Your Formal Wedding Ceremony

Trust your wedding ceremony to a seasoned professional wedding officiant.
With 14 years of experience writing and performing wedding ceremonies in Indiana, Victoria Meyer can help you have peace of mind that your ceremony will be everything you want it to be. 

Photo by Alison Mae Photography at Conservatory at Evergreen.

Have you dreamed of your wedding ceremony and know what you want?   I'm here to help you make that ceremony a reality.  You might see what you want but need help making it a reality. 

Have you already written your ceremony and want someone to perform it?   Many couples love the idea of writing their ceremony.  You may be a writer or poet or love what AI can do!

Did your entire family get married in a church? Your parents want you to get married in a church, but there is NO WAY you are getting married in a church. Are your parents a little freaked out by it? THIS is the reason I became a wedding officiant. To help bridge the gap, find a happy medium for everyone, and maybe run interference.  

Maybe you don't want to think twice about your wedding ceremony.  You just want someone to come and marry you. You want a professional, hands-off officiant.   You would think that getting married and choosing someone to marry you is a very personal interaction.  Often, it is!  I enjoy interacting with couples, hearing your love story, and creating a ceremony. 
On the other hand, some couples find my website, book their ceremony appointment online in the middle of the night, choose a pre-written ceremony, and I show up on their wedding day, sign their marriage license, perform the ceremony, and leave. 

I recently married a couple, and I don't think they even knew my name! We maybe had 3 one or two-sentence emails, and that was it. They didn't want to take the time to share their story with a stranger.  They didn't even really want to share their story during their ceremony.  It was still a very nice ceremony!

Many wedding officiants will say, "You can't have a wedding without an officiant, the ceremony is the whole point of the day."  That's not necessarily true.  Your LOVE is the reason for the celebration.  Maybe planning the perfect party to share with all the people you love is more important than the ceremony. You choose your priorities. Let me know how I can help you make your wedding ceremony what you want it to be.  I know that MANY couples come into our office to get legally married on a Tuesday before their celebration on Saturday.  They skip the formal ceremony altogether. 

My goal as your wedding officiant is to make sure the two of you are comfortable and in the moment during your wedding ceremony.  I want your guests to feel engaged in your ceremony.  I want everyone to walk away from the ceremony thinking, "That was a great ceremony! Let's celebrate!"  A great ceremony for you may be no more than 7 minutes long.  For another person it may include personalized vows, readings shared by loved ones, and a telling of your love story. 

Honestly, I pride myself on being a professional and a business person who can offer this to couples.  Getting married is as much a legal process as it is emotional or spiritual.  You can choose what it is for you.  

Photo by Golden Cardinal Media in Broad Ripple - The Speak Easy.

Photo taken by Larry Gindhart at Avon Gardens.

Photo taken by Alison Mae Photography on Lindley Farmstead Estate.

​Did you go to a wedding last week where a couple's friend performed the ceremony, which made you decide that's not what you want and that you need a professional? I cannot compete with a friend or family member officiant; I don't even try.  I do know that I can be a friendly professional.

Do you maybe not care so much about your ceremony as you do about spending the rest of your life with your love, you just want a nice "light-hearted" ceremony to kick-off the celebration?   Short, sweet, to the point, fun... These all work!  #funweddingofficiant. I often say, "I'm not that kind of officiant."  I'm flexible!

I can help you with all these things - and More! ​I'm always open to something new. There are so many resources to draw from. I want to make the two of you comfortable and happy!

Photo taken by Hallee Beltzer at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.

Photo taken by Leah Rife at Industry.

Photo taken by Stacey Able at The Sycamore at Mallow Run.

What are you looking for? What do you need from a wedding officiant?

There are as many ceremony options as there are couples.  It's really your vibe as a couple and the vibe of all the people around you that personalizes your ceremony. We want to find the right words to express who you all are.  You may want a traditional ceremony. Religious, non-religious, or a mix or both. Maybe you want a Handfasting? You may be emotional and give out tissues because you know they'll be needed by everyone.  You may be light-hearted, enjoying family and friends. It's a joyous day!  You may have greeted your guests with drinks and the party has already begun!

Do you have anxiety? Does standing in front of 150 people make you want to run and hide? I aim to ensure the two of you are comfortable and in the moment on your wedding day. It's not 150 people staring at you; it's a group of people joining you and supporting you as you marry each other.  

Are you on the spectrum? Do you want someone to understand that giggling is a stim and go with it? Maybe your guests are? Our family is on the spectrum, so I want you to know I understand!
You may do funny things when you are nervous. You may have guests at your wedding who do funny things when they are anxious.  That's perfectly OK!  They are normal to me!

