How to Officiate a Wedding in Pennsylvania
More and more couples are opting to have a close friend or family member perform the wedding ceremony these days. There are many benefits to asking someone you know to marry you. Wedding officiants that you know can add a personal authentic touch to your wedding day that will create lifelong memories. Having an officiant that you know makes for great photo ops too.
Being an officiant is a huge honor and comes with the most important duty of the day! To ensure that everything runs smoothly on the big day, be sure to plan ahead well in advance and follow all the necessary steps to legally marrying a couple in the state of Pennsylvania.
How to Officiate a Wedding in Pennsylvania
Looking to learn how to officiate a wedding in Pennsylvania? It’s a very simple process.
How to Get Ordained Online
Getting ordained is fairly simple through the American Marriage Ministries. It’s a free process that can be done online. There is an application online where you’ll need to fill out some basic information, and that’s it!
In the state of Pennsylvania, officiants are not required to register in order to officiate a wedding. While there is a law that specifies who can solemnize marriage, which includes all online ordained ministers of the American Marriage Ministries, it’s not required to register with the Pennsylvania government. Wedding officiants in the state of Pennsylvania must be at least 18 years old.
Does Pennsylvania Recognize Online Ordained Ministers?
While Pennsylvania recognizes online ordained ministers, some county clerks still warn couples to be aware of a few things:
Pennsylvania law states that officiants have to be ordained by a “regularly established” congregation or church. However, there is another law which specifies who can solemnize marriage. This includes online ordained ministers from American Marriage Ministries.
About 10 years ago, court rulings conflicted on online-ordained ministers’ legality in Pennsylvania. In 2007, a York County judge ruled a marriage invalid because the minister was ordained-online by the Universal Life Church. But the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania won three victories for non-traditional ministers.
There are county clerks who warn couples to do their due diligence when it comes to internet-ordained ministers. Couples-to-be should check with their county or lawyer to see the laws and regulations on being married by someone ordained online.
Prepare for the Ceremony
American Marriage Ministries has resources to help officiants plan for the wedding ceremony. You’ll learn the details of the format of a ceremony, names of each part of the ceremony, how to write a wedding ceremony, and more. It’s helpful to discuss with the couple how they would like the ceremony to go, including any personal touches.
That’s it! Officiating a wedding in Pennsylvania is very simple and can be done through the American Marriage Ministries.
Plan Your Wedding Day with Us
Plan your wedding at Historic Acres of Hershey in one of our beautiful event spaces. Located on rolling farmland, Historic Acres offers a scenic location to tie the knot. Contact us to discuss options and learn about our available dates.