Congratulations! If you've found yourself at this page it is likely that you are either planning to be married or have been asked to perform a wedding ceremony in Franklin County. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Franklin County. The information provided below will walk you through the steps one must follow to become a minister and perform a valid wedding ceremony in Franklin County, Ohio.
- ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
- Does Ordination Expire: No
- Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
- Minister's Minimum Age: 18
1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Franklin County
The first step also happens to be the easiest one! Becoming an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church takes only minutes, it’s free to join, and – best of all – ULC ordinations are good for life. Join our global family of ministers who enjoy the power to perform legal wedding ceremonies! To sign up, just follow the button found below:
2 How to Officiate a Marriage in Franklin County
Ohio, unlike many other states, requires ministers to register at the state level. In order to perform a wedding, you must apply for a Minister License from the Marriage Licensing office at the Secretary of State. So, your next step would be to contact them or visit their office to learn what documentation they'll need to see from you. You can also begin the registration process by visiting the Ohio Secretary of State website.
Be aware that you make be asked to provide one or documents verifying the status of your ordination. Any documents or supplies you need are available in the minister supplies section of our site. The upside is that after registering at the state level, ministers are qualified to perform weddings anywhere in Ohio.
Here's more info about how to reach the Marriage Licensing Office:
Minister Licensing
Ohio Secretary of State
22 North Fourth Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-8770
Address:
180 E. Broad Street, Suite 103
Columbus, Ohio
3 License to Marry in Franklin County
After you've contacted your marriage authority, you should visit our online store to purchase whatever documentation will be required. This could vary widely county-by-county, so be sure you pay careful attention to the requirements given to you by the department that grants marriage license in the Franklin County office.
4 How to Perform a Wedding in Franklin County
Now that you've done all of the above, you are ready to perform the wedding! Be sure that the couple has picked up their Franklin County marriage license from the appropriate office. Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office before its expiry.
At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Franklin County, after they've received their license to marry by getting ordained online, asking for guidance on how to perform a wedding ceremony. Once the legal matters have been taken care of, officiating a wedding (while a sometimes-daunting task) can be a great deal of fun. We would suggest that new Franklin County wedding ministers concerned about the ceremony peruse one of our helpful wedding guides. The minister training section of our website should offer a helpful refresher for more experienced ministers.
