It’s a fair question — and one most of us wrestle with quietly. The world is noisy. Things happen that tug at your heart or light up your sense of justice. You feel like you should say something. But then that other voice chimes in: Will this hurt my business? Will clients walk away? Will this blow up in my face and end my source of income?
Let’s talk about how to answer that question wisely, compassionately, and practically. Because there’s a way to speak up about things that matter without burning down the thing you’ve built.
Why This Is Such a Tricky Topic
First, let’s name the obvious: your officiating business is your baby. You’ve nurtured it from the day you said “yes” to a friend’s wedding. You nailed it in true Unboring style. You made people laugh and cry. Then three more couples asked you. And suddenly, you weren’t just officiating weddings — you had a business.
When something matters that much, you protect it. You write your contracts carefully. You manage your clients well. You try not to say or do anything that could sabotage your reputation. There are already a hundred ways to accidentally mess things up — you don’t need another.
That’s why this question matters so much. When we talk about politics or social causes in our business, we’re touching something sacred: our livelihood and our relationships with the couples who trust us.
How Social Media Changed the Stakes
Twenty years ago, most small businesses didn’t have the option to make public statements. Unless you were paying for a TV spot or a newspaper ad, you didn’t have a megaphone. Today, every one of us has one.
A few clicks and your thoughts — your passion, your anger, your solidarity — can reach hundreds or thousands of people. That power can be a good thing. But it also means one moment of heat, one badly worded caption, or one post that gets misread can live forever.
And because officiants serve couples from every background, belief system, and worldview, anything that sounds like “taking sides” can ripple through your business faster than you expect.
Step One: Do You Want to Speak, or Do You Need to?
Here’s the first distinction to make: is this a want or a need?
If you want to speak out, it’s probably because your business page has a bigger audience. You think, “My personal Instagram has 100 followers. My business account has 2,000. If I post it there, more people will hear.” That’s understandable — but it’s a risky move.
If you need to speak out, it’s because the issue directly affects your couples or your ability to serve them. Think of things like laws impacting marriage equality, venue restrictions that change how you can officiate, or community crises that touch your clients’ lives.
If it’s a want, use your personal channels. That’s where opinions and debates belong. But if it’s a need, if your silence would feel like complicity or would mislead your clients, then yes — say something. Just do it carefully, thoughtfully, and with your business hat firmly on.
Here’s how.
Step Two: Keep It About People, Not Politics
Whenever you talk about something sensitive from your business page, centre it on people — not on ideologies, parties, or policies.
Start by asking: who is suffering here? Who’s affected? What’s actually happening? When you focus on people and present facts simply and clearly, you’re engaging empathy, not argument.
For example, if a new law is creating anxiety for same-sex couples, you can say so plainly. You don’t have to dissect the politics or call out the lawmakers by name. You can focus on the people. “Couples are worried about their right to marry. We’re here to help.” That’s all it needs to be.
What trips most people up is the instinct to assign blame — to explain why it’s happening and who’s at fault. That’s where your comment section will turn into a cage match. Once you wander into “who started it,” you lose control of the narrative.
And for an officiant, your brand is built on calm, connection, and professionalism. Protect that.
Step Three: Act Before You Talk
This is how you keep your integrity intact and your critics quiet. Before you post, make sure you’re already doing something about the issue.
If you’re passionate about homelessness, maybe you volunteer at the shelter or donate supplies. If marriage equality matters to you, show it by the couples you serve and how you celebrate them. If a local crisis affects weddings, adjust your policies or availability to help.
Then, when you post, you can say, “Here’s what we’re seeing, and here’s what we’re doing to help.” That turns a hot-button issue into a human story — your story. You’re not shouting into the void. You’re showing compassion in motion.
That’s also what makes your message “criticism-proof.” People can disagree with your opinions, but it’s hard to argue with someone who’s actually helping.
Step Four: Focus on Suffering, Not Blame
Every cause, every issue, every headline that stirs us up comes down to people who are suffering. That’s the safe, solid ground you can stand on.
When you focus on who’s hurting and what’s happening to them, your post will feel empathetic, not combative. But as soon as you start pointing fingers — naming the villains, digging into the history, debating who started it — you’ve crossed from empathy to ideology.
Your business page isn’t built for ideology. It’s built for service, for connection, and for helping couples celebrate love. You can absolutely stand up for people without attacking anyone.
That’s how you stay true to yourself without setting off fireworks in your comments section.
Step Five: Put It All Together
Here’s what it looks like when all of this comes together. Say your community is facing a housing crisis. You might post something like:
“It’s a cold winter here, and our local shelter is struggling to meet the need. Dozens of people in our small town don’t have a place to stay. We’re donating supplies this week and inviting others to help. Here’s the list of what’s needed.”
No politics. No finger-pointing. Just people helping people.
Or imagine you’re in a state where same-sex marriage laws are in flux. You could post:
“We joyfully officiate LGBTQ+ weddings, and we know many couples are anxious about what might change in the months ahead. We’re opening extra ceremony slots for anyone who wants to move up their date, and we’re here to make the process stress-free.”
Again — compassionate, factual, actionable. And completely on brand.
The Payoff: A Business That Feels Both Brave and Safe
So, should you speak up? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But when you feel you need to and you’ve made that distinction between need and want, lead with empathy. Anchor in facts. Avoid blame. Take action first. Then speak from what you’re doing, not just what you’re feeling.
That’s how you can use your business as a voice for good without making it a battlefield. You’ll attract the couples who share your values, earn the respect of those who don’t, and build a brand that stands for grace and wisdom in a noisy world.
