American Marriage Ministries in the Media

So you've been asked to officiate your friends wedding, and now you're not exactly sure what to do, how to start, and where to go for help. Don't panic! Our sponsor Asked to Officiate is basically an "idiot's guide" to preparing a wedding ceremony.

If you'll be having a friend of family member officiate your wedding (like I will be later this year!), you'll definitely want to get introduced to American Marriage Ministries (AMM). We've been partners with them for years and years and they're always our go-to when someone needs to get officiated online. Your officiant will be legally ordained, it's open to everyone, and it's SO easy. Plus, Steven Colbert turned to them when he needed to officiate a wedding, so you know it's Colbert-approved.

Asking friends and family to be bridesmaids and groomsmen is a huge part of the wedding experience. And why not? These are the folks who will be by your side as you make it official with your favorite person in the world, so of course it's a big deal. But what about the person who will literally be emceeing the whole thing? Joining the two of you together in front of everyone who loves and cares about you, facilitating your vows, pronouncing you as official married partners at the end of it all. The role is major and certainly one that should be treated just as seriously as bridesmaid and groomsmen positions in the wedding party. Thankfully, American Marriage Ministries - the non-profit responsible for ordaining nearly 600,000 ministers (who've performed 250,000+ wedding ceremonies in the U.S.) - has come up with just the thing to keep on your radar if you're considering asking someone close to you to play a part in your 'I Dos.'

"On Oct. 5, Barry Bordelon, left, and Jordan Slocum, also known as the Brownstone Boys, were married on the stoop of (where else?) their brownstone in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. A block party followed." The couple's Wedding Celebrant Lauren Hill of Simply Weddings NYC was ordained by American Marriage Ministries.

Rieanna Stewart remembered Devin Miller from a brief encounter three years earlier. And then: “We both left time and space,” Ms. Stewart said... The two were wed on Sept. 28 at 611 West Philadelphia, an event space in Detroit. Christina Nicholaides, a close friend of Ms. Stewart who was ordained by American Marriage Ministries for the occasion, officiated.

Ko and Kreppel got married at the Sands Hotel and Spa in Indian Wells, California in 2023. They invited 150 guests, and had close friend Adam Cue officiate. Cue was ordained by American Marriage Ministries to perform the ceremony.

"Julie Estrada Ewart, a single mother for 11 years, was not sure she would ever find true love. Enter Robert Bishop, a hockey coach who said he had been waiting his whole life for her... The couple were wed before 100 guests on Nov. 4 at the Mission Beach Women’s Club in Mission Beach, Calif. Steve Graves, Ms. Estrada Ewart’s brother who was ordained by American Marriage Ministries for the occasion, officiated."

"When Fareez Giga met William Gleason just before the Covid-19 pandemic began, he instinctively knew that Mr. Gleason was the one... They were married on Sept. 16 in front of 124 guests at Club Getaway, a sports and adventure camp for adults and families in Kent, Conn. Mr. Giga and Mr. Gleason wore matching Tom Ford tuxedos. Zahra Giga, Mr. Giga’s sister, led the ceremony; she was ordained for this event by the American Marriage Ministries."

"Sasha DiGiulian, a world champion climber, and Erik Osterholm, an Emmy Award-winning producer, met while documenting her ice climb of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington in 2017... The couple married Sept. 2 at the Planet Bluegrass, an outdoor venue in Lyons, Colo., about 25 minutes north of Boulder. Robin O’Leary, a friend of the couple who was ordained by the American Marriage Ministries for the occasion, officiated before 165 guests."

Every wedding needs someone to perform the ceremony. Unfortunately, finding the right person isn't always easy, and it can also be pricey. Perhaps, like millions of Americans, you aren't the church-going type. Or maybe you don't feel like paying the hundreds of dollars that most churches/synagogues/temples charge - with some billing into the thousands. Or, you might be too far from your local place of worship - think destination weddings. If any of these are the case, you're going to have to look elsewhere. The good news is, you probably already know the perfect wedding officiant, and getting him or her set up to perform your marriage is completely free and only takes a few minutes! This post will share all about how to have a friend officiate your wedding.

Will You Marry Us?

You've found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, but there's another important person who will stand beside you on your big day besides your future spouse. We're talking about your wedding officiant!

