Who Can Conduct Weddings? Presidential Powers Explored

Can the President Conduct Weddings?

There have been 19 documented weddings hosted by the President and/or First Lady of the United States at the White House, with the earliest recorded instance taking place in 1812. However, the ability to officiate a wedding is not a power bestowed upon the President of the United States.

In the US, each state has its own marriage laws regarding who has the authority to perform a marriage. While ordained ministers have the authority to solemnize marriage in all 50 states, the President is not known to be an ordained minister.

The President's authority to conduct weddings

The authority to perform weddings varies from state to state in the United States. While each state has its own marriage laws, ordained ministers have the authority to solemnize marriage in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Washington DC, and US Territories. In some states, ministers are required to register with a government office before performing a marriage.

In Alabama, marriages may be solemnized by any licensed minister of the gospel in regular communion with the Christian church or society of which the minister is a member. In Alaska, marriages may be solemnized by a minister, priest, or rabbi of any church or congregation in the state. Arizona law authorizes duly licensed or ordained clergymen, judges of courts of record, municipal court judges, justices of the peace, justices of the United States supreme court, judges of courts of appeals, district courts, and bankruptcy court and tax court judges to solemnize marriages.

Arkansas authorizes marriages to be solemnized by the governor, any former justice of the Supreme Court, any judges of the courts of record within the state, any justice of the peace, any regularly ordained minister or priest of any religious sect or denomination, the former mayor of any city of the first or second class who served at least five years as mayor or the current mayor of any city or town, any official appointed for that purpose by the quorum court of the county where the marriage is to be solemnized, or any elected district court judge and any former municipal or district court judge who served at least four years.

In California, marriages may be solemnized by a priest, minister, rabbi, or authorized person of any religious denomination who is 18 years of age or older. A marriage may also be solemnized by a judge or retired judge, commissioner of civil marriages or retired commissioner of civil marriages, commissioner or retired commissioner, or assistant commissioner of a court of record in the state.

In Colorado, marriages may be solemnized by a judge of a court, by a court magistrate, by a retired judge of a court, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by the parties to the marriage, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination or Indian nation or tribe.

Connecticut authorizes marriages to be solemnized by all judges and retired judges, either elected or appointed, including federal judges and judges of other states who may legally join persons in marriage in their jurisdictions, family support magistrates, family support referees, state referees, justices of the peace who are appointed in Connecticut, and all ordained or licensed members of the clergy, belonging to the state or any other state.

In Delaware, marriages may be solemnized by a clergyperson or minister of any religion who resides in the state, provided they are registered with the Clerk of the Peace in the county where they reside. Marriages may also be solemnized by a current or former judge of the state's Supreme Court, Superior Court, Family Court, Court of Chancery, Court of Common Pleas, or Justice of the Peace Court.

Florida authorizes all regularly ordained ministers of the gospel or elders in communion with some church, or other ordained clergy, and all judicial officers, including retired judicial officers, clerks of the circuit courts, and notaries public of the state to solemnize the rights of matrimonial contract, under the regulations prescribed by law.

In Georgia, marriages may be solemnized by ministers of the gospel, Jewish rabbis, officers authorized to administer oaths in the state, and the chief or spiritual leader of a Native American Indian entity recognized by the state.

Hawaii grants authority to perform marriages to any minister, priest, or officer of any religious denomination or society who has been ordained or is authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usages of that denomination or society. Marriages may also be solemnized by any justice or judge or magistrate, active or retired, of a state or federal court in the state.

Idaho authorizes marriages to be solemnized by a current or retired justice of the supreme court, a current or retired court of appeals judge, a current or retired district judge, the current or a former governor, the current lieutenant governor, a current or retired magistrate of the district court, a current mayor or by any current federal judge, tribal judge of an Idaho Indian tribe or other tribal official approved by an official act of an Idaho Indian tribe or priest or minister of the gospel of any denomination.

Illinois authorizes marriages to be solemnized by a judge of a court of record, by a retired judge of a court of record, by a judge of the Court of Claims, by a county clerk in counties having 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by a mayor or president of a city, village, or incorporated town who is in office on the date of the solemnization, or in accordance with the prescriptions of any religious denomination, Indian Nation or Tribe or Native Group.

