Articles by Jessica Levey

New AMM Survey shows that the majority of wedding ceremonies will include a 'moment of silence,' 'moment of remembrance,' or memorial table with photos to honor deceased loved ones this year. We offer advice for officiants on how to officiate a wedding that includes this meaningful element, as well as links to articles and officiant scripts with examples of wording, when to include it, and creative ideas to help you honor family and friends.

It's official: The legal age to marry in Connecticut is 18 years old, effective July 1, 2023. There are no exceptions for minors, making CT the 9th state to fully ban child marriage. The legislation was signed into law by acting Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz on June 23, 2023. Read the amended statute and what AMM Ministers who wish to officiate weddings in Connecticut need to know to solemnize marriage there.

Happy Marriage Equality Day! Celebrating 8 years of marriage equality: On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v Hodges that same-sex couples had a legal, constitutional right to marry, protected by the 14th Amendment, and struck down all remaining state bans that prohibited same-sex marriages. Today, we celebrate this win for love and the LGBTQIA+ community, and take a look at what's next.

Attention New York City area Wedding Officiants: Meet the speakers for our August 23, 2023 Education and Networking seminar! This fun and informative event features 4 AMM Ministers and professional officiants, with expert advice on how to start a successful officiant business, connect with new couples, vows and unity ceremony demonstrations, how to tell a compelling story during the wedding ceremony, and more. This event is open to all wedding officiants from the NYC, Newark, Jersey City area and beyond!

A step-by-step guide to help you plan a wedding and get married in Utah - including how to find a wedding officiant, choose the best wedding venue, plan your ceremony, and how to apply for and return your Utah marriage license.

New wedding script! This original wedding ceremony script is written for Catholic same-sex & LGBTQ+ couples who wish to marry in a ceremony that blends modern traditions and gender-neutral language with familiar elements from the traditional Catholic marriage rite. Written by experienced Catholic wedding officiant & AMM Minister Paul Tedesco, including prayers, scripture readings, a homily, unity candle lighting, nuptial blessing, and more.

Get ordained online free in Texas: Learn the best place to get ordained online for your budget and how to officiate a wedding in Texas today!

A look back at all the AMM Ministers, wedding officiants and celebrants, engaged couples, and other wedding professionals who shared their time, advice, wedding scripts, and personal stories on our American Weddings blog this year (June 2022 to June 2023). Thank you for being part of the AMM fellowship!

The Southern Baptist Convention voted this week to expel Saddleback megachurch and Fern Creek Baptist because they have women pastors, and introduced an amendment to the church’s constitution that would explicitly restrict a woman from becoming ordained or holding a leadership position within the denomination.

Six suggestions from professional wedding officiants to help you create a picture-perfect wedding ring exchange! Advice for officiants on how to choose creative wording, help the photographer get a great ring shot, save the day with a few fake rings in your emergency kit, what to do during a handfasting or marriage vow renewal ceremony, and more. Plan a fun and stress-free exchange of rings!

Celebrate the meaning and symbolism of the Christian feet washing wedding tradition, and learn how to include it in your marriage ceremony. A sample script with examples of what to say is provided for the wedding officiant. The ritual of washing feet at a wedding originates with a story in The Holy Bible, John 13:12-18, when Jesus washes the Disciples' feet as a sign of selfless love, humility, and forgiveness. A foot washing unity ceremony can be added to any Christian denomination wedding, along with biblical scripture reading and prayer.

A simple step-by-step guide to help you plan a wedding and get married in New York - including how to find a wedding officiant to officiate, choose the best wedding venue, plan your ceremony, and how to apply for and return your New York marriage license.