Wondering who will officiate your wedding ceremony? You've got options! 

 

En Español: ¿Quién oficia una boda si no va a un Juzgado o a una Iglesia?

 

Who officiates a wedding that’s held somewhere other than a courthouse or a church? And what do you call this talented person who unites you in lawfully wedded bliss? 

 

A wedding officiant, that’s who! 

 

If you want to get married at a private wedding venue, public park, or even your own backyard, a wedding officiant is the person who performs your ceremony and signs your marriage license. 

 

So, how and where do you find a wedding officiant to marry you? 

 

You have two choices: Hire someone to officiate, or ask a close friend or relative to lead the ceremony.

 

 

 

Planning a unique, non-traditional, or personalized wedding ceremony? A close friend or family member who shares your values might be the perfect choice for wedding officiant. 

 

Hire Someone

 

Your first option is to hire a professional wedding officiant to perform your ceremony.

 

Professional wedding officiants have lots of experience handling the responsibility of leading a ceremony and completing a marriage license. This type of officiant can be found in directories and platforms like The Knot, WeddingWire, Thumbtack, and The Officiant Directory, or listed as a local business online.

 

 

Ask a Friend or Relative 

 

Your second option is to ask a close friend or family member to lead your ceremony. This type of officiant adds a sweet, personal touch to your ceremony. Consider asking the friend who introduced you, a beloved parent or grandparent, or someone else you feel especially lucky to have in your life. 

 

If you choose to have a loved one officiate, they’ll need to get ordained first. But don’t worry – they don’t need to head to a seminary to become ordained; there are several organizations who provide easy online ordination, including American Marriage Ministries (AMM).  

 

Ordination with AMM is free, inclusive, non-denominational, and it takes less than five minutes to apply: 

 

• Click here to complete the online ordination form. 

 

It’s as easy as that! Once they’re ordained, they might need to file proof of their ordination with the state, depending on your location. Only a few states require this additional step; you can see a list of these states here. 

 

Then, your chosen officiant can learn everything they need to know to officiate your ceremony by reviewing our free Wedding Officiant Training resources online, or by reading Asked To Officiate -- a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to writing and delivering a personalized wedding ceremony. 

 

 

Read Next: 

 

• Choosing a Wedding Officiant: What (or Who) Are Your Options?

 

• AMM ordains people of all faiths -- from pagans to monotheists, atheists to agnostics!

 

• Where to get ordained online – Popular places to get ordained online, and which one is right for you!

 

 

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Need more help deciding which type of wedding officiant is best for your ceremony? 

 

Take the quiz below to find out!  

 

 

 

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Propose to your wedding officiant! 

 

Will You Marry Us? Gift Box

 

Asking a friend or relative to officiate your wedding? 'Propose' the idea with the Will You Marry Us? Wedding Officiant Gift Box and Ministers Credential Package.

 

This gift box contains everything you need to ask someone to officiate your wedding, and everything your chosen officiant will need to perform your wedding -- including the most robust minister ordination available and full documentation of credentials.

 

Order the gift box here. 

 

 

 

 

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