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A young wedding officiant minister performs a vow renewal ceremony for a senior couple dressed in beautiful formal suit and dress. They are in a brightly lit church with warm cream and gold accents.

Recent Articles

Bride and groom kiss in a Kansas sunflower field on the wedding day, they are wearing casual clothes and look very in love

How Much Does it Cost to Get Ordained Online in Kansas to Officiate a Wedding?

Learn how much it costs to become an ordained minister online in Kansas, whether you’ll pay more for minister registration to officiate a wedding, and how the cost of popular online ordination services compare, including free ordination through American Marriage Ministries.

Illustration of a bride and groom looking off into the distance with expressions of shock and fear with colored flames behind them and celestial numbers swirling around them

Is Your Valentine’s Day Wedding Doomed? Numerology Says ‘Maybe?’

According to numerology, this Valentine’s Day might be the worst day of the year to get married! Find out why it’s so unlucky, what to expect if you've already booked the wedding date, and how a personalized spiritual unity ceremony can help you avoid negative energy, cold feet, family drama, and ceremony mistakes.

Two brides sit in front of a laptop showing off their wedding rings during an online virtual marriage ceremony. They are smiling and happy, wearing casual clothes.

“The Las Vegas of Virtual Weddings”: Utah Sen. Weiler works with County Clerk and others to clarify guidelines for virtual marriages

Utah legislators consider a substitute bill that will allow couples to marry in virtual wedding ceremonies from anywhere in the world, as long as certain guidelines are followed carefully. Amendments include creating a criminal penalty for officiants who knowingly make a false statement on a marriage license, prohibiting use of power of attorney to secure a license, and strengthening guidelines to confirm age, legal name, and identity when they apply for a marriage license.

Close up of a laptop keyboard and wedding rings

Will Utah Legislators Put Limits on Virtual Weddings in 2024?

Learn about proposed changes to Utah's remote marriage ceremonies and services in 2024. Legislators seek to amend the law to require at least one of the individuals getting married be physically present in the state when the marriage is solemnized. Currently, only the officiant must be located in Utah during an online wedding. (Senate Bill 81 ; UT SB0081 | 2024 ; Sen Todd Weiler)

Close up of man and girl holding hands with wedding rings

Banning Child Marriage: Four States Consider Legislation to Raise Legal Age to Marry in 2024

Four states are considering child marriage bans in 2024, with legislation that would raise the legal age of consent to marry to 18 years old. Learn about efforts in California, Hawaii, Missouri, and Washington to outlaw the marriage of minors: CA SB575, HI HB206, MO SB767, WA HB1455

Newlyweds bride and groom kiss outdoors during their wedding ceremony. The sun is behind them and shines through as they kiss.

Arkansas Officiant Plans Cosmic Group Wedding for April’s Solar Eclipse

Get married during April’s solar eclipse in a unique group wedding event in Pottsville, Arkansas! Officiated by AMM-ordained Notary Officiant Kimberely Boren, this fun celestial ceremony promises love and laughter in the path of totality. An outdoor group wedding will be followed by a festive indoor reception with drinks, dessert, dancing, and more. (April 8, 2024)

Close up of a young couple hands,  holding hands outdoors.

Washington State is One Step Closer to Child Marriage Ban in 2024

Learn about legislation to outlaw child marriage in Washington State. The members of the WA House of Representatives voted unanimously in favor of HB 1455 this month, which would eliminate an exception that allows 17 year old minors to marry in the state. The bill now heads to the Senate. (2023 / 2024 WA House Bill 1455; Representative Monica Stonier [D])

Two brides hold up their hands to a laptop screen to show off their wedding rings following a casual online wedding ceremony.

New Jersey Lawmakers Discuss Virtual Weddings & Marriage License Appointments in 2024

Learn about legislation to allow virtual marriage license appointments and online wedding ceremonies in New Jersey. Carry over bills sponsored by Representative Don Guardian [R] and Representative Annette Quijano [D] would create new legal provisions for remote marriage services and ceremonies conducting with video-conference like Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet. (2024 Senate Bill 1165 and Assembly Bill 3082 / S1165 ; A3082 ; previous A2347 )

Newlyweds toast their virtual guests during an online wedding ceremony. The bride and groom wear cute formal wedding attire, and bend towards two laptops with glasses of champagne, smiling at their friends and family who are attending remotely virtually. Several guests can be seen on the laptop screens holding up glasses of their own to toast the couple.

Will New York Lawmakers Say Yes to Online Weddings in 2024?

Learn about current efforts to make online weddings legal in New York State, and bring online marriage services to more couples. Legislation sponsored by Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal would increase access to virtual marriage license appointments and authorize the remote solemnization and witnessing of marriage by audio-visual technology… aka, online wedding ceremonies!

A young couple wave at a laptop placed on a table in front of them. They are wearing wedding attire, a suit and dress, for their marriage ceremony

Can an AI Avatar or Chatbot Officiate a Wedding?

Can an AI Avatar or Chatbot Legally Officiate a Wedding Ceremony? Learn who (and what) can serve as a legal officiant for your marriage ceremony, including what to know about self-solemnizing weddings, virtual and remote online weddings, and how to include an AI avatar or chatbot as a co-officiant.

Close up photo of a man signing a legal document with a pen. In the foreground are two gold wedding rings.

