Nuptials & Wedding Officiants
Rainbow
Nuptials & Wedding Officiants
So, what are the duties of a Wedding Officiant?
The main duty of a wedding officiant is to make your wedding official by fulfilling the requirements set forth by the marriage laws in the state in which you are being married. This includes witnessing the couple deliberately give their consent to the marriage and signing the marriage license. Other duties of a wedding officiant can include:
- Making sure the completed marriage license is properly filed with the State and Clerk of Court.
- Writing and performing wedding ceremonies
- Organizing the wedding party and leading the wedding rehearsal
- Providing answers and consultations to the Wedding Part
Completing the marriage license
Completing the marriage license is the task that gives a wedding officiant the title “Officiant.” You are making a marriage “officially” legal. In order to be legally married and have the legal rights and privileges of marriage, you need to have a marriage license. Your marriage license is issued by the state you live in. Once you have the marriage license it needs to be completed by a person who officially meets the requirements of the state to do so – usually an Ordained Minister, Judge, Justice of the Peace, or similar. Obtaining a marriage license just means you are allowed to marry. By completing the marriage license, you are choosing to actually marry and enter into the legal contract.
Being a Notary in Florida, South Carolina and Maine allows you to also be a Wedding Officiant. We also have several members who are ordained through the Universal Life Church and can perform weddings, baptisms, celebrations of life and funerals.
Wedding Officiant selection is an important decision. We work with the couple to provide personalized vows, elopements, express weddings, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, beach weddings and LGBTQ (Same-Sex) weddings. We help to make your special day perfect.
Each state has requirements as to who can sign a marriage license and how they must legally “marry” the couple. Part of the requirements usually includes a wedding ceremony. How big or small your ceremony depends on what you want. If a religious leader is marrying you they may require you to perform a religious ceremony. A judge or a professional wedding officiant may simply ask you if you are sure you want to enter in the marriage and have you give your verbal consent. Traditionally, the answer is “I do.” But I always say “anything in the affirmative will work.” Sometimes the answer is “heck yeah!
Traditionally, if the wedding officiant is a minister and marrying you in a church they will lead your wedding rehearsal. It’s a church service so it’s already organized. It’s done the same way every time.
