How Much Money Do Wedding Officiants Actually Make?

How much money does a wedding officiant actually make? Today we hear from Brad Lau, who has led over 800 ceremonies and built a business where people pay him $500 per wedding, for about an hour of work. Brad walks us through how he got started, how he turned his very first nervous, low paying weddings into five star reviews and referrals, and why he believes stepping in front of a room full of strangers and making them feel comfortable is the real skill behind the job. But is this side hustle scalable? Brad's wife has turned it into a full service operation by layering in photography, hair and makeup, florists, and more. Whether you want to keep this simple as a weekend side gig or turn it into something much bigger, Brad breaks down the real numbers, the marketing strategy, and the mindset that got him started: stop planning to plan, and just start. 00:00 Why this job pays like a surgeon's salary 02:00 How many weddings Brad has actually officiated 05:00 How he got ordained and got started 08:00 Why requirements vary by state and province 09:00 Building a script that barely changes 13:00 Chaotic wedding stories from the job 15:00 How his wife built a full wedding business 17:00 COVID and the wedding chapel boom 19:30 Why he loves this business so much 21:30 What Brad actually charges per wedding 23:00 His exact strategy for five-star reviews 27:30 What the market rate really looks like 29:00 How deposits and payment actually work 33:30 Common mistakes new officiants make 35:00 Where to find your first clients 41:00 Brad's course and free resources 42:00 Why you should stop planning and just start 44:30 Recap: why this side hustle works 46:00 Brad's free offer for listeners Topics covered in this episode: How Brad built his first year of bookings starting from zero The strategy he follows for turning happy guests into five star reviews What officiants actually charge and how and when to collect payment How to expand a simple side hustle into a bigger operation Why you must check your local requirements before you get started Brad's best advice for anyone afraid to start something new Freebie alert! Brad is offering listeners a free 30-minute video consult to help you get your own version of this business off the ground. Just mention you heard about him on Side Hustle Hero. Need a little push to start and then stay focused to grow your side hustle? Dive into my online Masterclass: https://courses.joanposivy.com/p/turn... If you like what you're hearing, you can give it a caffeinated thumbs up. We'd really appreciate it! Here's how: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sidehust... For the full show notes head on over to the home of Side Hustle Hero. https://www.sidehustlehero.com/197 Connect with Brad: https://www.braveron.com/ Connect with Joan: https://www.sidehustlehero.com/about/   / joan-posivy-28b936a7     / joanposivy     / posivy   Be a guest on the show! https://www.sidehustlehero.com/guests...