How to Officiate a Wedding in Huntington Beach, California

There’s nowhere quite like Huntington Beach. Though it’s located close to busy Los Angeles and a long list of celebrities call H.B. home, “Surf City” has somehow managed to remain an unpretentious, lowkey beachtown. (And, a great place to plan an affordable wedding in the greater L.A. area!)

If you’re planning to get married in H.B. -- or, perhaps you have been asked to officiate a wedding ceremony for a friend of yours -- you’ve come to the right place! We have all the need-to-know info about how to get married in Orange County, plus some extra wedding planning tips to make sure your special 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 recorder’s office, but just be sure to double check that they have their marriage license on hand before you perform the ceremony. Afterward, 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.
 

File for the Marriage License from the Orange County Clerk Recorder’s Office

Now let’s turn our attention to the couple’s responsibilities.

Contact the Orange County Records Department to make an appointment.

When you go to your appointment at the Honda Center, 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 with you, you will be issued your marriage license that same day. Then, you can get married anytime within the next 90 days.
 

The Basics

Greater Los Angeles is chock full of upscale venues from its beachside resorts to elegant country clubs, which are all a quick Google search away. But if you’re looking for a more affordable venue right in Huntington Beach, then we have suggestions to help narrow down your search.

If you or your partner are alumni from UC Irvine (or even if you’re not!) the University Club by Wedgewood Weddings is definitely worth checking out. This venue comes with a coordinator, catering, and DJ, so you don’t have to go searching for vendors yourself. The property was also recently renovated, so if you went to a wedding here a few years back, you’ll want to go see the new look for yourself.

If you’re looking for an affordable venue on the beach, you should definitely check out the Huntington Bay Club. Between the different spaces -- its outdoor courtyard area, the indoor banquet area, and bar on the dock -- you’re sure to get some beautiful photos and make some beautiful memories here.

The Newland Barn is an old farmhouse that’s been turned into a charming rental hall for indoor or outdoor events in Yorktown. With this venue, you have quite a bit of freedom to customize the look of the property for your big day, as there are few regulations to go by when decorating, so it’s great for the couple that loves to DIY. But the best part? Reviewers agree its price is unbeatable for the area.

Transportation

Much of Huntington Beach is a suburban environment, so outside of downtown, it's not very walkable. Lyft and/or Uber will be handy during your stay in town. Also, be prepared to factor in extra time for traffic, especially during the summer.

Weather

Huntington Beach enjoys over 330 days of sunshine a year and a mild Mediterranean climate year-round. Depending upon how close you are to the beach, mornings may start out overcast, but the skies clear up and reveal cloudless, sunny skies by mid-morning. 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. But rainy days happen occasionally from December through February, with daily highs averaging in the low 60s.