How to Officiate a Wedding in Bridgeport, Connecticut

Bridgeport: “it’s not quite part of New York but not quite true blue New England.” If you’re a local, you’ve heard that before! But with its tranquil suburbs, tons of beautiful parks, and easy access to exciting NYC, the truth is Bridgeport is not a bad place to be -- and, actually, an ideal place to plan a wedding! Venues in Bridgeport are inexpensive relative to neighboring towns and cities, and getting a marriage license in Fairfield County is a breeze.

So, if you’re getting married in the Bridgeport area, or a friend has asked you to officiate their ceremony, you’ve come to the right place. We have all the need-to-know info about how to legally wed in Fairfield County, plus some extra tips for the couple-to-be. Let’s jump into the guide.

Step 1: Get ordained with American Marriage Ministries

Let’s start with the ordainment process. In Connecticut, “all ordained or licensed members of the clergy, belonging to this state or any other state” may perform weddings.

If you’ve been asked to officiate a wedding but you don’t have any ministerial credentials, we’ve got you covered. You can get ordained with AMM to fall within the priest or minister category. The process is free and takes just a few minutes.

When it comes time to perform your duties as the officiant, Fairfield County may ask you to present documentation, which AMM provides for a fee. (You can call the county clerk’s office before you perform the ceremony to ask if they will require you to bring the certificate in person.)

Step 2: Prepare for the Ceremony in Fairfield 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 time to sign the marriage license, it’s the couple’s responsibility to obtain it, but just be sure to double check that they have a valid marriage license before the ceremony. After you perform the marriage, help the couple to correctly fill it out and notarize it.

In Connecticut, the officiant (that’s you!) is required by law to take the marriage license back to the town official from which the couple received the license within 65 days of the document’s issuance.

First things first. You must obtain your marriage license from the clerk’s office in the town where the marriage will be performed. So, if you’re getting married in Bridgeport, that’s the Statistics Office at the Margaret E. Morton Government Center, 999 Broad Street in downtown Bridgeport.

Don’t wait until the last minute to do this; there is technically no waiting period to get married in Connecticut, but you should visit at least two weeks before your ceremony to make sure that you have your marriage license in hand well before your wedding day.

When you go, just remember to bring your valid state issued ID cards. If you can't come in together, one individual should come in to get the process started. Note, you must be in the office before 4:00 p.m.

The Basics

When shopping venues in Connecticut, keep in mind that you must obtain a marriage license in the same county in which you get married. So, if you fall in love with a venue in New Haven or Hartford -- no problem. You just need to obtain your marriage license at one of their city clerks’ offices because a Fairfield County marriage license won’t be valid there.

That being said, there are some venues located right in Fairfield County. Tashua Knolls Golf Club is a highly rated favorite in the southwest corner of the state. It has all the bells and whistles for weddings you’d ever want, so you don’t have to worry about finding your own vendors for everything (e.g. photo booths, tables and chairs, hotel accommodations for guests and even recommended deejays and a wedding cake designer!) Check out this link to explore their different wedding packages and menus.

On the more modern end of the spectrum, if you’re a fan of Two Roads’ funky brews or even just a lover of modern, industrial ambiance, Two Roads Brewing Company may be the venue for you.  Its large tasting room is the perfect spot for a gathering with a more casual vibe. It’s just 10 minutes from Bridgeport, in Stratford.

Transportation

Connecticut's tourism website has all the centralized info about getting around in the state. Just follow the link and select from the different options, e.g. train, bus, ferry to get all the info you need. If you’re coming in from out of town for a Connecticut wedding, know that the state is quite slow paced compared to metropolises Boston and New York sandwiching it from either side. Public transportation is pretty good, but not very fast. So you might prefer to rely on Lyft and Uber during your stay.

Weather

Connecticut has four beautiful seasons. Winter is cold and often snowy; spring is a bit unpredictable, but beautiful; summer is hot and a bit muggy; but fall is probably most Connecticuters’ favorite. The temperature is cool and mild and the foliage is stunning. Spring and fall are the most popular seasons for weddings among couples (and the times in which venue rental prices and hotel accommodations will be at their highest), but no matter what season you choose to get married in Connecticut, there are venues that are prepared to host you.