traditions they have or cultural elements they want to incorporate. That’s how we create our first draft, but the best is yet to come… They each get a love story questionnaire which asks them all about their relationship, their marriage, their future, role models, etc. I take their responses and weave them into the ceremony so that it’s all about them! It will reflect their values and beliefs. Working this closely with my couples builds trust between us. It deepens our connection so that I feel like a friend or member of their family by wedding day! Do you help couples write their vows? (Do you have the run-of-the-mill stuff to use as well? …. in sickness and in health, a ring has no end… all of that stuff.. You may be able to tie this into #3) The beautiful thing about how I work is that, based on my years of experience, I can provide endless possibilities, but ultimately the client gets to choose what they want to do. The same is true for the vows. I offer many different – really creative and unique – wedding vow samples, but my clients get to decide what they say. They can write their own personal vows, with my guidance, if needed, or they can pick from my samples, they can do a combo, or I can write something totally new just for them – it’s up to them! I guide, they choose.
7. What is your planning and preparation process for a wedding? (I want to show a prospective client what you put into a wedding…. part of price justification..)
There are really three phases to my work with my couples. Phase one is the Discovery and ceremony Creation phase where we collaborate to craft the actual ceremony. Phase two is the Envisioning phase where we plan and organize all the details of how the ceremony will unfold. The final phase is Manifestation, where I bring their vision to life with warmth, love, and confidence. Within each phase there are many tasks such as: Every single thing I do to create your Super Sweet Ceremony Every single thing I do to create your Super Sweet Ceremony All the things I do that have nothing to do with the ceremony script Guidance on how to get the marriage license How I prepare for the wedding How I manage the wedding rehearsal What I do on the way to your wedding …and so much more! I’m a self-employed wedding professional so I’m also fully insured, my business is registered with the State of Maine as an LLC, and, as a notary public, I’m a legal entity of the State. I also do all my own blogging and marketing and am constantly looking for professional development opportunities to enhance my knowledge and experience. In this way I can offer my clients the most relevant techniques, modern practices, and sophisticated service to ensure they have the most relaxing, joyful, peaceful experience throughout the entire ceremony planning process!
Image Credit: Kivalo Photography – kivalophotography.com
Photo Credit: Andree Kehn Photography – andreekehn.com
