George Boyle
A marriage officiant or marriage celebrant is a person who officiates at a wedding ceremony. The duties and responsibilities of the officiant vary among jurisdictions. In the United States, a marriage officiant is a civil celebrant or civil officer such as a justice of the peace. In some states, independent civil celebrants are certified by the government and are required to undergo a course of training for at least 26 weeks.
In the United States, marriages are legally performed by a member of the clergy, a public official, or a civil celebrant. Each state has its own marriage laws regarding who has the authority to perform marriage. In all states, ordained ministers have the authority to solemnize marriage.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religious weddings | Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox, Anglican – Priest; Methodist, Moravian, Baptist, Reformed – Minister; Jewish – Rabbi; Islamic – Imam; Hindu – Pandit |
| Non-religious weddings | Government official, civil celebrant, judge, mayor, justice of the peace |
| Wedding without an officiant | Self-uniting marriage |
What You'll Learn
Who can officiate a wedding?
The type of person who can officiate a wedding depends on the type of ceremony and the location. In the US, a wedding officiant is a civil celebrant or civil officer, such as a justice of the peace. In some states, independent civil celebrants are certified by the government. In other states, there is no officiant registration required.
In religious weddings, the officiant is usually a member of the clergy. For example, in Christian weddings, the officiant is a pastor, such as a priest or vicar. In Quaker weddings, the couple marries each other with no third-party officiating. In Jewish weddings, a rabbi ensures that the Jewish religious laws of the ceremony are followed. In Islamic weddings, an imam is the officiant. Hindu weddings are officiated by a pandit.
In Australia, there are four types of marriage celebrants: commonwealth-registered marriage celebrants, commonwealth-registered religious celebrants, ministers of religion, and state and territory officers. In New Zealand, you must be married by an appointed marriage celebrant, who may be a registrar of marriages, an independent marriage celebrant, a minister of a church, or a person connected with an approved organisation.
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What is a self-uniting marriage?
A self-uniting marriage is a wedding ceremony where the couple gets married without the presence of a third-party officiant. It is sometimes referred to as a "Quaker marriage", owing to its connection with the Quaker faith, whose religious practice intended to simplify the act of marriage by minimising the number of formalities, onlookers, and fanfare.
Self-uniting marriages have a long history in many different cultures, such as Christianity and the Baháʼí faith, and have seen a resurgence in popularity as couples increasingly choose to elope instead of hosting large traditional wedding celebrations.
In the United States, self-uniting marriages are legally recognised in eight states: Pennsylvania, Colorado, California, Maine, Kansas, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Washington DC. Each state has its own set of rules, but they generally require a special self-uniting marriage license or a Quaker marriage license, which can be obtained by following these steps:
- Find your local county court's marriage license website.
- Complete an application for your marriage license.
- Appear in person at the courthouse.
- Receive your license.
- Get married!
While a self-uniting marriage can be as simple as the couple declaring themselves to be married and signing a marriage license at a courthouse, many couples choose to mark their wedding day by doing something more special, such as creating a self-uniting marriage ceremony where they can exchange vows and rings.
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What are the duties of a wedding officiant?
A wedding officiant is a person who officiates at a wedding ceremony. The duties of a wedding officiant vary among jurisdictions, but here is a general overview:
Before the Wedding Day:
- Ensure the couple has filed for a marriage license with the state or county before the marriage ceremony.
- Meet with the couple to discuss their vision for the ceremony, including the tone, traditions, readings, and whether they want the ceremony to be funny or heartfelt.
- Lead the wedding party at the ceremony rehearsal, briefing the wedding party on when to walk down the aisle, where everyone’s respective places should be, and at what point they are going to be called up for their part.
On the Wedding Day:
- Explain and define the flow of the ceremony, the rituals, the ebbs and flows, vows and rings, etc.
- Perform the wedding ceremony, including the declaration of intent ("Do you take…?") and the pronouncement of the couple as married.
- Sign the marriage license and return it to the city or county clerk promptly after the ceremony.
After the Wedding:
Turn in the completed marriage license to the city or county clerk.
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What are the requirements to become a wedding officiant?
