417 Bridal Magazine Winter Issue 2011
Maybe you don’t want to get married in a church or by a pastor. Thanks to a couple of local companies, you don’t have to.
By Amanda Joiner 417 Bridal Magazine
Illustration by Michelle Volansky
Picture this: You find the perfect, dreamy guy. Let’s call him Mr. Perfect. He is everything you ever hoped he could be. You go out with him and fall madly in love. Then on some magical, moonlit night, he kneels down, pulls out a ring and asks you to be Mrs. Perfect. You are ecstatic! You call your mom and all your friends to share the big news. Then you get down to business and start to plan the big day.
But wait just a minute—there’s one problem. Maybe you don’t belong to a church and you don’t have a pastor available, or maybe you just don’t want to have a religious ceremony. What is a bride to do?
Do not panic. It will be okay. You are still going to have that magical day with Mr. Perfect. Fortunately, you can hire an officiant for your ceremony through reputable companies, such as Can-A-Lope Weddings (canalopeweddings.com, 1-877-560-6670), an Ozark-based company that has officiants all over 417-land and across the nation. The company, which was started in 2002 by Jeff and Cindy DeBlase, has several local officiants who can perform your wedding ceremony. And the great thing about these officiants is that, while they are capable of performing religious ceremonies, they are also willing to perform contemporary non-religious ceremonies.
This is a great compromise for couples that come from different backgrounds or faiths. It is also perfect for couples that want a strictly non-religious event, because you do not have to be married in a church. The officiants are willing to go almost anywhere within reason to perform ceremonies. They have sanctioned weddings in a variety of unexpected places, including race tracks, hot air balloons, parks and even inside of a college classroom. From eloping to full rehearsals and ceremonies, hiring an officiant from Can-A-lope wedding costs anywhere form $100–250.