Are you living on your terms and not following the "norms?" What is normal, anyway? COME AS YOU ARE OR DON'T COME AT ALL!! 
​Our diversity is what makes us awesome as human beings!
LGBTQIA are welcome!​ ​​​
​So is everyone else!

Photo by Leah Rife Photography.

Photo by Victoria Sprung Photography.

Photo taken on my phone during a "photo moment."

Finding the perfect ceremony for you.

Weddings can get complicated, especially formal weddings. There are many different points of view, expectations, and opinions.  

Many people think of a formal wedding in a Church or house of worship with a set religious ceremony.  And that is where many formal weddings do take place.  But, more formal weddings take place in formal and informal venues everywhere.  

I specialize in helping you find the perfect wedding ceremony—it is literally the whole reason I became a wedding officiant!

The perfect wedding ceremony for you may be exactly what YOU want. 
Or, it may be a happy medium between what you want and what your family may expect. 
It's perfectly OK to say what you want is for everyone to be satisfied.  

I perform primarily non-religious, beautiful wedding ceremonies.  I genuinely believe that if you have a beautiful, non-religious wedding ceremony, most people won't realize you never mentioned God at all.   

I wrote a very popular "Christian-Lite" ceremony to hopefully find the right balance that won't offend anyone. We regularly add the Breaking of the Glass and the 7 Blessings for a Jewish Wedding to wedding ceremony scripts. I also perform many handfastings or modified handfastings if you prefer a Pagan element.  

And, if you are wondering...  "I do," "I do," "We're done!" is very popular too!

"Short, sweet, and to the point" is perfectly OK!  

Your Wedding Ceremony Script.

What do we say during your wedding ceremony?

We can say just about anything you want during your ceremony.   You are also welcome to remove anything you DON'T wish to say during your ceremony.  I still giggle a little bit inside when someone says, "I don't want the word 'obey' in  my wedding vows." No worries!  That would have to be an extraordinary request.

​I understand the questions. There are still a lot of assumptions when it comes to weddings.   

Do you want a short and sweet ceremony that reflects who you are as a couple? It's not the length of the ceremony.  It's the words we choose. 

Do you want an effortless, non-religious "I do" with an exchange or rings? Just the facts? If you need it, I give you permission to do this.  Your guests may thank you!

Do you want (or need) a semi-religious ceremony encompassing what your family members expect to hear at a wedding? Many couples have personalized my "Christian-lite" ceremony to make this happen!

Some couples really like to know what will be said before they walk down the aisle. They want to make sure some crazy person doesn't go off on an inappropriate tangent during their ceremony!

Many couples want to choose what is said during their ceremony.  You have a choice!!  I have MANY pre-written ceremonies to choose from and resources to make the ceremony your own!

What are you paying for when you hire a professional wedding officiant?

I could just give you a number and say, “This is what it costs. Take it or leave it.”  And in a way, that is true. But we are full-time wedding officiants who serve a wide variety of couples with all sorts of wants, needs, and budgets. We respect that a lot.  That’s why we have a simple $100 wedding in an office near the clerk’s office.  You are here looking at formal wedding ceremony scripts for a formal wedding! You still have your budget, wants, and needs.  

I became a wedding officiant so I could offer couples the opportunity to have the ceremony they want.  Instead of having the Christian wedding ceremony service or “Rite of Marriage” from a prayer book, you have a choice. I’ve collected countless options and really have become an expert at wedding ceremony scripts.  

I decided that I would publish many of my ceremony options online for anyone to use.  Yes, thousands of people visit my website for ceremony script options every month and I will never interact with them.  That is OK with me!  I used to meet with couples who had no intention of ever hiring me, so I thought I’d save us all a lot of time and effort and just put it all out there for people to do whatever they want with it.  Photographer friends will often tell me they hear my ceremonies at other weddings!  That’s OK!  I’m HAPPY you found the words that work for you! 

My business model includes my ceremony guide. Some couples tell me they fell in love with a ceremony and booked me immediately!  Reading a wedding ceremony gives my job context.  Being in the middle of your own wedding ceremony may feel very abstract in your mind until you can put words with the picture.  Some couples never realized they have a choice.  They are able to read options and find ways to express themselves and their relationship.  I call it “going down the ceremony rabbit hole.” When you are in the mood (because you have to be in the mood) go for it! 
​

My Wedding Ceremony Script Guide

My Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide has 10 pre-written ceremonies to choose from.  They range from traditional, non-religious, romantic, Christian, Secular Humanist, Interfaith, Jewish, and modern handfasting.  

