The Anonymous Officiant #2 : This beautiful Florida beach wedding almost didn't happen, when the wedding officiant arrived to find the groom missing... and gone fishing! Read the full story about these fly-fishing lovers in this funny installment of American Marriage Ministries’ new candid column about real weddings and officiants: The Anonymous Officiant.

Town and City Clerks in New York will soon be able to issue a one-day marriage officiant permit to anyone wanting to perform a single wedding ceremony in the state. Learn more about how to apply, how much a one-day officiant license costs, and more. (NY A02901 / S02234 ; 2023)

A bill to ban underage marriages in West Virginia was thought to have died in committee following a 9-8 vote to reject on Wednesday, but was revived for a second reading in the Senate on Thursday night. Learn about HB3018, which would raise the minimum age to marry in WV to 18 years old, with no exceptions for minors. (Del. Kayla Young; Sen. Charles Trump; House Bill 3018 ; 2023)

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

The new AMM Minister's Manual for wedding officiants is now available: This detailed guide includes updated information on your ordination, minister registration & requirements in your state, how to communicate with government offices, common parts of a wedding ceremony, how to officiate a wedding for the first time (with examples), how to sign a marriage license, and more.

Learn what HB878 might mean for the future of marriage equality in Tennessee. The bill, which recently passed the House, would allow a person to refuse to solemnize (conduct) a marriage they object to based on their ‘conscience or religious beliefs.’ Opponents believe the bill would make it easier for clerks and officiants to discriminate against same-sex, LGBTQ+, interfaith, and interracial couples in TN. (House Bill 878 / 2023)

In search of a unique wedding venue? Let this list of 10 unusual and unique places to get married inspire you, including weddings in a cemetery, a pirate ship, a cave, an aquarium, a medical museum, an airport, and more! You'll also find links to our free wedding ceremony scripts and advice on how to have a friend get ordained online to officiate your ceremony... for a truly original wedding celebration!

Learn about matelotage, which many believe to be an early form of gay marriage honored among pirates of the 1700s and 1800s. These legal civil unions bound two sailors together in an informal partnership, uniting one's fortune and future to the other's, and were respected by ship captains and pirate crews. (Same-sex marriage, queer history, history of marriage)

Ahoy, mateys! This unique pirate wedding script is fun from bow to stern, and from the officiant’s welcome speech to the pronouncement and first kiss. Filled with nautical imagery and seafaring slang, plus a special reading of Ben Harper's 'Gold to Me', a traditional hand blessing ceremony, and a rum unity toast. So gather your shipmates and say 'aye!' to love. This funny and heartwarming ceremony is written by professional officiant and ordained AMM Minister Sherri Crawford.

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

Vermont House Bill 148, titled 'An Act to Ban Child Marriage,' was passed by House on March 2nd and now heads to the Senate. The bill, which would raise the legal minimum age to marry in the state to 18 years old, is sponsored by Representatives Carol Ode, Mollie Burke, Tiffany Bluemle, and Sara Coffey. (VT H.148 2023)

The minimum age to marry in Wyoming is now 18 years old, with some legal exceptions for 16 and 17 year olds. Gov. Mark Gordon signed House Bill 7 (HB0007) into law last week, after multiple attempts by lawmakers over the years to raise the legal age of consent in the state. The new law is effective immediately.

American Marriage Ministries is headed to to Phoenix, Arizona, for a day of wedding officiant focused education, conversation, and networking! This Officiant Accelerator event will include presentations from expert officiants Cherise Klosner, Jimmie Berguin, Bethel Nathan, and AMM Executive Director Lewis King. See you September 20th, 2023!

American Marriage Ministries is proud to announce Officiant Accelerator, a new nationwide series of wedding officiant training and networking seminars, presented in partnership with the International Association of Professional Wedding Officiants (IAPWO). Learn about this exciting new program, what you can expect at each event, our continuing mission to support AMM Ministers, and how to buy tickets for an event near you!

Meet expert Celebrant Christopher Shelley! Chris uses the act of storytelling to write compelling and personal wedding ceremonies, and is a master at keeping wedding guests entertained and putting couples at ease! Christopher will be speaking at AMM's Officiant ACCELERATOR event in New York City this August, along with a panel of experienced wedding officiants.

Add a meaningful Cord of Three Strands ceremony to your Christian wedding, with advice on meaning, when to perform it, and what to say, plus a sample officiant script with Bible readings on love and marriage. "A cord of three strands is not easily broken..." (Marriage Braid, Unity Braid, God's Knot ceremony)

¿Le han pedido que oficie una boda Wiccana o una ceremonia de handfasting? Aquí hay cinco preguntas que un oficiante de bodas siempre debe preguntarle a la pareja antes de la ceremonia, incluyendo qué rituales y símbolos se incluyen, qué lecturas y bendiciones con temas de la naturaleza o paganos deben incluirse, y más.

Looking for the best wedding officiant for a Glacier National Park wedding? Want to officiate a unique ceremony in one of the most beautiful venues in the country? Here’s what you need to know from hiring professional officiants to asking a friend or relative to get ordained online to officiate your Montana wedding.

You want to make sure your minister credentials are up to the legal task when it’s time to marry someone, and sign and file the marriage license. But do you need multiple ordinations to protect your standing as a minister?

A queer wedding officiant in Nashville, Tennessee talks about the importance of online ordination in the LBTQ IA+ community as the fight against the state’s anti-online ordination law continues.

An update from American Marriage Ministries on the fight against Tennessee's discriminatory anti-online ordination law SB 1377 / HB 0213. With information on how ministers and couples can protect themselves when applying for or filing marriage licenses with the county.