UPDATE: This story has been updated to reflect a Wednesday ruling by a federal judge.

A new law has banned online ordained ministers from officiating weddings in Tennessee.

Critics of the measure say it's a violation of First Amendment rights. But for another group — LGBT people in rural and suburban communities — the impact could be even greater.

This year's batch will affect groups ranging from death row inmates to couples planning weddings.

Starting Monday, Tennessee will begin to bar ministers ordained online from performing marriages. The change has already drawn a federal lawsuit. The Universal Life Church Monastery Storehouse, which offers online ordinations, is seeking to block the new law.

Another group that offers online ordination, Seattle-based American Marriage Ministries, has aimed to get around the ban. The group has offered in-person ordination training in Tennessee, including in Chattanooga, where more than 150 people gathered at the Hampton Inn & Suites at Hamilton Place.

Georgia Vasiliki Kostopoulos and Jacob Michael Rae met in Washington in March 2014 at a career weekend sponsored by N.Y.U. School of Law.

It was an instant connection. "I was at a table and Jake came over and started talking, and he was funny and sweet and seemed like a very interesting person," Ms. Kostopoulos said. "I felt like I had always known him, and couldn't imagine a time when I hadn't."

Julie Michele Lindenman and Dayne Allan Jervis were married June 29 at Southwood Estate in Germantown, N.Y. Dave Goldstein, a minister with American Marriage Ministries, officiated.

The bride, 33, owns a wedding and events production company in New York that bears her name. She graduated magna cum laude from Gettysburg College.

Seattle-based American Marriage Ministries stopped in Knoxville on Wednesday during its trek across Tennessee to ordain people in person after the state passed a law barring online-ordained ministers from performing weddings.

Georgia Vasiliki Kostopoulos and Jacob Michael Rae were married June 28 in an outdoor ceremony at Red Maple Vineyard in West Park, N.Y. Kevin D. Benish, a friend of the couple who became a minister with American Marriage Ministries for the event, officiated.

The four Internet church ministers, on a road trip across Tennessee to ordain more than 1,500 people in less than 10 days, fight about only one thing: Carly Rae Jepsen.

The ministers in the rented Dodge minivan work for American Marriage Ministries, an Internet church based in Seattle that ordains and trains people to officiate at weddings. Since it was founded in 2009, the nonprofit has operated entirely online, becoming a popular option for people who are not clergy but want to officiate at the wedding of a friend or family member.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) - An online church is in Nashville working around a new marriage law in Tennessee.

Starting July 1, people who were ordained online won't be able to legally perform marriages.

In response, American Marriage Ministries or AMM which typically only ordains ministers online, has been on a week long trek across the Volunteer state to do it in person.

More than 300 people lined up in Nashville Thursday for the on-site ordination.

A ministry group from Seattle is helping hundreds of people get ordained in person as Tennessee soon stops recognizing online ordinations.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Starting Monday, Tennessee will no longer recognize marriage officiants who get ordained online.

But one online ministry group from Seattle is helping hundreds of people get ordained so that Tennessee does recognize them.

When Melissa Curie and Dotan Schips decided to tie the knot, they asked their former college professor and American Marriage Ministries (AMM)They ♥ OBB; we ♥ them minister Florence Hunt to officiate the ceremony. While most weddings are more intimate affairs, this one was different. Melissa and Dotan invited millions of viewers to join in their experience. As part of its More Perfect Union series, CBS television cameras were on hand to capture the moment…

Tennessee lawmakers shouldn't make officiants join the "God club" to marry friends, family.

It's kind of like that old saying: When Tennessee lawmakers close a door, the internet opens a window.

This year, lawmakers here valiantly slew the wicked wishes of those evil, eager couples hoping to get married by someone not of the cloth or of the government. Since 1997, even two Tennessee Attorneys General have opined against this dark, all-encompassing oppression choking the necks of every soul across the Volunteer State. But this year — redemption! Thanks to 26 separate, holy actions by the House and 10 by the Senate, Public Chapter 415 becomes the law of the land on July 1st. The hills shall rejoice and give praise!

With a few strokes of pens over three pieces of paper Tuesday afternoon, around 150 Chattanooga area residents subverted a new Tennessee law aimed at restricting who can officiate weddings in the state.

