How to Have a Friend or Family Member Officiate Your Wedding in New Orleans
Nearly all of my couples choose to have a friend or family member officiate their wedding. And it’s a great idea! Who could put a better personal touch on your wedding ceremony than one of your nearest and dearest?
There are some common questions when couples are considering using someone they know to perform their wedding ceremony. “Can this person officiate my wedding?” (Practically Any adult can!). “Is it expensive to get ordained?” (It is not). “How does my relative become a minister in Orleans Parish?”. It’s easy! More on that below.
First, if your officiant is not already a judge, ordained minister, or justice of the peace they need to get ordained. If they are already ordained, skip to the next step. The easiest way to do this is online via Universal Life Church. They fill out a very simple form and receive approval of their ordination via email.
Second, your (ordained!) friend or family member needs to register in the Louisiana parish where your ceremony will take place. Most of my clients’ wedding ceremonies take place in Orleans Parish so that’s what we will discuss here. There are five steps for your minister:
Print the ordination certificate they received via email from Universal Life Church
Print and fill out this affidavit, but wait to sign it.
Bring the form and certificate to a notary public, sign the form, and have it notarized.
Mail the form to the Office of Vital Records (the address is on the form).
The office sends a confirmation and proof of registration to your officiant. This can take a several week so don’t procrastinate!
Finally you and your partner will go get your marriage license application within 30 days before the wedding. More on that soon!