Officiant at Rehearsal? Necessary?

Yes it’s necessary... they’re running the ceremony!!!

Ours charged an additional $150 to come to our ceremony so we didn't have him come to ours. Our rehearsal was largely to see the ceremony space and where everyone was going to be standing. Our officiant caught up with us right before the ceremony to give us a quick run down and tell us about me handing off my bouquet to MOH, how my dad should hand me off to H, etc. The officiant was already standing at the altar so it's not like he would be able to run the ceremony apart from speaking. Our DOC told us when to walk.

Many people take comfort in having everyone involved the day of the wedding in attendance at the rehearsal, but I don't believe it is necessary to have the officiant attend unless there is an unusual piece you wish to practice for the ceremony. Whatever you decide, I am certain your ceremony will be perfect!

It's not a necessity, but it is nice to include them since they will be officiating your wedding ceremony. Typically everyone involved in the wedding attends the RD.

I would not have a rehearsal without an officiant, especially if it is a more elaborate wedding with a lot of things going on: unity stuff, songs, homily, etc.

Our priest could not be at our rehearsal due to a family obligation -- the lady who was the wedding coordinator at the church ran the rehearsal. I was comfortable with it because the priest told us that they had done hundreds of weddings together, and it worked out just fine!

I don't believe it's necessary. Many weddings I've been apart of didn't have the officiant there for the rehearsal. The wedding planner stepped in and did it all (which is their job afterall, they should definitely be familiar with the entire process). And if your officiant has done at least wedding, they will know the process.

We are having ours attend our rehearsal, but they've never been to the venue and I feel like they move along the rehearsal. I just don't want anything to be a surprise

Before we met with officiants I had assumed that whoever we went with would be at the rehearsal, but when we were actually talking with the guy we decided to go with, he let us know that he could be there if we wanted (granted for a small added charge) but that he's found it really isn't necessary. He told us that the rehearsal is really for us/wedding party etc, the venue DOC will be directing things and he would basically just be standing up there until we were all in place then say "here's where I will say blah blah blah" then we would practice the recessional etc., so we wouldn't really get much out of him being there, and since he's done weddings for like 20 years he doesn't need the practice haha, plus he has actually been to our venue before which is nice. That said, we may change our minds and decide to pay that extra fee to have him there, just for our own peace of mind, we shall see how chill we're feeling as we get closer haha

Every rehearsal I’ve been at, the officiant ran the rehearsal. They know all the info about when to walk, where to stand, etc.

Absolutely they’re basically running the show

Not a stupid question at all!! I had no idea if it was necessary or not but my officiant said she wants to be there for rehearsal