The Seattle-based organization American Marriage Ministries, which primarily operates an online ordination service, has been making stops across Tennessee, including at Hampton Inn & Suites at Hamilton Place on Tuesday, to offer in-person ordination training in response to a law scheduled to go into effect July 1 that would revoke online ordination certifications.

Earlier this year, the GOP-dominated Tennessee legislature passed HB 0213, which banned people from officiating weddings if their ordination came from an online website.

But have no fear! A non-profit church called American Marriage Ministries — which normally ordains people online for free — is making several in-person stops throughout the state next week in order to ordain anyone who needs it. Especially people who were scheduled to perform weddings in the next few months only to have this Republican law get in the way of it.

Earlier this year, the GOP-dominated Tennessee legislature passed HB 0213, which banned people from officiating weddings if their ordination came from an online website.

But have no fear! A non-profit church called American Marriage Ministries — which normally ordains people online for free — is making several in-person stops throughout the state next week in order to ordain anyone who needs it. Especially people who were scheduled to perform weddings in the next few months only to have this Republican law get in the way of it.

Earlier this year, the GOP-dominated Tennessee legislature passed HB 0213, which banned people from officiating weddings if their ordination came from an online website.

On July 1, "internet married" is over in Tennessee.

State lawmakers this year passed a bill that prevents online-ordained ministers from marrying couples. The new rule (Public Chapter No. 415) gives that power to a broader array of government officials. But demands more from "ministers" of any stripe.

If you're an officiant in Tennessee who was ordained online, you may not legally be able to officiate weddings anymore. Here's the scoop: as of July 1, 2019, the Tennessee Legislature has put forth HB0213 which will strip the rights of online-ordained officiants from performing weddings (…"prohibits persons receiving online ordinations from solemnizing the rite of matrimony…"). This means that only ministers from state-sanctioned churches are allowed to officiate weddings.

Tiffany Shao-Chin Lee and Alan Minh-Phuc Pham were married June 15. Akira Okubo, who was ordained through American Marriage Ministries for this event, officiated at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

Ms. Lee, 37, is the corporate counsel at Thrive Market, an online grocer that specializes in organic foods that are not genetically modified, and she is also a lecturer in law at Loyola Marymount University, both in Los Angeles. She graduated from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and received a law degree cum laude from Loyola Marymount.

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- Are you an online ordained minister in the state of Tennessee?

If so, then you won't be one for long.

Starting July first, House Bill 0213 prohibits persons receiving online ordinations from solemnizing the rite of matrimony.

Current online ordained ministers here in Chattanooga are about to take a direct hit to their businesses.

For those we haven't had the pleasure of introducing ourselves to yet:

We're American Marriage Ministries, a federally recognized 501c3 non-profit organization. We offer free online ordination so that anyone can perform marriage anywhere in the United States. That means if you have a friend or family member that you want to perform your dream ceremony, or even if you're just finally checking "get ordained" off your bucket list — we've got you covered! We offer this service because we are firm believers in equality, and that everyone has...

Nora Link Granville and Jesse James Edgerton were married May 11 at Glasshouses, an events space in New York. Peter H. Granville, the bride's brother who was ordained by the American Marriage Ministries, officiated.

Caroline Grace Marra and Benjamin Caleb Hemani were married April 6 at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Okla. Virginia Lanford Hemani, the mother of the groom who became a minister with American Marriage Ministries for the event, officiated.

It's hard to blame Matthew Wiley for suspecting Valentina Marie Lomborg was telling whoppers when he met her in 2017 at a Starbucks in Clearwater, Fla.

Not only did she claim to be a former Los Angeles fashion model who socialized with celebrities, she also said she was psychic.

Asking friends and family to be bridesmaids and groomsmen is a huge part of the wedding experience. And why not? These are the folks who will be by your side as you make it official with your favorite person in the world, so of course it's a big deal. But what about the person who will literally be emceeing the whole thing? Joining the two of you together in front of everyone who loves and cares about you, facilitating your vows, pronouncing you as official married partners at the end of it all. The role is major and certainly one that should be treated just as seriously as bridesmaid and groomsmen positions in the wedding party. Thankfully, American Marriage Ministries - the non-profit responsible for ordaining nearly 600,000 ministers (who've performed 250,000+ wedding ceremonies in the U.S.) - has come up with just the thing to keep on your radar if you're considering asking someone close to you to play a part in your 'I Dos.'

