How to Officiate a Wedding in Burlington, Vermont

So, you’re getting hitched in Vermont, naturally! Or you’re an aspiring wedding officiant! Awesome! Home to the shores of the beautiful Lake Champlain and Lake George, world-class ski resorts throughout the Green Mountains, and dozens of classic inns and charming bed and breakfasts, there’s no shortage of settings in this state to bring your New England dream wedding to fruition.

We’ve gathered all the need-to-know information to help you complete the legal marriage to-dos and get kickstart the creative brainstorming process of the wedding planning itself. So, whether you’re a lifelong local, you’re marrying a Woodchuck, or you’re just stopping through the Green Mountain State to take advantage of its natural beauty on your wedding day, you’re in the right place.

STEP 1: Get ordained with American Marriage Ministries

Let’s start with the ordainment process. According to the City of Burlington’s website, “any ordained or licensed member of the clergy residing in Vermont” is able to legally officiate weddings.

To become an ordained minister in Vermont, you can register with AMM. The process is free and takes just a few minutes!

If you are not a Vermont resident, don’t worry -- you can still perform your friends’ wedding ceremony, but you must register for a permit from a probate court in the county where the marriage will take place. In Burlington, the office is located at 175 Main St. You can purchase all the necessary minister credentials needed to register right here.

Also note, any person over the age of 18 may register with the Secretary of State to become a temporary officiant, so if you don’t anticipate officiating any other ceremonies in the state of Vermont in the future, this is another option to consider.

STEP 2: Prepare for the Ceremony in Chittenden 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 complete the marriage license itself, the couple must deliver the license to the officiant before the marriage can be performed. After the ceremony, the officiant should complete the sections concerning the date, place, and officiant information, and sign the license. At that point, the license becomes a marriage certificate. 

But the work is not over just yet! It is the officiant’s responsibility to return it to the city clerk’s office in which was issued within 10 days of the ceremony.

If the officiant has registered with the Secretary of State as a temporary officiant (as mentioned in the above section), a copy of the certificate of authority issued by the Secretary of State should be attached to the signed license and returned to the clerk’s office. (For clarification, if you registered as an officiant with AMM, you do not have to include this document.)

To pick up your marriage license before the big day, one or both members of the couple will head down to the town clerk’s office with the required documents. The marriage license application is available here to print out and take with you.

If both parties are Vermont residents, you should go to the town clerk in either of your towns of residence. If just one of you resides in a Vermont town, you must get the license in that town. (In Burlington, the appropriate office is City Hall on 149 Church Street.)

When you go, just remember to bring:

• $80 (cash, check or credit card)
• State-issued ID (valid driver’s license or passport)
• Printed marriage license application

The Basics

When choosing your wedding date, note that Vermont does attract flocks of tourists to its annual events and festivals, which take place year-round. You’ll want to avoid booking your wedding on the same day any of these events, such as the Stowe Winter Carnival in January or the Vermont Maple Festival in April if they are nearby your venue, as there are usually higher prices for accommodations and heavier traffic. You can find a list of Vermont’s biggest events here. 

Burlington is one of the most popular areas in the state to host your wedding, as it’s centrally located to many of the state’s awesome features. Lake Champlain has a host of gorgeous venues, like the Grand Isle Lake House, which has gorgeous indoor and outdoor facilities. You can even get married on the lake itself on the Spirit of Ethan Allen! Check out this list to explore more of those options. 

You can also head east to one of the resorts in the Green Mountains. Mountain Top Inn & Resort in Chittenden, about an hour and a half south of Burlington, is a truly beautiful option with incredible amenities for couples. You’ll fall in love with the views from all around the property, from its terrace to the lakefront. Topnotch Resort is another super impressive option a bit closer to town, just 45 minutes east of the city in Mt. Mansfield State Forest. 

Or, choose from one of the dozens of inns, which make for charming wedding venues for smaller groups from the spring through fall, like the Round Barn Farm or the Old Lantern Inn and Barn. But if you really want to veer away from the traditional mold and support and amazing local business, check out the The Intervale Center. Its property spans 700 acres that provide locally-grown, sustainable agriculture. Its barn makes for a beautiful, relaxed setting for a reception.

Transportation

Vermont has great public transportation. For centralized info about getting around Burlington, check out the Go! Vermont website. There’s also the Green Mountain Transit System (GMT), which can take you from Burlington out to surrounding destinations like Montpelier and Saint Albans. If you’re planning a wedding in Burlington and don’t want to bother with public transit, you can always turn to Lyft and Uber to get around town. However, if you’re choosing a venue outside of city limits -- in the Green Mountains or at one of the lakes -- your best bet is to plan to stay the night (or heck, a few days!) and arrange for accommodations nearby.

Weather

Vermont is, of course, known for its cold, white winters, which can start as early as late October or early November through March or April. But that doesn’t mean you should rule winter out for a wedding date; it’s a great time to take advantage of the beautiful ski resorts. Spring and summer in Vermont are heavenly if you’re dreaming of an outdoor wedding, but fall is an especially popular season for weddings here, as the beauty of the foliage is unbeatable. However, September and October rates tend to be on the higher end when you’re looking at venues. Whatever season you choose, you’ll find that Vermont’s vendors are ready and eager to help make your day a success.