Many couples find one ceremony they like, let me know, and I edit it with their specifics - like names, pronouns, and other simple changes.  

Some couples find several ceremonies they like and use those to create the ceremony they want.  

I have broken down every possible part of a ceremony, defined them, and provided several options for each.  This gives you the opportunity to say… choose a basic ceremony you love, but change the meaning of the rings and vows to something you like more.  You may find the perfect non-religious, romantic ceremony you LOVE and choose to add an opening prayer and a religious reading.  You can do that! 

I’ve created a vow writing guide if you are looking for help writing personal vows - even if you aren’t going to share your vows during the ceremony. (You may choose to share them with a first look or write letters.)

All of this is what most couples want and need.  But I have more!

Most weddings I perform are non-religious.  If you want a religious ceremony, I assume you have a pastor or minister you worship with regularly, and they will perform your ceremony.  I’m a professional wedding officiant, not a professional minister.  There is a need, so I have 8 Christian wedding ceremony scripts to choose from.  

I also have several handfasting scripts to choose from - or use for inspiration.

I also offer a formal/small wedding ceremony guide to couples having a less formal or shorter wedding ceremony. A simple civil ceremony or a 5-minute ceremony may be what you are looking for.    ​

When you book a wedding ceremony with me, I will send you a link to a Google-shared document.  It contains everything you need to obtain a marriage license and create a ceremony.  I also ask you these questions.  The document is set to edit, so you can answer the questions directly on the document - or use the comment function if you prefer.

• What are your full names?
• What names do you go by?
• Do you have preferred pronouns?
• How do you want to be pronounced after you are married?
• How many people are in your wedding party?
• Do you have a wedding planner/Day of Event Coordinator?
• Will anyone be participating in your ceremony? Readers? 
• Do you want an unplugged ceremony?
• Do you want a photo moment?
• Will the bride/groom be escorted down the aisle?
• Do you want me to ask who gives(or presents) this person to be married? (Or not)
• Do you want a moment of silence?
• Will you be sharing your personal vows during the ceremony?
• Will you exchange rings?  
• Who will have the rings during the ceremony?
• Do you want a unity ceremony?
• Do you have any announcements for your guests after the ceremony?​

There is also an optional list of questions.  These can help personalize your wedding ceremony or be used as prompts to write your own vows.  We can add your answers to your ceremony.  (Honest moment - I used to meet with every couple in person and ask them questions to personalize their wedding ceremony. Now that much of our correspondence is done via email, if you write the answers out, you’ve really already done most of the work so I decided not to charge extra if you choose this route.)  Sometimes, we don’t use your story exactly; we create a ceremony that reflects the spirit of your relationship.  

You are not required to answer these.  Some couples may only answer one or two.  Some cut and paste from their wedding website. ​

• What are some pivotal moments in your relationship?
• What was your first official date or favorite date?
• Tell me about the first time you met.
•  When did you fall in love?
• Why do you want to get married?
• Favorite way to spend the day together?

You can cut and paste the ceremony you want into the document or just answer the questions and write, “We’d like Ceremony #3.” Or, “We’d like Ceremony #10, and my cousin Cecilia is going to do the reading.” 

If you decide to create your own ceremony from start to finish, you can cut and paste that into the document or email it to me directly as an attachment. 

Many wedding officiants will say they personalize every ceremony for each couple.  What “personalized” means will also be different for everyone.  ​

My base price to hire me to perform your formal wedding $250

• The $250 fee includes performing your ceremony with the information as outlined above - as simple or detailed as you would like to make it. 
• One in-person meeting - if you want one. Or, as many Zoom meetings, phone calls or emails as it takes. 
• The base free also includes
• I arrive 45 minutes early to do a sound check before your guests arrive and ensure everything is in order and ready to go. 
• We will sign your marriage license.  If you are already legally married, that’s OK too.  We can keep that a secret if nobody knows.  If you book me for a formal wedding but need to sign the license earlier, we can arrange to do that in our office at any time.  The price does not change if I do not sign your marriage license. 
• You will have 60 minutes to complete your ceremony.  Most ceremonies last no more than 30 minutes from start to end.  This includes starting about 5 minutes late, processing down the aisle, performing the ceremony, and recessing back down the aisle at the end of your ceremony.  I give you the extra 30-minute cushion.
• Travel Time.   The difference in the fee is based on travel time.  I have to take distance, time to travel that distance, traffic on the day and time of your wedding and construction.  If I say I’m going to be 45 minutes early for your wedding, I have to give myself extra time, just in case. 
• The $250 Fee includes travel to any venue in Hamilton County, Marion County, Avon, Greenfield, Mooresville, Anderson, and Bargersville.  