If you're asking a loved one to get ordained and officiate your wedding, you might as well do it in style, right? You may already be pulling out the stops to "propose" to your wedding party with fun gift boxes or personalized notes, and if your officiant—arguably one of the most important players in your wedding—is someone you know and love, they deserve an equally festive proposal.

Shuai Fang and Di Pan were married Dec. 29 at Kualoa Ranch, an events space in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Jenny Warshafsky, a friend of the couple who was ordained through American Marriage Ministries, officiated.

Shuai Fang and Di Pan were married Dec. 29 at Kualoa Ranch, an events space in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Jenny Warshafsky, a friend of the couple who was ordained through American Marriage Ministries, officiated.

Jean Chua was athletic and adventurous growing up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Between the ages of 6 and 13, she excelled in swimming and table tennis, represented her school in softball and badminton, and became a member of the Malaysian national rhythmic gymnastics team.

You can help a friend or loved one turn their special day into something remarkable, if you're willing — but getting ordained is the easy part.

You don't need to go to seminary to officiate a wedding. In fact, depending on where you live, it may take only a few clicks of a mouse. Here's everything you need to know about officiating your first wedding, from getting ordained to writing the ceremony — and why you'd even want to in the first place.

Polly Katherine Segal and Michael Bruce Lemkin were married Dec. 1 at the Carondelet House, an events space in Los Angeles. Valentina Fratti, a friend of the couple who was ordained by the American Marriage Ministries for this event, officiated, with Rabbi Herb Freed, the bride's stepfather, offering a blessing.

There are two kinds of movies: the kind that rely on big-budget special effects to get your attention, and one's that keep audiences glued to the screen with their gripping storylines. Can you can remember the plot line from the latest Pirates of the Caribbean? Neither can I. When it comes to weddings, the same principle applies — the better you tell your story, the more memorable your wedding ceremony will be, and no amount of special effects can replace great content.

Alexandra Hyde Stathis and Brian Liam Tsao were married Oct. 27. April K. Chu, a friend of the couple who is an affiliate of the American Marriage Ministries, officiated at the Ocean Course, a golf club in Kiawah Island, S.C.

Wesley Howard Kauble and Saxon Alfred Nowotka were married Oct. 20 at the Theater at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles. Judith Gluckstern, a minister with American Marriage Ministries, officiated.

Mazie McKenna Harris and John Timothy Carr were married Sept. 29 at the Avalon Hotel and Bungalows in Palm Springs, Calif. Paul Harris, a brother of the bride who was ordained through American Marriage Ministries for the event, officiated, with Sarah J. Carr, the sister of the groom, taking part.

The union of Melissa Curie and Dotan Schips was led by the one person who knows how far they've come. Though she looked the part, Flo Hunt's day job isn't officiating weddings.

"She had just been that one person that had always been there through the good times and the bad … and probably knew more about us than we knew about ourselves and our relationship," Melissa said.

Rex David Isenberg and Matthew Samuel Cohen are to be married Sept. 2 at the Yale Club in New York. Dane P. Isenberg, ordained by the American Marriage Ministries and a brother of Dr. Isenberg, officiated, with Naomi R. Cohen, a sister of Mr. Cohen, participating in a ceremony incorporating Jewish traditions.

When my husband and I got married back in 2014, we wanted to keep it as personal and as inexpensive as possible. So after a little bit of research, I decided to ask my husbands father to officiate our wedding. It only seemed fair to have both fathers involved in the ceremony, and since we're not avid church-goers, we didn't feel comfortable hiring a stranger to be a part of our union.

Manon Helene Clavel and Michael Samuel Solender are to be married Aug. 12 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York. Pascal Jacques Madiba, who was ordained as a minister of the American Marriage Ministries, is to officiate.

Are you having a Savannah wedding (or eloping there)? It's a gorgeous destination wedding city and there's no reason to compromise when it comes to finding the MOST RAD wedding officiant in town. If you've felt that you just couldn't find an officiant who will work with you and your desires to create a totally authentic and totally you ceremony, then you need to meet Tracy from Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements.

