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 is that you have options, even if you are planning everything on your own. Gather your resources — The Knot, Brides Magazine, and Bridal Guide are excellent places to start. And, now that you know who you will be marrying, it’s time to figure out who will marry the two of you! If you belong…
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Are You Qualified To Perform Premarital Counseling In Tennessee?
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 otherwise imposed by that code section. The course must not be less than four (4) hours and completed no more than one year prior to the date of application for the license. Parties may attend separate classes. If they do, separate certificates must be filed. Our reply: Simply being ordained does not qualify a ceremonial minister to…
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State Of The Union: Performing Marriage Ceremonies 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 his ministerial credential. The Tennessee attorney general has issued several opinions in the past about whether ministers or spiritual leaders of various religions (including imams, rabbis and other clerics and teachers) were authorized to perform marriage ceremonies in the state. Also addressed by the attorney general was his opinion regarding whether or not instant online ordination through the…
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State of the Union: Serving As A Wedding Officiant In Virginia
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 restriction. Perhaps the most common question we get from our ministers regards the brick wall that is put up to block them from serving in some cities and counties in Virginia — but, frustratingly, not by all of them. Over the years, it has been very much hit-or-miss for ceremonial ministers serving in Virginia —…
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California Ordination, Marriage License and Ceremony Information
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 — please click here. This article will provide you with general information regarding the requirements for the issuance and registration of both public and confidential marriage licenses in California, as well as answer many frequently asked questions regarding the laws pertaining to marriage licenses and ceremonies in California. If you are getting married in California, for…
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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 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 in the world. If you are legally ordained as a ceremonial minister, it’s also a very uncomplicated place to perform marriages. According to Rhode Island law, everyone who is or has been the minister of any society professing to meet for religious purposes, or incorporated for the promotion of such purposes, and holding stated and regular…
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State of the Union: Serving As A Wedding Officiant In New York
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 complexities of performing marriage ceremonies in New York. While it may seem complex on the surface, it’s actually fairly simple and straightforward — as long as you follow the rules. Basically, you must be legally ordained before performing a wedding ceremony in New York. If you are currently ordained and in good standing with the…
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Can A Ship Captain Perform A Marriage Ceremony?
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 captain perform a marriage ceremony? The simple answer is yes, as long as he or she is legally ordained by a church or religious organization. Earning the position of ship’s captain does not automatically give you the right and responsibility to serve as a wedding minister. The more complicated answer is maybe, depending on where the…
