3.1 The First Impression
These 5 attributes play a major role in creating a first impression:
- Professionalism
Acting professionally means following a set of expectations and standards – like dressing appropriately, arriving on time, and acting warm and friendly. It means being knowledgeable, organized, reliable, transparent about your policies, and inclusive in your speech and practices.
- Authenticity
To be authentic means to act and behave as your true self, both personally and professionally. It means that you’ll maintain your professionalism while adhering to your own personal sense of purpose and values. Showing authenticity is critical because it shows couples that you’re genuine and sincere about what you do!
- Candor
To possess candor is to be candid with others, or to speak frankly – and as a wedding officiant, you’ll always need to communicate openly and honestly. Be truthful and up-front about your rates, any additional fees you might charge for traveling or rehearsals, as well as your cancellation policies.
- Attentiveness
You show respect for others by demonstrating attentiveness. As a wedding officiant, this means actively listening, and signifying your awareness of your couples’ needs and feelings. This will make you a trusted resource and support system in addition to helping you with your scriptwriting, and final delivery of the ceremony!
“In the wellness community, Presence is the cornerstone of mindfulness practices. Presence means being mindful. It’s a practice of active, deep listening and awareness of needs and feelings. Being grounded, centered, and focused with your personality and sincerity shows a strong presence. It makes you a trusted rock for the couple.”
– AMM Minister Jackie Ho
- Body Language
When you first meet, couples will already be making a mental note of what you’re going to be like when you’re speaking in front of their loved ones. Why? Because body language – the way you communicate with your body’s movements, facial expressions, or gestures – is a key indicator of how you’ll present yourself in front of their honored guests on their wedding day.
Mastering the Art of Body Language
- Smile when you introduce yourself
- Stand – or sit! – straight with good posture
- Make eye contact, and turn toward whoever’s speaking to you
- Do your best to avoid squinting or glaring
- Nod occasionally in response to show that you’re actively listening
- Don’t stare at your notes, computer, or phone while anyone’s speaking
Meeting in person is always best, but it’s not always possible. No matter how or where you choose to meet…
- Make sure your emails are free of spelling errors and run-on sentences. Keep them conversational, but professional. Read them out loud before hitting ‘send.’
- On phone calls, pause briefly after asking questions or introducing new topics, and listen to what the couple is trying to communicate.
- If you’ll be meeting via videoconferencing, be sure to position your camera so that your couple can see as much of you as possible to read your body language!
A strong first impression will create a lasting impression that can result in glowing reviews and referrals for years to come.
An emergency or backup plan that you establish in the event that you can’t make it to the ceremony.