The requirements to become a wedding officiant vary depending on the state and county in which the ceremony is taking place. However, there are some general steps that can be followed to become a wedding officiant. Here is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Research State and County Laws
Visit your state's Secretary of State website to understand the laws that apply. Some states are lenient about who can become an officiant, while others require officiants to be practising ministers with a congregation. Some states will impose a fine for marriages officiated illegally. It is also a good idea to check the county laws where the ceremony will take place, as these can differ from state laws.
Step 2: Read the Marriage License
As the officiant, it is your job to ensure the couple understands what the marriage license means. Read through the marriage license thoroughly and make sure you understand it well enough to explain it to the couple.
Step 3: Choose a Religious Organisation
Becoming ordained through a religious organisation is an important part of becoming a wedding officiant and is required by law in many states. If you are not already affiliated with a religion, there are many non-denominational or interfaith organisations to choose from. Many religious organisations will ordain you online, and some will do it for free, but check that your state will recognise online ordinations. Some jurisdictions will not recognise ordinations through certain religious organisations, so check local laws to ensure your ordination will be recognised. If you want to perform weddings in multiple states, you may need to get ordained by several different organisations, depending on local laws.
Step 4: Get Ordained
Once you have picked a religious organisation, follow their specific steps to get ordained. This may involve filling out a form, taking classes, or paying a fee.
Step 5: Stay Up to Date
Check periodically to make sure you are still ordained. Some religious organisations require you to update your information periodically, so keep up to date with this to ensure you don't perform any illegal ceremonies.
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What are the different types of wedding officiants?
A wedding officiant is the person who leads the ceremony and ensures that the couple is legally married. There are several types of officiants, including civil, religious, professional, and ordained wedding officiants.
Civil Wedding Officiant
Civil officiants are government officials who can legally perform a marriage ceremony in their state. This type of secular officiant may have titles such as a justice of the peace, judge, mayor, city clerk, notary, or magistrate. Civil officiants often oversee ceremonies within a government setting, including courthouse weddings.
Religious Wedding Officiant
Religious officiants are leaders within their particular faith and usually perform wedding ceremonies at their place of worship. Common religious officiant titles include rabbi, priest, imam, pastor, reverend, or minister.
However, the location of the ceremony is not always dictated by the type of officiant. For example, a pastor may officiate a wedding at the beach, in a backyard, or at a chosen venue. On the other hand, a Catholic priest might only be able to perform a marriage ceremony at a church.
It's important to note that the rules and regulations for religious officiants vary widely by religious organization and denomination.
Professional Wedding Officiant
Professional officiants, also called celebrants, are licensed and experienced professionals hired to perform marriage ceremonies. Celebrants are well-versed in secular, spiritual, or interfaith ceremonies and can offer guidance with writing and practicing wedding vows. They also offer flexibility to customize the ceremony with any rituals or readings.
Ordained Wedding Officiant
Some couples may feel more comfortable with a loved one officiating their ceremony and choose to ask a close family member or friend who is (or agrees to become) officially ordained.
It's important to note that some states do not recognize online ordination, so it's essential to understand the marriage laws in your state before your loved one completes the process.
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Frequently asked questions
No, a police officer cannot officiate a wedding. A Justice of the Peace, however, can.
This depends on the location. In the US, a marriage officiant is a civil celebrant or civil officer such as a justice of the peace. In some states, independent civil celebrants are certified by the government. In Canada and many other countries, marriages are legally performed by a member of the clergy, a public official, or a civil celebrant. In New Zealand, you must be married by an appointed marriage celebrant, who may be a registrar of marriages, an independent marriage celebrant, a minister of a church, or a person connected with an approved organisation.
The duties and responsibilities of a wedding officiant vary among jurisdictions. In the Catholic Church, for example, the bride and groom perform the Sacrament of Matrimony, but a marriage can only be valid if the Church has a witness at the wedding ceremony to ensure that the couple has no obstacle to marriage and that they are freely choosing to wed each other.
This depends on the location. In the US, celebrants or officiants are usually categorized as "clergy" and have the same rights and responsibilities as ordained clergy. In Australia, there are four types of marriage celebrants: commonwealth-registered marriage celebrants, commonwealth-registered religious celebrants, authorised ministers of religion, and authorised state and territory officers.
