Who Can Officiate Weddings In The Philippines?

In the Philippines, a retired judge can officiate a wedding as long as they are a member of the body of people authorized by law to do so. The couple must first obtain a marriage license from the local civil registry, which they can then bring to the judge and request that they officiate the ceremony. The judge will then sign the marriage certificate and return it to the couple.

A retired judge can officiate a wedding in the Philippines, but they must be a member of the body of people authorized by law to do so

A retired judge can officiate a wedding in the Philippines, but they must be a member of the body of people authorised by law to do so.

In the Philippines, a wedding is officiated by a 'solemnizing officer', who may be a judge within their court's jurisdiction, a mayor within their territorial jurisdiction, or a priest or minister who is authorised by their church or sect and registered with the local civil registrar.

In the case of a retired judge, they must be a member of the body of people authorised by law to perform weddings. This means that they must be a member of the judiciary, and they must be retired with benefits.

In the Philippines, there is no definitive answer to who is allowed to officiate a wedding. However, it is generally accepted that anyone who is authorised to perform marriages in their home country can also officiate a wedding in the Philippines. This would typically include religious leaders, such as priests, ministers, or rabbis, but could also include secular officiants such as judges or mayors.

The couple must obtain a marriage license from the local civil registry and bring it to the judge

• Certified true copies of the contracting parties' birth certificates from the National Statistics Office (NSO)
• Valid IDs with the addresses of the contracting parties
• Community tax certificates (cedula) of the contracting parties
• Barangay Certificate
• Parental Consent Affidavit (for contracting parties aged 18 to 20) or parental advice (for contracting parties between 21 and 25)
• Certificate of Attendance in a Marriage Counseling Seminar and a Family Planning Seminar
• For foreign nationals who are divorced or widowed, a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry and a photocopy of their passport
• Final Decree of Absolute Divorce, if one of the parties is divorced
• Certified Copy of the Death Certificate of the late spouse, if one of the parties has been widowed

The judge will then sign the marriage certificate and return it to the couple

After the wedding ceremony, the judge will sign the marriage certificate and return it to the couple. The couple must first obtain a marriage license from the local civil registry. Once they have the license, they can bring it to the judge and request that they officiate the ceremony.

The cost of a civil wedding in the Philippines is relatively low

Civil Wedding Requirements

The following is a list of requirements for a civil wedding in the Philippines:

• At least two valid IDs of the couple
• PSA Birth Certificate
• Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR)
• Marriage License Application Form
• Barangay Certificate
• Community Tax Certificate
• Certificate of Attendance in Pre-Marriage Counselling

Additional Civil Wedding Requirements for Foreigners

If either party is a foreigner, the following additional requirements are needed:

• Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry/Sworn Declaration from the country's Consular Office or Embassy in the Philippines
• Clear photocopy of the immigration stamp in the foreigner's passport
• Divorce Decree (if divorced)
• Death Certificate of deceased spouse (if widowed)

Civil Wedding Costs

The cost of the documents and certificates for a civil wedding in the Philippines is between PHP 3,000 and PHP 5,000 collectively for both parties. The judge's fee for officiating the wedding is typically around PHP 8,000. The mayor's fee is usually free of charge if the wedding is held at the city hall, otherwise, a small fee of around PHP 300 is charged.

The total cost of a civil wedding in the Philippines, therefore, can be as low as PHP 11,000.

There is no legal requirement in the Philippines specifying who is allowed to officiate a wedding

In the Philippines, there is no legal requirement specifying who is allowed to officiate a wedding. However, it is generally accepted that anyone who is authorized to perform marriages in their home country can also officiate a wedding in the Philippines. This would typically include religious leaders, such as priests, ministers, or rabbis, but could also include secular officiants such as judges or mayors.

In the Philippines, a wedding is officiated by a "solemnizing officer", who may be a judge within their court's jurisdiction, a mayor within their territorial jurisdiction, or a priest or minister who is authorized by their church or sect and registered with the local civil registrar. In special cases, such as when one party is "in articulo mortis" or at the point of death, then military commanders, ship captains, and airplane chiefs may officiate a wedding. Consuls are also allowed to officiate weddings between two Filipinos abroad.

Frequently asked questions