How to Officiate a Wedding in Indianapolis, Indiana

If you’re planning a wedding in Indiana, we think its capital city is a great spot to tie the knot. Indy has a lot to offer for a relatively small city; it’s home to some one-of-a-kind event venues (we’ll tell you our favorites later on), not to mention, hotel accommodations and catering prices won’t break the bank, like in nearby Chicago.

We’ll walk you through the logistical need-to-know info about getting your officiant ordained and your marriage license application going in Indianapolis so you can focus on the rest of the wedding planning process. So, let’s get started!

STEP 1: Get ordained with American Marriage Ministries

Let’s start with the ordainment process. According to Indiana state law, the following persons may perform wedding ceremonies: 

• Member of the clergy of a religious organization, such as a minister of the gospel, a priest, a bishop, an archbishop, a rabbi, or an imam
• Member of a certified secular organization
• Judge
• Mayor, within the mayor’s county
• Clerk or a clerk-treasurer of a city or town, within a county in which the city or town is located
• Clerk of the district court
• Governor or lieutenant governor
• Member of the general assembly

If you’ve been asked to ordain a ceremony and you’re not a judge, mayor or religious leader, 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, Marion County may ask you to present documentation, which is easy to buy from our store. (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, or just purchase it in advance to be on the safe side.)

STEP 2: Prepare for the Ceremony in Marion 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 and complete the marriage license, but just be sure to double-check that they have a valid marriage license before the ceremony.

In Indiana, once you have performed the ceremony and signed the marriage license, you have successfully performed all of your functions as the wedding officiant. The couple will take care of the rest. So, go grab a drink at Indiana’s oldest bar, the Slippery Noodle Inn -- cheers to a job well done!

File for the Marriage License from the Marion County Clerk's Office

You can start your application process online by following this link. But to obtain your marriage license, you both members of the couple will have to visit a county clerk’s office in Indiana in which one of the applicants resides. Marion county’s office is located at 200 E Washington St W122.

When you go, just remember to bring:

1. Photo IDs (Valid driver’s license, passport, or birth certificate)
2. Social security numbers
3. Your parents’ full names, last known addresses, birthplaces
4. $25 cash for in-state residents, $65 cash for out-of-state applicants

The Basics

When choosing your wedding date, take note of some of the major annual events in Indy that you may want to plan around -- for instance, the Broad Ripple Art fair every May, the Indian Market & Festival every June, and the Indiana State Fair held for three weekends every August, all of which attract huge crowds and cause traffic in the city. You’ll probably want to avoid scheduling your wedding the same day as one of these events if your venue is in close proximity. Just double-check some Indianapolis event calendars. 

Speaking of venues, Indianapolis has some great ones to choose from. If you’re looking for a more traditional space, you’ll find the city has an abundance of country clubs and hotels that will suit your fancy. But there are a few other venues unique to Indianapolis that you might want to check out if you’re looking to break the traditional wedding mold. 

The Grand Hall at Union Station is truly something special. The train station itself, built-in 1888, is a famous piece of architecture -- at the height of railroad travel, it saw about 200 trains pass through per day. Now, it’s one of the city’s most coveted venue spaces. Check out the photos yourself and you’ll see why.

For a more relaxed youthful vibe, there are also some unique options. You can tie the knot at in the backyard area of one of the city’s most well-known hostels, the Indy Hostel. This cozy venue is great for a smaller event and the price to rent won’t drain your entire wedding fund. Do your own research and make sure to explore all that Indianapolis has to offer.

Transportation

Indianapolis does not have any kind of train system, but its bus system IndyGo offers some 28 different lines, which cover most of Marion County. However, the service becomes less prevalent outside of the central downtown area. So, if your wedding is set to take place on the outskirts of town, your out-of-town guests may want to opt for rideshare or cab services for transportation to your wedding and surrounding events.

Weather

Residents say that transition months, namely September, June, and May are the most pleasant months to visit (or plan a wedding) in Indianapolis, while December and January are the worst when the temperature is often below freezing. Summers can get pretty hot and humid, so if you’re thinking of having a July or August wedding, best opt for an indoor venue with A/C.