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More and more often, especially in smaller, socially distant weddings, couples are forgoing the traditional judge or clergy member in the search for a wedding officiant, opting instead to be married by someone personally close to them. Though getting the necessary certification is a relatively straightforward process, there are things you need to know if you’re interested in performing a loved one’s ceremony.
There are two routes to take if you want to administer a wedding in the state of Virginia. The first is more simple: If you want to officiate one wedding only, you must submit a letter to a judge in your local court with the full names of the bride and groom, your relationship to the couple, the reason you were asked to perform the ceremony, and a $56 filing fee. This must be done in the city or county in which you reside — therefore, it’s a path only available to Virginians.
“You’re basically coming and presenting a petition,” explains Heidi Barshinger, circuit court clerk in Henrico County. “Usually in about four to six weeks, you’ll get an answer back. We’ll contact the person, and they’ll have to come in for an appointment.” If the petition is approved, the future celebrant will have to post a $500 bond, which will be refunded upon the return of the marriage license.
If, instead, you want to make something of a hobby of officiating weddings, the second path is to be ordained as a minister by a nondenominational religious organization. One of the more popular organizations offering this service is the Universal Life Church, which was primarily founded to make ordination for the sake of the wedding sacrament easier. Its “priesthood” includes Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and the “instant ordination” available at ulc.org requires little more than filling out a name and an address.
“Marriage has gone on since the tribal days of humanity,” says George Freeman, a representative of the ULC and a minister himself, “but the church has been involved for a few thousand years and set standards for who can say a marriage.
“We hold that the power belongs to you. Your religion is your choice. We give everyone the right to perform the ceremony.”
Once registration with a nondenominational group is complete — and your official documents are received in the mail — it is time to register with the city or county clerk.
American Marriage Ministries also offers a packet free of charge to help you put the required materials together, and though not all 95 clerk’s offices in Virginia will accept applications from “minute ministers,” some clerks will. In the commonwealth, it is not necessary to register in the city or county where the wedding takes place, or in your city or county of residence, so if you’re willing to go through some trial and error, registration through this method should be achievable.
Whichever route you choose, the last step is to write and memorize the ceremony. Who wouldn’t enjoy bellowing “by the power invested in me”?
Depending on your method of certification to officiate a wedding, keep these facts in mind:
To become a one-time wedding officiant, send a letter to your local county court and include your intention to register as a one-time officiant, the full legal names of the couple, your relationship to them and the reason they’ve asked you to perform the ceremony. Include a $56 check and wait for your follow-up call for an appointment at court to receive your documents.
Ministries offering easy online ordainment: Universal Life Church, American Marriage Ministries, First Nation Church, Wanderlust Bay. These organizations offer the service for free but do charge a fee for documents.
American Marriage Ministries offers a Minister Ordination Packet for Virginia, and it can be found here for free: theamm.org/store/products/minister-ordination-package-virginia.
