The minister of the wedding presides at the ceremony; reading, speaking and leading the couple through their vows. In addition, the Minister is authorized to conduct weddings in the State of Missouri. That includes signing the marriage license which the couple has obtained in advance of the wedding day from the county court house.

The minister will meet once with the couple to explore the different options for a ceremony and include the desires of the couple in regard to content and primary themes. Because so many couples today come from interfaith and ecumenical backgrounds the minister is sensitive to that kind of diversity in the context of a wedding ceremony. After developing the ceremony the Minister sends a copy of the ceremony to the couple for a final review. In addition to conducting the ceremony on the wedding day, the Minister is also responsible for conducting the ceremony portion at the rehearsal.