Indiana authorizes marriages to be solemnized by a member of the clergy of a religious organization, a judge, a mayor, within the mayor's county, a clerk or a clerk-treasurer of a city or town, within a county in which the city or town is located, a clerk of the circuit court, the governor, the lieutenant governor, a member of the general assembly, the Friends Church, in accordance with the rules of the Friends Church, the German Baptists, in accordance with the rules of their society, the Bahai faith, in accordance with the rules of the Bahai faith, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in accordance with the rules of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or an imam of a masjid, in accordance with the rules of the religion of Islam.

Iowa authorizes marriages to be solemnized by a judge of the supreme court, court of appeals, or district court, including a district associate judge, associate juvenile judge, or a judicial magistrate, and any person ordained or designated as a leader of their religious faith.

Kansas authorizes marriages to be solemnized by any currently ordained clergyman or religious authority of any religious denomination or society, any licentiate of a denominational body or an appointee of any bishop serving as the regular clergyman of any church of the denomination to which the licentiate or appointee belongs, any judge or justice of a court of record, any municipal judge of a city in the state, and any retired judge or justice of a court of record.

Kentucky authorizes marriages to be solemnized by ministers of the gospel or priests of any denomination in regular communion with any religious society, justices and judges of the Court of Justice, retired justices and judges of the Court of Justice except those removed for cause or convicted of a felony, county judges/executive, and such justices of the peace and fiscal court commissioners as the governor or the county judge/executive authorizes, or a religious society that has no officiating minister or priest and whose usage is to solemnize marriage at the usual place of worship and by consent given in the presence of the society, if either party belongs to the society.

Louisiana authorizes marriages to be performed by a priest, minister, rabbi, clerk of the Religious Society of Friends, or any clergyman of any religious sect, who has attained the age of majority and is authorized by the authorities of his religion to perform marriages, and who is registered to perform marriages, or a state judge or justice of the peace.

Maine authorizes marriages to be solemnized by a justice or judge, a lawyer admitted to the Maine Bar, a notary public under Title 4, chapter 19, an ordained minister of the gospel, a cleric engaged in the service of the religious body to which they belong, or a person licensed to preach by an association of ministers, religious seminary or ecclesiastical body.

Maryland authorizes marriages to be performed by any official of a religious order or body authorized by the rules and customs of that order or body to perform a marriage ceremony, any clerk, any deputy clerk designated by the county administrative judge of the circuit court for the county, or a judge.

Massachusetts authorizes marriages to be solemnized by a duly ordained minister of the gospel in good and regular standing with his church or denomination, a commissioned cantor or duly ordained rabbi of the Jewish faith, a justice of the peace if he is also clerk or assistant clerk of a city or town, a registrar or assistant registrar, a clerk or assistant clerk of a court or a clerk or assistant clerk of the senate or house of representatives, an authorized representative of a Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is in accordance with the usage of their community, a priest or minister of the Buddhist religion, a minister in fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association and ordained by a local church, a leader of an Ethical Culture Society which is duly established in the state and recognized by the American Ethical Union and who is duly appointed and in good and regular standing with the American Ethical Union, the Imam of the Orthodox Islamic religion, and, it may be solemnized in a regular or special meeting for worship conducted by or under the oversight of a Friends or Quaker Monthly Meeting in accordance with the usage of their Society, and, it may be solemnized by a duly ordained nonresident minister of the gospel if he is a pastor of a church or denomination duly established in the state and who is in good and regular standing as a minister of such church or denomination, including an ordained deacon in The United Methodist Church or in the Roman Catholic Church, and, it may be solemnized according to the usage of any other church or religious organization which shall have complied with the provisions of the second paragraph of this section.

Michigan authorizes marriages to be solemnized by a judge of the district court, a district court magistrate, a municipal judge, in the city in which the judge is serving or in a township over which a municipal court has jurisdiction, a judge of probate, a judge of a federal court, a mayor of a city, anywhere in a county in which that city is located, a county clerk in the county in which the clerk serves, or in another county with the written authorization of the clerk of the other county, for a county having more than 1,500,000 inhabitants, an employee of the county clerk's office designated by the county clerk, in the county in which the clerk serves, a minister of the gospel or cleric or religious practitioner, anywhere in the state, if the minister or cleric or religious practitioner is ordained or authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usages of the denomination, or a minister of the gospel or cleric or religious practitioner, anywhere in the state, if the minister or cleric or religious practitioner is not a resident of the state but is authorized to solemnize marriages under the laws of the state in which they reside.

