What is more personal and memorable to a couple than their wedding day? From choosing the perfect location to selecting a theme or setting a special menu, couples personalize their special day to create memories that will last a lifetime. But for those who don’t want to stop at the centerpieces, there is one way to make sure the ceremony is an unforgettable one: asking a friend or loved one to officiate. If you have been asked to be part of someone’s special day, or just want to be ready if the time comes, here’s what you need to know.
The Basics
Only a person who has been ordained can officiate a wedding. Ordination means many things to many people, and every traditional religion views it differently, but the word itself simply implies that you have been appointed with authority. This authority allows you to not only solemnize weddings, but also to perform baptisms, funerals and blessings. Once ordained you can even start your own church.
Most commonly this authority is invested by a religious organization, but you’ll find there is very little separation of church and state when it comes to marriage. State laws regulate who can perform and solemnize a wedding. In addition to allowing religious appointments, many states also appoint certain elected officials with the same authority.
In Pennsylvania, a judge, justice of the peace, district justice, or even a mayor can marry two people. One wedding myth to note is that sea captains are rarely on this list. Ship captains cannot perform marriages, on land or at sea, simply by virtue of their maritime license alone. If you want to be married by a captain, and the state’s law does not specifically permit it, he or she will have to go through the same process as everyone else to get ordained. Myth busted.
No Congregation? No Election? No Problem.
If you aren’t a religious officiant or elected official, but you still want to help happy couples tie the knot, where can you get the credentials? Online, of course. The most common source is the Universal Life Church. The ULC is one of the world’s largest religious organizations, and as an active non-profit church, it can conduct ordinations in any way it sees fit. Since the ULC believes that anyone called to the ministry for any reason should be able to answer that call without hassles or fees, it requires only that you fill out an online application. The process is instant and free, and online ordinations are widely accepted, but be sure to read the fine print.
If you are looking for a purely nondenominational appointment, never fear. The church has only two tenets: that all should be free to worship as they see fit, and that you do only what is right. To date, more than 20 million people worldwide have become ordained ministers with the ULC.
The Fine Print
Getting the online certificate isn’t too difficult, but understanding where your ordination is accepted and learning the laws of both the state and the county in which you want to put it to use can be. In Pennsylvania, the law is silent on the validity of marriages performed by someone who has been ordained online, but there have been opposing precedents set in two neighboring states, so be sure to verify that you follow the county’s specific regulations, or the couple’s wedding could be void.
Due Diligence
Officiating a wedding is a big responsibility. Not only will you wed two people in the eyes of the couple, their friends and their families, but also in the eyes of the law. As soon as you have confirmed that an online ordination is valid in your area, begin the process right away.
The application is instant, but it can take up to two weeks to receive your credentials and paperwork. Keith Mooney, an attorney with Barley Snyder and a recently ordained minister with the ULC, also recommends that you take some time to study before the ceremony. “The ULC provides literature and guidebooks on how to structure and plan a wedding ceremony that I recommend anyone who decides to go through the process read,” he says.
As an ordained minister, you should be prepared to do everything a traditional religious officiant would, including planning the ceremony. “Take the process seriously and take your officiating duties seriously. Hopefully the couple you are marrying will only get married once, and you want to help make their day as memorable and special as you can as the officiant,” Mooney advises.
After helping to make the couple’s special day a memorable one, the rest of your duties are simple. All that is left is to complete the marriage license. There is no need to worry about renewing your ULC ordination; it will last as long as the couple’s marriage – for life.
