Wedding officiant cost calculator
Put two officiant quotes on the same ceremony plan. See the full cost of each, what the add-ons cost on top of the fee, and what a pricier quote includes.
Compare two wedding officiant quotes
Side by side · the same ceremony plan
Quote A costs $726 less for the same plan.
| Line | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Officiant fee | $0 | $599 |
| Rehearsal | In the fee | $200 |
| Travel | $0 | $60 |
| Required fees | $133 | $0 |
| Total | $133 | $859 |
| On top of the fee | $133 | $260 |
| Without the extras you ticked | $133 | $659 |
This compares what each quote charges for the plan you ticked. It doesn't include the marriage license itself, which you pay to the county either way, or a tip or gift. The cheaper quote is only better if the officiant can legally marry you in your county and the ceremony is the one you want.
Add the officiant to your budgetRead the officiant cost guideCompare planner quotes
Quick answer
Wedding officiant cost: $35 at the clerk to $999 for a package
Wedding officiant cost follows who performs the ceremony. A civil ceremony at the county clerk can cost $35, deputizing a friend for the day $75 to $133, and a professional package $475 to $999 before a rehearsal, travel, or sound. Some clergy cost more: the same company lists a rabbi or cantor from $1,300. Online ordination for a friend can be free, as the Universal Life Church states. No source we checked publishes one national rate, so these are named, local prices to compare against your own quotes.
| Source and area | What it covers | Listed price |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County ClerkLos Angeles County, CA | Civil ceremony at the clerk's office | $35 (+$20 if the office provides a witness) |
| Los Angeles County ClerkLos Angeles County, CA | Deputy Commissioner for a Day (a friend officiates) | $75 |
| Sonoma County ClerkSonoma County, CA | Deputy marriage commissioner (a friend officiates, one-hour class) | $133 |
| Great OfficiantsSouthern California | Non-denominational packages | $475 to $999 |
| Great OfficiantsSouthern California | Christian minister | $599 |
| Great OfficiantsSouthern California | Priest | From $800 |
| Great OfficiantsSouthern California | Rabbi or cantor | From $1,300 |
| Great OfficiantsSouthern California | Rehearsal | $125 Mon-Thu, $150 Fri-Sun, +$50 without a coordinator |
| Great OfficiantsSouthern California | Travel | Free to 20 miles, then $45 to $135 up to 100 miles |
| Great OfficiantsSouthern California | Sound system / ritual add-in | $100 / $25 |
County fees are set by each county, and the company's list calls its prices guidelines that vary by plan. Its prices are for cash, Venmo, or Zelle; a card adds 3%. Ask your own county clerk and each officiant for written numbers.
The calculation method
Same plan, then every charge.
Officiant fee + rehearsal + sound + ritual add-in + license help + travel + required fees + other extras = full cost
- The officiant fee is the package, set fee, or donation you settled on. Enter $0 for a friend who charges nothing.
- A rehearsal, sound, a ritual add-in, or license help counts only if you want it and the fee leaves it out. If a fee includes one you didn't ask for, the comparison lists it, so you can see what a higher price buys.
- Required fees are charges you can't skip: a county fee to deputize or register your officiant, a building fee, a card surcharge, or tax.
- Open lines stay open. A blank add-on price, travel fee, or required-fees line is never counted as $0, and neither quote is called cheaper until both are complete.
- Other extras are things you chose that the lines above don't cover. Leave the field blank if you chose none.
The starting numbers are the two plans from our officiant cost guide. Quote A is a friend deputized in Sonoma County: the county charges $133 and the friend charges nothing, so $133. The guide doesn't price a rehearsal for the friend, so we assume it is free. Quote B is a professional's $599 package near Long Beach, a Saturday rehearsal at $150 plus $50 with no coordinator, and $60 to drive 40 miles, so $859. Untick the rehearsal and set travel to $0, and Quote B drops to $599.
What an officiant quote should list
- Whether the price is a fee, a donation, or a county charge.
- Planning calls, a custom script, and vow help.
- The rehearsal price, and what changes by day or without a coordinator.
- The free travel distance, and the charge past it.
- Sound, ritual add-ins, and any bilingual ceremony fee.
- Who returns the signed license to the county, and by when.
- Retainer, payment method fees, and what happens if you start late.
What this leaves out
- The marriage license itself, paid to the county.
- A tip or gift. Keep it on its own line.
- Whether the officiant can legally marry you in your county.
Read the wedding officiant cost guide or add the officiant to your budget.
Questions about wedding officiant cost
How much does a wedding officiant cost?
It depends on who performs the ceremony. Los Angeles County lists $35 for a civil ceremony at the clerk's office and $75 to deputize a friend for one day. One Southern California company lists professional packages from $475 to $999, before a rehearsal, travel, or sound. No source we checked publishes a single national rate, so compare written quotes for your own county.
How much does it cost to have a friend officiate?
Online ordination can be free; the Universal Life Church says its ordination costs nothing. The cost comes from what your state or county requires next. Los Angeles County charges $75 and Sonoma County $133 to deputize someone for one ceremony, and some places ask the officiant to register first. Ask your county clerk what applies.
How much does an officiant charge for a rehearsal?
One Southern California price list charges $125 Monday to Thursday and $150 Friday to Sunday, plus $50 when no coordinator is there, plus any travel. Ask whether a quote includes it before you compare. In our guide's example, the rehearsal is almost a quarter of the total.
Can I count an unlisted travel fee as zero?
Not until the officiant confirms your venue is inside their free distance. The calculator keeps a blank travel, fee, or add-on line open and does not call either quote cheaper until each one has an answer.
Is the marriage license part of the officiant cost?
No. You pay the county for the license either way, so this calculator leaves it out. A paid service that gets or files the license for you is different: tick license help if a quote includes or sells one.
Should I choose the cheaper officiant quote?
Only after both quotes cover the same plan and every charge is answered. Then check that the officiant can legally marry you in your county, who returns the signed license, and whether the ceremony is the one you want.
Method updated October 18, 2026. Report a calculation problem.