Jacqueline Frances Kappler and David Moore Litt were married Aug. 4 at Seven Presidents Park in Long Branch, N.J. Elisabeth Evans, an American Marriage Ministries minister, officiated.

Are you looking to have a familiar face as your wedding officiant? A friend or family member instead of a stranger? It's an appealing thought in a lot of cases, especially if you're living the secular life. This post is meant to be shared with your chosen pal so they can find out how to become a wedding officiant, and and where to get ordained.

Laura Brooke Mitchell and Oliver James Tully were married June 30 at Olympia's Valley Estate, an organic farm and events space in Petaluma, Calif. Corey W. Jacoby, a friend of the couple who was ordained by the American Marriage Ministries for this event, officiated.

Laura Brooke Mitchell and Oliver James Tully were married June 30 at Olympia's Valley Estate, an organic farm and events space in Petaluma, Calif. Corey W. Jacoby, a friend of the couple who was ordained by the American Marriage Ministries for this event, officiated.

Mary Frances Thomas and Richard John Kennett are to be married July 1 at Reptacular Ranch in Sylmar, Calif. Darby Bell, a friend of the couple who became a minister of the American Marriage Ministries for the event, is to officiate.

CINCINNATI -- When Jenny Paffe became Jenny Paffe Shapiro in the spring of 2017, she didn't hire a minister to perform the ceremony. She asked her sister, West Price Hill resident Wendy Adams, to do the job.

The first wedding Mike and I ever went to had two officiants. Each officiant was a very close family friend to each of the people getting married. So while we were watching them tie the knot, we were also learning SO MUCH about each person as an individual.

In fact, the first time I met that bride and groom was moments after they got married (hi, I'm the new girlfriend and date for the evening) but I went home feeling like I'd known them for years.

If you're looking to become a minister in order to officiate a friend's wedding, or start a super-fulfilling career? Then meet our sponsor American Marriage Ministries. It's the site Stephen Colbert turned to when he stepped up to marry a couple who had to postpone their wedding due to the government shutdown!

With the many decisions Ashelynn Brooks had to make for her September wedding, one was fairly easy: Who should officiate?

The Rosedale resident, who worried about stage fright and stumbling through her vows, decided against enlisting a legal official or clergy member. Instead, she chose someone who made her and her husband feel at ease at the altar — her best friend's father, Paul Goins.

Engaged people of Boston! Are you searching for an officiant who is all kinds of awesome, will embrace you literally and figuratively, and give one amazing wedding ceremony? Then allow me to introduce you to our sponsor Reverend Katherine, who is the freaking coolest. Aside from being a cosplayer, Reverend Katherine is an ordained Christian minister, and self-described as such...

I am often asked about what I won't do for a wedding. My response is usually that I have no pride and no shame, so it isn't an issue, but once or twice I had to think it over. The first time, I was asked to wear nude lipstick. It doesn't sound too horrifying until you read about it here. (The funniest part is that, to this very day, the bride apologizes about asking me to do it. Ha!)

OK, first thing's first: there are a lot of different terms that fly around when it comes to who can officiate weddings, and how to get ordained yourself. Let's get the basics out of the way about who can do the marriage deed. A clergy person (minister, priest, rabbi, etc.) is someone who is ordained by a religious organization to marry two people. A judge, notary public, justice of the peace, and certain other public servants often solemnize marriages as part of their job responsibilities. A temporary officiant is someone who is given the legal thumbs up for a day by a state to marry two people.

While the State of Alabama continues to vigorously argue against same-sex marriage in court, the state is actually pretty free-wheeling on the issue of who can perform a marriage ceremony.

State law, in section 30-1-7 of the Code of Alabama, spells out who can "solemnize" a marriage ceremony. The list includes current and retired judges from state court, federal court and probate judges. It also includes a pastor of a religious society.

I recently set about researching the requirements for having a family member officiate a wedding ceremony in California. Here's the crazy weird thing. There are two options:

1. You can get your family member deputized for a day for a cost of $120.

2. You can get him ordained online for free and then he can perform weddings for anybody when the mood strikes him. Hell, he could start a whole wedding business if he wanted.