How to Officiate a Wedding in Glendale, Arizona

Some might say it’s a just a suburb of Phoenix, but we know Glendale is a great city all its own. In planning your wedding, you probably considered locations all over the greater Phoenix area, but Glendale offers a great balance of modern accessibility and historic charm. With its rich historic district and reputation as Arizona’s antique capitol, out of town guests won’t want to leave.

Now that you have the location pinned down, take a moment from planning the fun stuff and let’s look into the paperwork and local regulations, to make sure your marriage is official.

Step 1: Get ordained with American Marriage Ministries

First, let’s look at who is allowed to perform marriage in Glendale. In Arizona, judges are allowed to officiate weddings, along with clergy – covering ministers, elders, and others authorized by their religious society. To read the corresponding Arizona law, and other relevant marriage laws, check out our marriage laws page.

If you have been asked to perform a wedding, no problem. You can get ordained as an AMM minister today and your right to officiate a wedding will be recognized. It’s free and takes just a few minutes.

When acting in your official capacity, as the wedding officiant, Maricopa County may request that you provide documentation. All of which AMM makes available for a small fee. (Before the wedding ceremony, you can call the county clerk’s office to ask about providing minister credentials.) 

Step 2: Prepare for the Ceremony in Maricopa County

Once your all set as an AMM Minister, it’s time to start preparing for the wedding ceremony! It’s an honor to be asked to officiate a wedding, so you’ll want to prep and do it right. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Check out our training pages for all of the info you need to prepare.

You’ll find sample wedding ceremony scripts, planning tools, tips for organization, and much more.

Step 3: Officiate the Wedding and Complete the Marriage License

It is the couple’s responsibility to obtain the official document used to record the marriage – the marriage license. Make sure that they have a valid license before performing the wedding.

After the ceremony, your job is not over! Sign the marriage license with the couple and witnesses, and pay attention – it is your responsibility to return the completed license to the county clerk’s office. So make sure that’s tucked away safely before enjoying any more of the wedding.

Now let’s turn our attention to the couple’s responsibilities. To obtain a marriage license, both parties must visit one of the four Maricopa County Clerk of the Superior Court locations. The Northwest Regional Court in Surprise is closest to Glendale: 14264 W. Tierra Buena Ln., Surprise, AZ 85374.

Make sure that you both bring:

• Valid government-issued photo I.D., such as a driver's license, passport, etc.
• $83.00 payable by cash or money order, debit card or credit card.

After your marriage license application has been issued, you are ready to get married. You have up to one year to use the license, but you two could get married as soon as you walk out the door.

The Basics

Glendale is just outside the city limits of Phoenix, so it makes for an ideal wedding location in the greater Phoenix metro area. Glendale is easily accessible for anyone in Maricopa county.

If you’re looking for historic charm, check out the Virginia's House in the historic district. It’s listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is great if you’re looking for that antique charm. The Historic Sahuaro Ranch located inside Sahuaro Ranch Park, is available as an event space and the historic ranch buildings can be rented out for weddings. For something more contemporary, Tercero by Aldea Weddings offers an amazing location and wedding hall, they call a bohemian-inspired oasis.

When planning the schedule for the wedding day, be sure to look into events at State Farm Stadium and Gila River Arena. We all know Cardinals and Coyotes games can cause major traffic jams, but don’t forget about concerts and other sporting events.

Transportation

While some portions of the city are walkable, driving is the most convenient way to get around the city and greater metro area. If you or your guests are coming in from out of town and do not have a car, the best option is to rent one, or save a little money by using rideshare services, like Lyft and Uber, which are available in the area.

Weather

No need to bring the overcoat, Glendale is sunny and dry all year round. Winters are mild and Summers are scorching. From June through August you can expect temperatures over 100.