How to Officiate a Wedding in Aurora, Illinois

Loads of couples in the northeastern Illinois area opt to host their weddings in the big city, but why pay extra for a wedding in Chicago when you can host your special day in lovely, low key Aurora? Besides, you can always plan a bachelor/bachelorette weekend in the city if you really want to. 

If you’re planning to get married in Kane County (or you’ve been asked to officiate a ceremony for a friend), you’ve come to the right place! We have all the info on how to make it legal right here in our guide.

STEP 1: Get ordained with American Marriage Ministries

Let’s start with the ordainment process. According to Illinois law, a marriage may be solemnized in accordance with the prescriptions of any religious denomination. If you’re not a priest or a rabbi, no worries. You can get ordained with us to become a licensed minister of AMM. The process is free and takes just a few minutes!

Wedding officiants in Illinois are not required to register their ministerial credentials with any government office, so once you’re signed up, you’re all set to perform weddings in the state of Illinois.

STEP 2: Prepare for the Ceremony in Kane 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

After you perform your ceremony, your job is not quite done yet! It’s the couple’s responsibility to obtain their marriage license from the Kane County Clerk’s Office, but just be sure to double-check that they have it with them on the day of the wedding.

You will then need to complete and notarize the bottom portion of the marriage license and mail or deliver it within 10 days of the date of marriage to the clerk’s office at 719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. B. Don’t forget! If you don’t return it in time, you will be subject to fees.

You can choose to start the process by completing an online application, but you must wait until your wedding is two weeks away or less to do so. (If you forget to fill out an online application, don’t worry -- you can do it in person at the clerk’s office, but filling one out online saves you some time.) Normally, you can just head on down to pick up your marriage license, but it might be a good idea to call 630-232-5950 to make an appointment first. Appointments can online be made less than two weeks in advance.

When you go, just remember to bring:

1. $32 cash 
2. One form of valid ID each (passport, driver’s license, military ID, permanent resident card are all acceptable)
3. Printout of the confirmation email (if you filled out an online application)

There, the county clerk’s office will issue you your marriage license. Your license expires after 60 days of issuance. Your officiant will be responsible for returning the completed marriage license after the ceremony.

The Basics

Remember, your Kane County marriage license is only good to use within county lines, so if you were planning to pick a venue in Chicago or elsewhere in the state, you’ll have to obtain your marriage license in the appropriate county. But in our opinion, the windy city’s got nothing on Aurora’s wedding scene! We’ve highlighted some of our favorite venues in Kane County.

If you are envisioning an urban, industrial wedding theme, Company 251 is the perfect choice for you. Exposed brick walls, brass elements, wood columns, large windows, plus bridal and grooms suites? Yes to all of the above. The more than 100 year old building, which sits on the west bank of the river right downtown, was originally the international harvester manufacturing company. This venue is historic and modern all in one.

If you are looking for a central location but aren’t as taken by the exposed brick and concrete aesthetic, you might like the Paramount’s Meyer Ballroom & Grand Gallery, located on Stolp Island, which has two spaces for you to choose from. The ballroom space includes floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views overlooking Fox River, which is perfect for a group that loves to dance. The other option is the historic Paramount Theatre, which offers an incomparably swanky setting for your ceremony and reception. Imagine making your entrance on its old Hollywood-esque red carpet your names in lights on the marquee!

Our last pick is the Blackberry Farm, just 10 minutes west of downtown. You may have been here for a family outing if you grew up in the Aurora area, but this historic landmark also hosts weddings. A rustic bar area, whiskey barrel cocktail tables and charming reception barn are just some of its charming, rustic features. And you’ll be equally as charmed by its rates.

Transportation

If you’re coming in from out of town, we’re sorry to tell you that public transit in Aurora is not the best, but it can come in handy if you’re just trying to from point a to point b on the cheap. You can find bus routes and a trip planning tool on the city’s website. If the routes aren’t lining up with your travel needs, you can always utilize Lyft and Uber as an alternative to renting a car.

Weather

Nobody ever accused the weather in Illinois of being boring. Floods, tornadoes, blizzards, thunderstorms and snowstorms are part of life here!

The best time to plan an outdoor wedding is in early spring or fall (May, June, September or October.) But those months are also when the venues will be charging their peak rates.

If you want to save a little extra money, you can score great deals on venues outside of the wedding season. If you do, we recommend that you look into buying wedding insurance (it’s cheap!) and make sure if you’re planning an outdoor reception that your venue has alternative spaces in case of unexpected weather.