I Do Travel!

Please contact me if you have any questions about where travel and my fees.

• For $300, I travel to Litzton, New Castle, Muncie, Shelbyville, Kokomo, and Franklin.
• For $350, I travel to Brown County, Columbus, Bloomington, Lafayette, and Crawfordsville. 

Your Rehearsal - $150

I charge extra for a rehearsal.  You may not have a rehearsal or not choose to hire me to be at the rehearsal.  The basic fee for a rehearsal is $150.  Depending on your time and location, it may be more.  ​

The Personalized Formal Wedding Ceremony - $150 Add-on

I've put an incredible amount of time and effort into collecting wedding ceremonies over the years.  I update my options several times a year.  I used to personalize every wedding ceremony.  After a few years of offering several options to couples as part of the process of personalizing their ceremony, many couples were choosing the same ceremony over and over again.  That is when I decided to save myself the time and effort and make it easier and less expensive for the couples too! 

If you would like to have a more personalized ceremony, I charge extra. 
It takes at least one full work-day to write the first draft of a personalized wedding ceremony.

When I personalize a wedding ceremony I need to ask you questions, and you need to answer questions.  You need to answer the questions within a reasonable amount of time in order for me to have time to write a ceremony.   I write a first draft, then it goes to you to comment and make personal edits, then I make the final edits and practice it.   Not every couple wants to do that. No judgement from me!  I LOVE all of my ceremonies!  I hope you are able to find one you love too!

If you want your wedding ceremony to tell your love story, include more details about you, or create a new unity ceremony, I'm all in!!  Let's get to know each other a little better, let's make it yours!!

Some couples want to write their own ceremony from start to finish.  You are welcome to do that!    I had one couple use Chat GPT to write a ceremony - I needed a LOT of time to practice it - it really sounded like it was written by a computer!  

Ceremony Script Guide

Maddie and Logan went for a personalized wedding ceremony script! 
It's featured in this video by Passenger Productions.  

What can we expect when booking with you?

• You book your appointment online. This is the easiest way for me to get all of your contact information correctly. 
• When you book online and make your payment, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions and entering into a contract. This is why I require online booking. 
• Please book using the actual scheduled start time of your ceremony.  My scheduling app is set up to give me more than adequate start time to get to your wedding at least 45 minutes early.
• Please provide the address of the venue - not your personal address, unless you are getting married at home.
• Please know I require payment in full when you book.  There are no refunds.  You can re-schedule.
• You will receive an appointment confirmation and payment confirmation via email and text. This is sent automatically from my scheduling app.
• I will send you a personal email ASAP!  If I'm not behind a computer, I will send an email to say "Hi!" and "Thank you!" I'll let you know the approximate time I will be back in touch with a longer email. 
• I will send you an email confirming the location and send you a link to your ceremony document. 
• I will offer to set up a meeting with you.  Either via Zoom, in our office on Monument Circle, or over the phone.  You are also welcome to only communicate via text and email. 
• I will let you know that if I don't hear from you, I will be back in touch closer to your wedding day to confirm the details. Many couples wait until the weeks before their wedding to think about their ceremony.  That's OK!  
• You will need to obtain your own marriage license.  If you want to be legally married before your wedding day, I'm happy to meet you at our office to sign the license early - and keep it a secret.  
• If you book a rehearsal, I offer to sign the marriage license at the rehearsal, the day of your wedding - before your ceremony, or right after your ceremony.  If you choose to sign the license after your ceremony it MUST BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.  You will be swept up by your photographer and the congratulations of family and friends.  I can have your marriage license on a clip board ready to go.  It takes literally one minute to sign.  
• If you have paid for me to return your marriage license to the Marion County Clerk, I will take it and return it for you. I will buy two certified copies, and mail them to you.  I will text you a photo of the certified copies with the addressed envelope before we mail them. 
• If your marriage license was issued by the Hamilton County Clerk, I'm happy to mail it back for you. 
• All other couples - I will return the marriage license to you to return to the clerk that issued it within 30 days.  
• Rehearsals are not included in the cost of the ceremony.  They must be booked separately.  If you do not know the date and time of your rehearsal, please contact me so we can try and reserve the possible times. 
• I communicate via my scheduling app, text, and phone.  If you would like to use regular email, please let me know.  Certain things still need to be done through my scheduling app and I can not copy anyone on an email, so please provide the best email for me to use.