Minnesota authorizes civil marriages to be solemnized throughout the state by an individual who has attained the age of 21 years and is a judge of a court of record, a retired judge of a court of record, a court administrator, a retired court administrator with the approval of the chief judge of the judicial district, a former court commissioner who is employed by the court system or is acting pursuant to an order of the chief judge of the commissioner's judicial district, the residential school superintendent of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf and the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, or a licensed or ordained minister of any religious denomination, or by any mode recognized in section 517.18.

Mississippi authorizes marriages to be solemnized by any minister of the gospel ordained according to the rules of his church or society, in good standing, any rabbi or other spiritual leader of any other religious body authorized under the rules of such religious body to solemnize rites of matrimony and being in good standing, any judge of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, circuit court, chancery court or county court, justice court judges, and members of the boards of supervisors.

Missouri authorizes marriages to be solemnized by any clergyman, either active or retired, who is in good standing with any church or synagogue in the state. Marriages may also be solemnized, without compensation, by any judge, including a municipal judge. Marriages may also be solemnized by a religious society, religious institution, or religious organization of the state, according to the regulations and customs of the society, institution or organization, when either party to the marriage to be solemnized is a member of such society, institution or organization.

Montana authorizes marriages to be solemnized by a judge of a court of record, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by a mayor, city judge, or justice of the peace, by a notary public authorized pursuant to 1-5-630, by a tribal judge, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination, Indian nation or tribe, or native group.

Nebraska authorizes marriages to be solemnized by every judge, retired judge, clerk magistrate, or retired clerk magistrate, and every preacher of the gospel authorized by the usages of the church to which they belong to solemnize marriages.

Nevada authorizes marriages to be solemnized by any licensed, ordained or appointed minister or other church or religious official authorized to solemnize a marriage in good standing within his or her church or religious organization, a notary public appointed by the Secretary of State pursuant to chapter 240 of NRS and in good standing with the Secretary of State, or a marriage officiant.

New Hampshire authorizes marriages to be solemnized by a justice of the peace as commissioned by the state, by a state supreme court justice, superior court judge, or circuit court judge, and by judges of the United States appointed pursuant to Article III of the United States Constitution, by bankruptcy judges appointed pursuant to Article I of the United States Constitution, or by United States magistrate judges appointed pursuant to federal law, or in a religious ceremony by any minister of the gospel in the state who has been ordained according to the usage of his or her denomination, resides in the state, and is in regular standing with the denomination, by any member of the clergy who is not ordained but is engaged in the service of the religious body to which they belong, and who resides in the state, after being licensed therefor by the secretary of state, or within his or her parish, by any minister residing out of the state, but having a pastoral charge wholly or partly in the state.

New Jersey authorizes marriages to be solemnized by each judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, each judge of a federal district court, United States magistrate, judge of a municipal court, judge of the Superior Court, judge of the Tax Court, administrative law judge, retired judge of the Superior Court or Tax Court, retired administrative law judge, or judge of the Superior Court or Tax Court, the former County Court, the former County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, or the former County District Court who has resigned in good standing, surrogate of any county, county clerk, and any mayor or former mayor not currently serving on the municipal governing body or the deputy mayor when authorized by the mayor, or chairman of any township committee or village president of the state, every member of the clergy of every religion, and any civil celebrant who is certified by the Secretary of State to solemnize marriages or civil unions as set forth in subsection b. of this section.

New Mexico authorizes the civil contract of marriage to be entered into when solemnized by a person who is an ordained member of the clergy or who is an authorized representative of a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or pueblo without regard to sect or rites and customs the person may practice. Active or retired judges, justices and magistrates of any of the courts established by the constitution of New Mexico, United States constitution, laws of the state or laws of the United States are civil magistrates having authority to solemnize contracts of marriage.

