How to Officiate a Wedding in Fullerton, California

If you’re from Fullerton, you already know that Downtown Fullerton is the perfect place to spend Friday or Saturday night walking around and bar hopping, with all of its fun breweries, coffee shops and restaurants. But Fullerton is also an ideal spot to plan a wedding, with plenty of venues and catering companies in the area to choose from.

If you’re getting married in Orange County or you’ve been asked to officiate a wedding in the area, then you’ve come to the right place. Right here in our guide, we have all the need-to-know info about how to get married in Fullerton -- plus, some extra tips to help you make sure your wedding day goes smoothly. 
 

Step 1: Get ordained with American Marriage Ministries

Let’s start with the ordainment process. According to California law, “a marriage may be solemnized by a priest, minister, rabbi, or authorized person of any religious denomination who is 18 years of age or older.”
 
If you do not fall into any of these categories, no sweat. You can get ordained with AMM to fall within the priest or minister category. The process is free and takes just a few minutes.

The California government does not license, register, or certify ministers or wedding officiants, so once you’re signed up with us, you’re ready to start performing wedding ceremonies!

Step 2: Prepare for the Ceremony in Orange County

Now that the easy part is out of the way, we can help you prepare for the wedding ceremony itself. Being asked to officiate a ceremony is an honor, but can feel like a lot of pressure. You will appreciate our wedding training pages, which are a library of information to help you prepare for your first ceremony and ensure that it goes smoothly. 

Here you can find everything from sample wedding ceremony scripts, to  brainstorming prompts, tips for preparation, and more.

Step 3: Officiate the Wedding and Complete the Marriage License

When it comes to the marriage license, it’s the couple’s responsibility to obtain it from the county clerk’s office, but just be sure to double check that they have a valid marriage license before you perform the ceremony. After the ceremony, be sure to help them complete it and notarize it correctly.

Then, you’ll need to return the completed marriage license to the county clerk recorder’s office within 10 days of the wedding.

Now let’s turn our attention to the couple’s responsibilities.
 
Contact the Orange County Records Department to schedule an appointment.
 
When you go to your appointment, just remember to bring:
 

• Valid, government-issued photo ID (driver’s license or passport)
• A personal check, money order, or cashier’s check made out to “OC Clerk-Recorder” for $61
• Divorce decree (if either party has been divorced in the last 90 days)

 
If you have brought all the required documentation, you will be issued your marriage license that same day. Then, you can get married anytime within the next 90 days.

The Basics

You don’t have to head to Long Beach or downtown LA to find an awesome venue in Orange County. DTF is packed with options.

You can get married at The Spring Field Banquet Center, a historic Mission/Spanish Revival style building listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Or for something more modern, check out the RSVP Event Space. Its brick walls, funky furniture, greenery and wall art make for maximum charm. Or you might like The Classic Fullerton Ballroom, located on the second floor of the historic Williams Building across from the Fullerton Train Station. Or for something a little more unique, check out the Fullerton Arboretum. It’s perfect for large receptions or smaller, intimate gatherings.

But before you make a commitment with a venue, just remember to check some local events calendars in Fullerton to make sure there are no major events overlapping with your big day. You don’t want your guests to end up stuck in traffic on the same day as a local charity run!

Transportation

It’s easiest to get around Fullerton by car, but if you’re coming in from out of town and you can’t be bothered to splurge on a rental, your best bet is to utilize Lyft or Uber during your stay. Public transportation is an option, but routes are limited, so it may take you some time to get around town via OCTA.

Weather

Because of the great weather in coastal Orange County, you can pick a date anytime between March and November and expect to have a beautiful wedding day in Fullerton. Rainy days happen occasionally from December through February, with daily highs averaging in the low 60s. It’s always worth investing in wedding insurance to make sure that you're covered in the rare case of any inclimate weather or any other unexpected occurrences.