officiants
Wedding service conductors
Officiants are people who perform ceremonies, especially religious rites or weddings.
A priest is the officiant at a Catholic mass; a rabbi officiates at a bar mitzvah.
The term appears most often in wedding contexts, where officiants may be clergy, judges, or licensed civilians: The officiant asked if anyone objected to the union.
Religious leaders or officials
- priestsOrdained religious leaders
- rabbisOrdained Jewish spiritual leaders
- imamsMuslim prayer leaders
- pastorsChurch spiritual leaders
chaplains · vicars · preachers · rectors · deacons · bishops · elders · cantors
Formal event marking occasions
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- ritesFormal ceremonial acts
- liturgyFormal worship structure
- sacramentSacred ritual conveying grace
blessing · invocation · benediction · procession · solemnity · protocol · vestments · presiding
Legal union of spouses
- nuptialsVows and rings
- marriageFormal union between partners
- vowsSolemn binding promises
- altarSacred ritual table
aisle · bride · groom · union · chapel · betrothal · wedlock · elopement
One who observes festivities
- notaryDocument authentication official
- judgeOne who decides
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- justiceFair treatment under law
mayor · captain · commissioner · registrar · civil · courthouse · license · legalization
Granted official permission
- ordainedOfficially appointed to ministry
- authorizedGiven official permission
- certifiedOfficially declared valid
- registeredFormally recorded or enrolled
empowered · sanctioned · appointed · designated · commissioned · credentialed · legitimate · jurisdiction
ministers
Religious leaders or officials
pastors · chaplains · vicars · preachers · rectors · deacons · bishops · elders · cantors · celebrants
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
sacrament · blessing · invocation · benediction · procession · solemnity · protocol · vestments · presiding · consecration
matrimony
Legal union of spouses
altar · aisle · bride · groom · union · chapel · betrothal · wedlock · elopement · reception
celebrant
One who observes festivities
- notaryDocument authentication official
- judgeOne who decides
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
justice · mayor · captain · commissioner · registrar · civil · courthouse · license · legalization · certification
licensed
Granted official permission
- ordainedOfficially appointed to ministry
- authorizedGiven official permission
- certifiedOfficially declared valid
registered · empowered · sanctioned · appointed · designated · commissioned · credentialed · legitimate · jurisdiction · legal
- partygoerspartygoers, party-goer, party-goers, attendee, partier
- Divine Officelauds, vespers, compline, sext, none
officiantsguests
People received hospitably
attendees · audience · witnesses · spectators · observers
officiantslaity
Non-ordained church members
laypeople · parishioners · flock · congregants · worshippers
- wedding officiantLeads marriage ceremonies
- marriage officiantOne who conducts weddings