New York authorizes marriages to be valid unless solemnized by a clergyman or minister of any religion, or by the senior leader, or any of the other leaders, of The Society for Ethical Culture in the city of New York, having its principal office in the borough of Manhattan, or by the leader of The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, having its principal office in the borough of Brooklyn of the city of New York, or of the Westchester Ethical Society, having its principal office in Westchester county, or of the Ethical Culture Society of Long Island, having its principal office in Nassau county, or of the Riverdale-Yonkers Ethical Society having its principal office in Bronx county, or by the leader of any other Ethical Culture Society affiliated with the American Ethical Union, a judge of the federal circuit court of appeals for the second circuit, a judge of a federal district court for the northern, southern, eastern or western district of New York, a judge of the United States court of international trade, a federal administrative law judge presiding in the state, a justice or judge of a court of the unified court system, a housing judge of the civil court of the city of New York, a retired justice or judge of the unified court system or a retired housing judge of the civil court of the city of New York certified pursuant to paragraph (k) of subdivision two of section two hundred twelve of the judiciary law, the clerk of the appellate division of the supreme court in each judicial department, a retired city clerk who served for more than ten years in such capacity in a city having a population of one million or more or a county clerk of a county wholly within cities having a population of one million or more, a member of the New York state legislature, a judge or peacemaker judge of any Indian tribal court, a chief, a headman, or any member of any tribal council or other governing body of any nation, tribe or band of Indians in the state duly designated by such body for the purpose of officiating at marriages, or any other persons duly designated by such body, in keeping with the culture and traditions of any such nation, tribe or band of Indians in the state, to officiate at marriages, a one-day marriage officiant, as designated by a town or city clerk pursuant to section eleven-d of this article, or by a written contract of marriage signed by both parties and at least two witnesses, all of whom shall subscribe the same within the state, stating the place of residence of each of the parties and witnesses and the date and place of marriage, and acknowledged before a judge of a court of record of the state by the parties and witnesses in the manner required for the acknowledgment of a conveyance of real estate to entitle the same to be recorded.

North Carolina authorizes marriages to be solemnized by every minister, officer, or any other person authorized to solemnize a marriage under the laws of the state, who marries any couple without a license being first delivered to that person, as required by law, or after the expiration of such license, or who fails to return such license to the register of deeds within 10 days after any marriage celebrated by virtue thereof, with the certificate appended thereto duly filled up and signed.

North Dakota authorizes marriages to be solemnized at any location within the state by all judges of courts of record, municipal judges, recorders, unless the board of county commissioners designates a different official, ordained ministers of the gospel, priests, and clergy, authorized by recognized denominations, and by any individual authorized by the rituals and practices of any religious persuasion.

The President's wedding

The Presidents Wedding

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Wedding dress shopping

Shopping Considerations:

How to Choose Your Dream Gown:

• Start by gathering inspiration. Look through magazines, browse bridal boutiques online, explore Pinterest, and check out celebrity wedding looks to get a sense of the styles you're drawn to. Identify common themes, such as a preference for embellished, lacy, or voluminous dresses, or a tendency towards open-back designs.
• Keep an open mind. Many brides find that the gown they end up choosing differs from their initial vision, so don't be afraid to try on dresses that fall outside your preconceived notions.
• Be prepared for bridal sizing, which often runs one to two sizes larger than your regular clothing size. Don't be discouraged by the number; only you and your consultant will know the size.
• Shop for dresses in your current size, rather than a smaller size that you hope to fit into by the wedding day. It's much easier to take a dress in than to try to work with one that's too snug.
• Start shopping early, especially if you're ordering a made-to-order gown, as these can take four to eight months to be produced. You'll also need to factor in time for alterations and accessorizing.
• Figure out your budget and who will be contributing. Discuss spending limits with those paying for the gown (your family, your partner, or yourself) to avoid falling in love with a dress that's out of your price range.
• Know your wedding theme and venue in advance. A casual, garden-party-themed wedding will call for a different dress than a formal, romantic affair. Keep the venue and theme in mind to ensure your dress suits the overall style of your wedding.
• Plan for additional costs beyond the dress itself. Factor in tailoring, accessories (veil, jewelry, shoes), and cleaning/preservation of the gown if you want to keep it as a memento.

When to Buy Your Wedding Dress:

It's recommended to start shopping for your wedding dress at least a year before your wedding, especially if you're ordering a made-to-order gown. This will give you ample time for production, alterations, and accessorizing.

In addition to the cost of the dress itself, factor in expenses for tailoring, accessories, and cleaning/preservation. If someone else is contributing to the cost, get clear on the budget to avoid falling in love with a dress that's out of your range.

Plus-Size Shopping Tips:

• Call bridal salons in advance to ensure they carry plus-size samples that you can try on. Unfortunately, many salons only stock samples up to size 10, even though they sell sizes up to 26.
• Be open to trying on a lot of gowns. Finding your dream dress might take multiple shopping trips, so be patient and keep an open mind.
• Stick to a few gowns per appointment/shopping trip to avoid feeling overwhelmed by too many options.

