How to Officiate a Wedding in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Bam! You’re getting married in Alabama - and more importantly - in one of the most vibrant and exciting parts of the state! You’ll have so much to see and experience in Tuscaloosa, whether it’s the amusement and nature parks, art galleries and historical museums, or the rocking stadiums, nightclubs, and bars. 

But, it’s essential to make sure you have all the logistics of your wedding figured out before you jump ahead into planning all the exciting activities. AMM is here to help walk you through everything from ordaining the minister of your choice to getting a marriage license. Let’s start with the ordainment process
 

Step 1: Get Ordained with American Marriage Ministries

According to Code of Alabama § 30-1-7, “marriages may be solemnized by any licensed minister of the gospel in regular communion with the Christian church or society of which the minister is a member.” If you do not yet align with these requirements, don’t worry. By simply signing up with AMM, you can become an ordained minister and officially solemnize marriages. The process is free and should only take you a few minutes to complete. 

Step 2: Prepare for the Ceremony in Tuscaloosa

Now that the easy part is out of the way, you can focus on planning for the wedding ceremony. Officiating a wedding is an honor but can also be a challenge. You will appreciate our wedding training pages, where we give you access to a library of information to help you plan and write your speech. Here, we cover everything from brainstorming for your speech to providing you with sample wedding ceremony scripts and so much more.

Step 3: Officiate the Wedding and Complete the Marriage License

As the officiant, you also have some legal responsibilities. When it comes time for the actual wedding, you’ll need to make sure the couple has obtained a valid marriage certificate before the ceremony and to help them complete it correctly.
 
For more details on any questions that may come up as you and the couple are filling it out, check out Step 3 of our in-depth guide for officiants.
 
Remind the couple that the marriage certificate is valid for only 30 days from the date on which it is signed, so it’s important that the signed and completed marriage certificate is mailed back to the office of the Probate Court within that time frame.

Once the marriage certificate is signed and returned, your duties as the wedding officiant are fulfilled. Now you can kick back, relax, and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
 

Register your Marriage with the Probate Office

Since August of 2019, Alabama law has changed -- you no longer have to apply for a marriage license with the county probate court in person to get married. 
 
You simply need to visit the Alabama Public Health website to complete the Alabama marriage certificate form and have it notarized. You can find a list of notaries in the state here. Once notarized, the form should be sent back along with the fee to the Mobile County Probate’s Office within 30 days for official recording.  
 
The purchase of a marriage license is not required. You are only paying the county clerk for your marriage to be registered, which means that a wedding ceremony is also not required.
 

The Basics

You can’t get much more architecturally elegant than the Jemison Van De Graff Mansion. Erected in 1986, this venue has all the space you need for the wedding reception and ceremony, including spacious lawns, a porch area, a parlor, a foyer, and a dining area inside. 

Other venues include the historic Battle-Friedmann House, the scenic Timber Valley Lodge, and The Ezell House -- a stylish and affordable wedding venue.

Just make sure when planning your wedding venue that you book far enough in advance to ensure availability. 

Transportation

The Tuscaloosa Transit Authority (TTA) serves the city of Tuscaloosa, runs the trolleys between the student entertainment districts and downtown, and operates the shuttle buses for Alabama football games. If you’re not inspired about riding the bus, taxi and rideshare services should also be available. 

Weather

The best seasons in Alabama are spring and fall, as the temperatures are the mildest. However, they also bring chances of severe weather like tornadoes and thunderstorms. Temperatures increase in May and make for sweltering and humid summers, so if you’re considering a summer wedding date, you’ll want to pick a venue with indoor accommodation. December, January, and February are rainy and chilly but never incredibly cold. Any season you choose to get married in Alabama is workable; you’ll want to make a backup plan in case of inclement weather. Consider investing in wedding insurance and making sure your venue of choice is prepared with a Plan B in case the weather takes a turn on your big day.