Among the most complex and perplexing laws are those pertaining to marriage and, specifically, who can (and cannot) perform marriage ceremonies. Marriage laws vary widely from country to country, state to state, and even city to city. Even if you are legally ordained as a minister and are in good standing with your church, you may find it difficult to decipher the legalese of whether or not you can serve as the Officiant or Celebrant for a wedding in a specific location. We cut through the jargon and present the information you are looking for in simple, straightforward terms.
You were engaged over the holidays? Congratulations! If you are getting married this year, now the fun begins — the planning, the worrying, the "sweating the details." Okay, "fun" may be a relative term, but there's no reason for one of the biggest days of your life to be daunting. The first thing to know… Continue reading Getting Married This Year? Here’s What You Need To Know…
A First Nation clergy member recently asked if being ordained as a ceremonial minister qualified him to provide premarital counseling in Tennessee, which entitles the bridal couple to a discount off of the regular $100 marriage license fee: Tennessee Code Annotated §36-6-413(b)(5) provides that couples who complete premarital preparation courses shall be exempt from the $60 fee… Continue reading Are You Qualified To Perform Premarital Counseling In Tennessee?
We recently received an inquiry from an out-of-state (non-resident) minister who was concerned about performing a marriage ceremony in Tennessee. His concern was not only about not being a resident of the state, but whether the local court clerk -- who would be issuing the marriage license to the bridal couple -- would accept and recognize the validity of… Continue reading State Of The Union: Performing Marriage Ceremonies In Tennessee
PLEASE NOTE: As a result of the continued actions of Virginia circuit courts to obstruct legally-ordained ministers from performing their constitutionally-authorized duties in the Commonwealth, the church has temporarily discontinued granting new ordinations with the Virginia endorsement, effective 10 October 2016 and continuing until the situation is resolved. All currently-ordained ministers may continue to serve in Virginia without… Continue reading State of the Union: Serving As A Wedding Officiant In Virginia
Adapted from information provided by the State of California Department of Public Health, this article covers the most common situations involving the state's marriage laws, and some of the complexities as well. And if you are interested in becoming ordained as a wedding officiant to perform marriage ceremonies in California -- a very uncomplicated process… Continue reading California Ordination, Marriage License and Ceremony Information
This article is part of a series for ministers on performing marriage ceremonies in the United States and elsewhere. In this article, we focus on the magnificent state of Rhode Island and its rules and regulations. Rhode Island has some of the most breath-taking scenery and some of the most picturesque places to have a wedding ceremony anywhere… Continue reading State of the Union: Serving As A Marriage Officiant In Rhode Island
This article is part of a series for ministers on performing marriage ceremonies in the United States and elsewhere. In this article, we focus on New York State, as well as New York City, which has its own specific set of rules and regulations. We often hear from ministers and officiants that are concerned about the… Continue reading State of the Union: Serving As A Wedding Officiant In New York
There are certain questions we receive day in and day out, generally about whether a ceremonial minister who lives in one state (let's say Texas) can legally perform a wedding in another state (let's say Hawaii*), but one that pops up occasionally is also one that can be quite perplexing. So ... can a ship's… Continue reading Can A Ship Captain Perform A Marriage Ceremony?
