How to Officiate a Wedding in West Palm Beach, Florida

You can’t get a more romantic combo than the sunny beaches and azure blue waters at West Palm Beach. This idyllic wedding destination has everything you’re looking for, from fine food to world-renowned art museums. If music shows, nightclubs, and bars are your idea of entertainment, you won’t be disappointed either. You’ll have plenty of options if you’re planning to get married right there on the beach, but if you want your ceremony to be indoors, West Palm Beach has a list of gorgeous wedding venues to choose from.

Before you get too involved in planning your big day, let’s make sure you get all the legal aspects of your wedding day out of the way. AMM is here to help you figure out everything from ordaining your hand-picked wedding officiant to filing for and filling out the marriage license. So, let’s start with the ordainment process.
 

Step 1: Get Ordained with American Marriage Ministries

Florida law stipulates that regularly ordained ministers of the Gospel, elders or other ordained clergy can officiate weddings in the state.
 
If you currently do not fall into any of these categories, no sweat - you can get ordained with AMM. Getting ordained with AMM is free and takes just a few minutes.
 
The State of Florida does not license, register, or certify ministers or wedding officiants, so once you have become ordained with us, you’re all set to start performing weddings in the state! However, there is some preparation that you will want to do before performing your first ceremony.

Step 2: Prepare for the Ceremony in Palm Beach County

Now that the easy part is out of the way, let’s get you prepared for the wedding ceremony itself. If a couple has asked you to officiate their wedding ceremony, you know what an honor it is, but it can feel like a lot of pressure. Check out our wedding training pages, which are an excellent resource to help you start preparing for your first ceremony.
 
Here you can find everything from sample wedding ceremony scripts, to brainstorming prompts, preparation tips, and more.

Step 3: Officiate the Wedding and Complete the Marriage License

It is the full responsibility of the couple to obtain and fill out the marriage license. As the officiant, you should double-check that the license is valid and filled out correctly.

Once you have officiated the wedding and signed the marriage license, you will have fulfilled your duties as the officiant. 

File for your Marriage License from the Clerk of the Circuit Court

Couples must first make an appointment with the County Clerk to get the marriage license. You can do this online. Once issued, the marriage license is valid for 60 days. For non-Florida residents, there is no waiting period. There is a three-day waiting period for Florida residents unless an online pre-marital course is completed and proof of completion is presented at the Clerk’s office.

When visiting the office, the couple must both present one of the following forms of legal identification:

• Driver’s license issued in the United States;
• Federal or state identification card; or
• Passport showing your name and date of birth (birth certificates or green cards are not accepted).

The fee for the marriage license is $86, and for Florida residents who have completed the pre-marital course, the cost is only $61. Here is a more detailed list of marriage license costs. 

Both parties must also read the Family Law Handbook in order to receive the license. This is available in PDF form in both English and Spanish. 

The Basics

Whether you’re planning to get married in a lavish ballroom, on a sunny beachfront, or on a decked-out luxury yacht, you will have a few things to choose from in West Palm Beach. If an ocean cruise is your style, check out Delray Beach Cruises. On the Lady Atlantic and the Lady Delray ships, you’ll be able to seat up to 150 guests on each boat comfortably. That sounds like a party!

How does holding your ceremony in a lush botanical garden sound? At the Mounts Botanical Garden, you’ll be able to say your “I do’s” in a gorgeous garden gazebo surrounded by shrubs, flowers, and trees.

Imagine getting married at a polo club! Maybe you and your betrothed own horses, or you just fancy the idea of getting married on a beautiful green expanse. If you’re interested, The International Polo Club allows for private bookings!

Transportation

The Palm Tran is part of a bus system that runs across the state of Florida, but also makes frequent stops in and around West Palm Beach. If you want to be more independent, it is recommended to supply your own transportation. If that’s not an option, rideshare and taxi services should also be available. 

Weather

If you’re a Florida native, we don’t have to warn you about the heat and humidity. Hurricane season starts in June and lasts until December, but most tropical storms hit between August and October. So, if you’re planning a wedding, choosing a winter date is a safer bet. Skies are usually clear, and temperatures stay in the comfortable 60s and 70s.