Who Officiates an Interfaith Wedding Ceremony?

Who officiates an interfaith wedding? It depends! Take a look at the most common options, and challenges, facing interfaith couples in search of an understanding wedding officiant for interfaith marriages.

If Your Religion/s Accept Interfaith Marriage:

If you or your partner belong to a religion that accepts interfaith marriage, finding a wedding officiant can be fairly simple. You have a couple different options: 

• You might choose a religious leader from either faith to marry you in their tradition
• Choose two clergy members to co-officiate your wedding ceremony (one from each person's faith) in a blended ritual
• Hire a nondenominational wedding officiant to perform the marriage with elements from both religions
• Ask a friend or relative to get ordained online to officiate a personalized wedding ceremony that includes unique elements from both religions. 

The option that's best for you depends on the type of wedding experience you want for yourself and your guests. 

For example, hiring traditional clergy members may be best if you want a traditional, religious wedding ceremony that feels familiar and 'proper' to your elderly and conservative guests. Hiring a professional wedding officiant may be best if you want a polished wedding experience that follows a familiar western format, while blending personalized elements from your faiths. And asking a close friend or relative to officiate your wedding may be best if you want an intimate, personalized ceremony that celebrates your spiritual beliefs, personalities, and shared values in unique way.

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Explore these helpful officiant resources: 

• Popular Places for Non-Denominational Ordination Certificates Online
• AMM Officiant Training: Co-Officiating a Wedding Ceremony (Two Officiants, One Wedding)
• Two Officiants Wedding Ceremony Script
• Interfaith Minister Ordination for Wedding Officiants and Celebrants
• LISTEN (Audio Article): Intro to Interfaith and Interspiritual Wedding Ceremonies

If Your Religion/s Do Not Accept Interfaith Marriage

If you or your partner belong to a religion that discourages interfaith marriage, finding a wedding officiant within your faith communities can be difficult. Luckily, there are several wonderful options for you to choose from, including:

•  Civil marriage ceremonies at the courthouse or town hall 
• Hiring a professional wedding officiant
• Asking a close friend or relative to officiate your wedding and sign your marriage license, by getting ordained online to become a wedding officiant

Religions that discourage or forbid interfaith marriage – such as Orthodox and Conservative Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Southern Baptism, Islam, Sikhism, and others – generally don’t allow their traditional clergy members to perform formal weddings for interfaith couples. And finding a professional officiant with a deep understanding of these spiritual traditions and their unique wedding rituals can be challenging, too. Because of this, many interfaith couples end up getting married at the courthouse instead of at a typical wedding venue.

Courthouse weddings can be deeply meaningful, but if you’ve been dreaming of a private ceremony that honors your unique relationship, shared values, and individual cultures and faiths – you might be disappointed by a secular ceremony performed by a judge or clerk you’ve never met before! 

However, there’s an affordable alternative to courthouse weddings: Having a friend or relative officiate your wedding with free online ordination with American Marriage Ministries. People from all faiths and backgrounds can get ordained for free with AMM to perform legal weddings.

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Having a Friend Officiate Your Interfaith Wedding Ceremony

Instead of settling for a quick civil ceremony or hiring a professional officiant who is unfamiliar with your faiths, ask a close friend or relative to perform your wedding and sign your marriage license. 

Friends and relatives can officiate legal weddings by getting ordained online with a nondenominational church like American Marriage Ministries (AMM), and registering their credentials locally before the ceremony (if needed).

Once your friend is ordained as a minister, they can start planning a one-of-a-kind interfaith wedding that incorporates your favorite spiritual readings, prayers, and cultural traditions. Include elements from both of your faiths to create a ceremony that honors who you are as individuals and as a family.

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Summary: Consider the steps below to find the perfect wedding officiant for your interfaith wedding

1. Consider the religious guidelines and traditions of your faiths: Is a traditional clergy member allowed to marry you? Talk to your partner about whether your respective religions or houses of worship allow interfaith marriage ceremonies, how traditional or religious you want your wedding to feel, and whether or not you want a traditional clergy member to marry you.

2. Consider a traditional religious leader or co-officiants: If your religions accept interfaith marriage and you want a traditional religious wedding, you might choose a local faith leader (or two) to perform your ceremony. Ask your clergy member about the hiring process, how much they charge to perform a wedding, and whether you can personalize the ceremony or script. Is there a prescribed wedding service? Are they required to hold your wedding in their house of worship, or can you get married in a private venue that honors both faiths?

3. Have a close friend or relative officiate your wedding ceremony: Ask a friend or family member to get ordained online for free to perform your wedding ceremony. With a friend officiant, you can hold your interfaith wedding in any private venue or event space you choose, and incorporate any elements you wish. Your wedding can be as traditional or nontraditional as you want it to be, and there are no required readings or prayers – only the things you choose to include!

4. When having a friend officiate, ensure they register their new credentials locally if required: Currently, 15 U.S. states require an ordained minister to register their credentials with the clerk’s office before they perform a wedding. This is usually a straightforward process, and should be done several weeks or months before the wedding date. See which states require registration: State-Specific Information on Marriage Officiant Registration Requirements

If registration isn’t required in the state where your wedding takes place, your friend is allowed to marry you right after getting ordained.

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5. Blend your traditions into a unique multifaith wedding ceremony: Meet with your wedding officiant to discuss which elements to include in your ceremony. Use the resources below for inspiration and guidance. 

Explore Interfaith Wedding Ideas & Resources from American Marriage Ministries

• Muslim & Christian Interfaith Wedding Ceremony Script
• Jewish & Christian Interfaith Wedding Script with Breaking the Glass Ritual
• Muslim & Jewish Intercultural Wedding Ceremony Script
• Slightly Religious Wedding Ceremony Script
• 10 Low-Key Bible Verses for Weddings (For Non-Religious & Interfaith Couples)
• Wedding Officiant Training: Interfaith & Multicultural Wedding Course
• What is an Interfaith, or Non-Denominational Church?
• Browse Unity Rituals from a Variety of Religions & Cultures: The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Unity Ceremony Ideas: All-In-One Resource