Who Will Marry Us?

Officiant: One who performs a religious rite or presides over a religious service or ceremony. The American Heritage Dictionary, Fourth Edition.

One of the first questions a couple needs to answer when planning a traditional or non-traditional wedding is who will be the officiant?

Unlike the conservative definition from the dictionary, an officiant does not have to perform a religious rite or preside over a religious service, but can be someone who is legally recognized as an officiant in the place where the couple is to be married.

The definition of who is legally recognized to be an officiant varies from location to location. In the United States, each state has its own laws as to who can be an officiant. The couple should look into the laws of the state and decide what type of officiant would best suit the kind of ceremony they desire.

For a couple desiring a religious ceremony, the choice is clearer than a non-religious service. Usually, the couple will pick a religious leader from their faith, whether it is a Rabbi or an ordained minister. Problems may arise when the two people have two different religions, or when one person doesnt want a religious service and the other one does. Because each state has different requirements, the couple may be able to compromise and pick a different type of officiant who will meet both their needs.

What types of officiants are recognized by different states in the USA? What if you want your best friend to be the officiant? Can a sea captain marry you? What about a sheriff, or a judge? Can the chaplain at work marry you? You need to check out your states laws, which can usually be found easily on the internet or by calling town hall.

If a couple were to marry in Colorado, they could be their own officiants in addition to the more traditional ordained or licensed ministers, priests or rabbis. They would fill out the necessary paperwork at the courthouse and have their own ceremony. Unlike Colorado, if a couple were to marry in Minnesota they could choose from a judge, clerks of the court, court commissioners, licensed ministers, priests or rabbis or a member of the Bahai, Hindu, Quaker or American Indian groups, but they cant be their own officiant.

Usually the officials at the place where you file for your marriage license can tell you who can be an officiant in your state. If you arent able to get the type of person you want, you may want to look into getting married in a state that does allow the officiant you desire.

Finding the right officiant for your special marriage celebration is a crucial step in planning your wedding. Most states have a wide variety of types of officiants to choose from. There are also online resources listing officiants in your area. Your marriage ceremony can be as unique as the two of you with the right officiant.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Prye.Com/ which is a site for Wedding Invitations.

Mary Casey is an author, and was happily married by the town sheriff!

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