Proposed Changes to Marriage Laws in 2024: Marriage Legislation to Watch in Your State

Learn about potential changes to marriage laws in your state in 2024, including proposed legislation in New York, New Jersey, Nebraska, Missouri, Virginia, Utah, West Virginia, California, and other states, and how these changes could affect AMM Ministers and other officiants who officiate weddings there.

Illustration symbolizing the lucky or auspicious wedding dates in 2024 based on numerology, the illustration shows to hands reaching up into a sky, with a red heart and wedding rings, surrounded by numbers

Wedding Numerology: The Best Dates to Get Married in 2024

The best wedding dates for every season in 2024, according to numerology! Expert numerologist Rebecca Scolnick offers insight and inspiration to help you choose the best day to get married, with Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall wedding dates that bring a mystical mix of love, connection, family, structure, spontaneity, tradition, and magic.

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Asked to Officiate a Wedding?

Follow these simple steps to perform marriage for friends and family.

News Articles

Wedding Celebrant Thalia Arenas stands next to her booth at Fresno Rainbow Pride Festival in 2023. The booth has a bright pink roof. Thalia poses in a black summer dress with a smile.

The First Wedding at Fresno Pride is Sponsored by AMM Minister Thalia Arenas!

Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade and Festival will host its first ever public wedding this Saturday on the Main Stage, and the historic ceremony is sponsored by AMM Civil Minister and pro wedding officiant Thalia Arenas! Learn more about this LGBTQ+ inclusive celebrant, and what to expect this Saturday at Fresno Pride, happening Saturday, June 1st, 2024

La celebrante de bodas Thalia Arenas se encuentra junto a su stand en el Fresno Rainbow Pride Festival en 2023. El stand tiene un techo de color rosa brillante. Thalía posa con un vestido negro de verano y una sonrisa. 2024

¡La Primera Boda en Fresno Pride es Patrocinada Por Ministra Thalia Arenas de AMM!

Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade and Festival organizará su primera boda pública este sábado en el escenario principal, y la ceremonia histórica está patrocinada por la Ministra Civil de AMM y oficiante de bodas profesional Thalia Arenas. Obtenga más información sobre este celebrante inclusivo LGBTQ+ y qué esperar este sábado en Fresno Pride, que tendrá lugar el sábado 1 de Junio de 2024. (Marry Me Thalia)

Poster for new horror movie titled 'Invited', written in red letters at the top of the image. Below, a series of squares are filled with stills from the film, including a bride with blood on her forehead, and desperate looking family members.

A Zoom Wedding Gets Bloody in New Horror Film ‘Invited’

AMM interviews the masterminds behind new horror movie ‘Invited,’ featuring a deadly woman-lead cult, family drama, and a Zoom wedding ceremony gone wrong! With screenwriter Monica La Vella (105ive Films) and director Navin Ramaswaran. Don’t miss this suspenseful found-footage film!

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Ceremony Planning Articles

Photo shows a bride and groom kneeling beside a canvas, pouring paint during a unity painting ceremony.

How to Include a Unity Painting Ceremony in Your Wedding

Learn how to include a painting unity ceremony in your wedding or vow renewal, with a sample wedding ceremony script for the officiant. Plus advice on what type of canvas, acrylic paint, and medium to use, when to add this ritual (order of the wedding), and other tips for a unique, memorable, and not-too-messy unity ritual.

Newlyweds stand next to friends and family during their second wedding, vow renewal ceremony.

Did You Elope During The Pandemic? It's Time To Renew Those Marriage Vows!

Couples who eloped during the pandemic are planning 'second wedding' celebrations that go far beyond a typical vow renewal ceremony. These ceremonies have a wedding officiant, wedding attendants, a walk down the aisle, and even an afterparty, giving couples who are already married the chance to have the full fun wedding experience.

A groom places a wedding ring on the bride's finger during an outdoor wedding ceremony, while the minister supports her hand. She is smiling and looking down at her hand.

What to Do With A Purity Ring During Your Wedding Ceremony

Five sweet suggestions for what to do with a purity ring during the marriage ceremony, and how to honor or incorporate a purity pledge and promise of abstinence on the wedding day. Advice for Christian couples, with tips on how to ask your wedding officiant for guidance.

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Religion and Rituals Articles

More Religion & Rituals Articles →

Community Articles

Where should you get ordained online? Try American Marriage Ministries.

Where should you get ordained online? Try American Marriage Ministries.

Deciding where to become an ordained minister online can be a tough choice, or an easy one, depending on what you’re looking for. If you’re seeking ordination to marry someone as a wedding officiant or celebrant, and want to get ordained online for free, try American Marriage Ministries.

Advice for Officiants: All About Wedding Ceremony Rehearsals

Advice for Officiants: All About Wedding Ceremony Rehearsals

If you're a first-time wedding officiant, or a friend or relative asked to officiate, you may not be sure what to expect at a wedding ceremony rehearsal... You might be asking: Do you really need to go? Should you charge a fee? Who runs this thing? And what should you wear, say, do, or bring while you’re there? AMM Minister Sherri Crawford answers all your most common questions about the wedding rehearsal.

A Photographer’s Path to Becoming a Wedding Officiant & Advocate

A Photographer’s Path to Becoming a Wedding Officiant & Advocate

AMM-ordained Lori Prashker-Thomas made the leap from events photographer to wedding officiant when two friends in Salt Lake City, Utah, asked her to officiate their Jewish same-sex wedding ceremony. She now performs diverse marriage ceremonies and advocates for LGBTQ+ marriage equality in Pennsylvania, New England, and beyond.

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