Who to Bring Shopping:

• Choose your shopping crew wisely. Limit the number of people you bring to two or three whose opinions matter most to you. Trying to please a large group can be challenging, and you want to ensure you have the space and attention to focus on what you love.
• Bring the right undergarments. Wear a nude thong and strapless bra to appointments, and bring Spanx to ensure you get a true sense of how the dresses will fit and look.

What to Bring With You:

Bring dress photos for inspiration. Printouts or screenshots from your

White House weddings

The White House has been the site of wedding ceremonies and receptions for nearly two centuries. There have been nineteen documented weddings and four receptions hosted by the President and/or First Lady of the United States.

• March 29, 1812: Lucy Payne Washington (sister of First Lady Dolley Madison) married Supreme Court Justice Thomas Todd.
• March 9, 1820: Maria Hester Monroe (daughter of President James Monroe) married her first cousin, Samuel L. Gouverneur.
• February 25, 1828: John Adams II (son of President John Quincy Adams) married his first cousin, Mary Catherine Hellen, in the Blue Room.
• April 10, 1832: Mary A. Eastin (niece of Rachel Jackson, wife of President Andrew Jackson) married Lucius J. Polk in the East Room.
• November 29, 1832: Mary Anne Lewis (daughter of a close friend of President Andrew Jackson) married Alphonse Joseph Yves Pageot in the East Room.
• January 31, 1842: Elizabeth Tyler (daughter of President John Tyler) married William Waller in the East Room.
• May 21, 1874: Nellie Grant (daughter of President Ulysses S. Grant) married Algernon Sartoris in the East Room.
• June 19, 1878: Emily Platt (niece of President Rutherford B. Hayes) married Russell Hastings in the Blue Room.
• June 2, 1886: President Grover Cleveland married Frances Folsom in the Blue Room.
• February 17, 1906: Alice Roosevelt (daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt) married Nicholas Longworth in the East Room.
• November 25, 1913: Jessie Woodrow Wilson (daughter of President Woodrow Wilson) married Francis Bowes Sayre in the East Room.
• May 7, 1914: Eleanor Randolph Wilson (daughter of President Woodrow Wilson) married William Gibbs McAdoo in the Blue Room.
• August 7, 1918: Alice Wilson (niece of President Woodrow Wilson) married Isaac Stuart McElroy, Jr., in the Blue Room.
• July 30, 1942: Harry Hopkins (advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt) married Louise Gill Macy in the Yellow Oval Room.
• December 9, 1967: Lynda Bird Johnson (daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson) married Charles Spittal Robb in the East Room.
• June 12, 1971: Tricia Nixon (daughter of President Richard Nixon) married Edward F. Cox in the Rose Garden.
• May 28, 1994: Anthony Rodham (brother of First Lady Hillary Clinton) married Nicole Boxer in the Rose Garden.
• October 19, 2013: Pete Souza (Chief Official White House Photographer) married Patti Lease in the Rose Garden.
• November 19, 2022: Naomi Biden (granddaughter of President Joe Biden) married Peter Neal on the South Lawn.

White House Wedding Receptions

• December 1, 1831: Andrew Jackson Jr. (son of President Andrew Jackson) married Sarah Yorke in Philadelphia on November 24, 1831, with a reception held a week later.
• June 29, 1844: President John Tyler married Julia Gardiner in New York at the Church of the Ascension on June 26, 1844, with a reception held a few days later.
• August 6, 1966: Luci Baines Johnson (daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson) married Patrick Nugent at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, with a reception for 700 guests held later that day.
• June 21, 2008: Jenna Bush (daughter of President George W. Bush) married Henry Chase Hager at Prairie Chapel Ranch on May 10, 2008, with a reception held six weeks later.

Online certification to officiate at a wedding

The Universal Life Church (ULC) is a popular choice for those seeking ordination to officiate at weddings. The ULC is a non-denominational church that makes room for the beliefs of multiple denominations and faiths. The only requirements to be ordained are to be at least 18 years of age and to answer the simple prompts on the application truthfully. The ULC ordination is free, and once ordained, you can purchase items from the online store that prove your credentials.

Another non-denominational church that offers free online ordination is American Marriage Ministries (AMM). AMM has ordained over 1,397,029 ministers across the US. The ordination is valid in all 50 states, and AMM provides ministers with training materials and important forms. AMM also offers wedding training resources, such as how to consult with the couple, write the service, and decide what to charge for your services.

It is important to note that, in addition to obtaining ordination, some states require ministers to register with a government office before performing a marriage. Therefore, it is essential to check the state and county statutes where the ceremony is taking place.

Frequently asked questions