Who Can Officiate A Wedding In Illinois? Ask Friends!

If you're planning your wedding in Illinois, you may be wondering if you can have a friend officiate the ceremony. The good news is that Illinois law allows for a wide range of officials to solemnize marriages, and there is no requirement for officiants to register with any government office. Here's what you need to know about having a friend officiate your wedding in Illinois.

Who can officiate a wedding in Illinois?

According to Illinois law, a wide range of officials, both civil and religious, are authorised to solemnise weddings. The baseline requirement is that they must all be at least 18 years of age.

Civil officials

Civil officials who can officiate weddings in Illinois include:

• Judges or retired judges (unless they were removed from office)
• Mayors or public officials
• County clerks in a county with a population of at least 2,000,000 (currently only Cook County)
• Then-governing mayors or presidents of a city, village, or town

Religious officials

Religious officials who can officiate weddings include:

• Religious leaders or ministers, including those ordained online
• Heads of a religious organisation
• Leaders of an Indigenous tribe

It is important to note that Illinois law does not require marriage officiants to register with any government office before performing a wedding ceremony. Additionally, the state does not discriminate based on the officiant's gender, residency, or personal beliefs. However, retired judges and mayors are not allowed to charge a fee for conducting the ceremony.

Do officiants need to register with the government?

In Illinois, wedding officiants are not required to register with any government office before or after officiating wedding ceremonies. There are no laws in Illinois that require officiants to register with any government body, and there is no government office charged with this responsibility.

Illinois Compiled Statutes § 209 specifies who can solemnize a marriage. This includes all ministers, including online-ordained ministers. However, there are no laws, offices, or procedures requiring officiants to register with any government office.

While there is no legal requirement to prove your standing as an ordained minister with any Illinois government office, it is recommended that officiants keep personal records of their official ministry credentials. Proof of ordination may be requested by the couple, government officials, or the wedding venue.

To be a wedding officiant in Illinois, the person must be at least 18 years old. If that requirement is met, there are a number of officials who qualify as legally acceptable, including:

• An active judge
• A retired judge (unless "removed" from office)
• A mayor or public official
• A clerk from a county with a population of at least 2 million
• The leader of a Native American nation or tribe
• The head of a religious organization

What are the legal requirements for officiants?

The legal requirements for officiants in Illinois are as follows:

• The officiant must be at least 18 years old.
• The officiant does not need to register with any government office before or after officiating the wedding.
• The officiant must be ordained by a religious organization, such as American Marriage Ministries.
• The officiant must be in good standing with their religious denomination, Indian Nation, or Tribe.
• The officiant must complete and sign the marriage certificate within 10 days of the wedding and forward it to the county clerk.
• The officiant must include their name, title, and home address on the marriage certificate.
• The officiant should keep personal records of their official ministry credentials, as proof of ordination may be requested by the couple, government officials, or the wedding venue.
• Retired judges and mayors are not allowed to charge a fee for conducting the ceremony.

It is important to note that while these are the legal requirements for officiants in Illinois, the couple getting married ultimately decides whether someone is qualified to perform their wedding. If an officiant is not qualified but the couple believed them to be, the marriage is still considered legal.

What are the officiant's responsibilities?

The officiant is an essential part of a wedding. They are responsible for making the marriage official and legally binding. In Illinois, there are no requirements for officiants to register with any government office before performing a marriage. However, they must be ordained by a religious organisation and be at least 18 years old.

Before the Wedding

An officiant should meet with the couple to discuss how the ceremony will flow, including the tone, traditions, readings, and whether the ceremony will be funny or heartfelt. They should also ensure that the couple has filed for a marriage license with the state or county before the wedding, as a wedding is not legitimate without one. The officiant should also lead the wedding party at the rehearsal, briefing the wedding party on their roles and movements during the ceremony.

During the Wedding

The officiant is responsible for walking the couple through the ceremony, from the introduction and opening remarks to the closing remarks and recessional. They should explain and define the flow of the ceremony, rituals, and vows, and may add in their own requests. The officiant also has an important role in reminding the couple that the wedding is all about them and their commitment to each other.

After the Wedding

The officiant must complete and return the marriage certificate to the county clerk within 10 days of the wedding. They should also ensure that the completed marriage license is turned in to the city or county clerk promptly after the ceremony.

Overall, the officiant is responsible for guiding the couple through the wedding process, creating a ceremony that reflects the couple's desires and expectations, and making the marriage official and legally binding.

What is the process for becoming an officiant?

In Illinois, a wide range of officials, both civil and religious, are authorised to solemnise marriages. The baseline requirement is that they are all at least 18 years of age. Civil officials can include mayors, county clerks (if they serve over two million inhabitants), and judges (unless they have been removed from office). Religious officials can include authorised officials of any religious denomination, such as ordained ministers of American Marriage Ministries.

• Get ordained: The easiest way to gain the legal right to solemnise weddings is to get ordained. You can do this online for free through American Marriage Ministries. Once ordained, you will have the legal authority to officiate weddings anywhere in Illinois.
• Register: Although not required by law, it is recommended that you keep personal records of your official Ministry Credentials. You may be asked to show proof of your ordination by the couple, government officials, or the wedding venue. You can order an Illinois Minister Ordination Package, which includes your official Ordination Certificate and Letter of Good Standing.
• Prepare for the ceremony: Familiarise yourself with the process of planning, scripting, and performing a wedding ceremony. You can use the Illinois Wedding Officiant Preparation Guide to learn about the format of a wedding ceremony, how to write a wedding ceremony, and more.
• Officiate the wedding: On the wedding day, your legal role as the officiant is to officiate the ceremony and complete the Illinois marriage license with the couple and any required witnesses.
• Record your wedding: After the wedding, make sure to take care of any follow-up duties that may be required in Illinois.

Frequently asked questions