Preparing to officiate a wedding in New York City? If you’ve been asked to perform a wedding ceremony, congratulations! Presiding over the formation of this important bond is an incredible honor, but it comes with considerable responsibility as well. Let’s explore the process in detail to make sure you’re up to speed on everything that will be required of you. In this guide, we’ll touch on how to prepare for a wedding ceremony, how to get in touch with the relevant office you'll be dealing with, and how to ensure the marriage is legally recognized in New York City.
1 Become an Ordained Minister in New York City
First up: you'll want to get ordained as a minister of the Universal Life Church (if you haven’t already completed this step). ULC ordination is available online, free of charge, and gives the recipient the power to perform legal wedding ceremonies! Best of all, the process takes only moments to complete. You can begin by tapping the button below!
Key Info for Ministers in New York City
- ULC Ordination Accepted:
- Yes
- Minister Registration Required:
- Yes
- Documents Required:
- N/A
- Minister's Residency:
- Irrelevant
- Minister's Minimum Age:
- 18
2 Confirm Wedding Officiant Requirements in New York City
Your next move will be to contact the government office that handles marriages and marriage licenses in New York City. Let them know you’re an ordained minister planning to perform a wedding in their district and want to understand what documents or information they will need from you before the ceremony.
Information for how to get in touch with this office in New York City can be found below.
- Office Address:
-
141 Worth St, New York, NY 10007
Manhattan, NY 10007 - Office Phone Number:
- (212) 669-8090
- Office Website:
- New York City Office Website
3 Order Necessary Documentation to Officiate in New York City
Once you've confirmed what is required to perform a wedding in New York City, head over to our online catalog to order any documentation or supplies you might need to officiate. For ministers in New York City, we typically suggest the Classic Wedding Package. However, this decision will ultimately depend on what you learn from speaking with local officials.
4 Officiate a Wedding and Fill Out the New York City Marriage License
Now you’re ready to officiate the wedding! If this is your first time performing a wedding (or even if it’s not) we'd encourage you to take a moment to check out our wedding training center, which has tons of helpful tips and tools to prepare for the big day.
Once the ceremony is over, the last key box to check is completing the marriage license. In New York City, this license is valid for 60 days, there is a mandatory one-day waiting period, and the completed license must be returned before its listed expiration date. To learn more about how to fill out this document, please visit our marriage license training guide.
- Marriage License Waiting Period:
- 1 Day
- Marriage License Valid For:
- 60 Days
- Return Within:
- By Expiration
How to Write a Wedding Officiant Script in New York City
Wedding officiants in New York City frequently reach out to us, seeking advice on crafting meaningful words for a wedding ceremony after completing their online ordination.
After addressing all the necessary legal aspects, the enjoyable part begins – orchestrating and conducting the wedding itself! We understand that this can be a bit overwhelming, especially for those officiating a wedding for the first time.
For New York City wedding officiants, we strongly recommend consulting our earlier-mentioned helpful wedding guides. Additionally, we encourage all officiants to explore the wealth of free resources on our website, such as our wedding ceremony script generator. This innovative tool enables you to input specific details about the planned ceremony and the couple's preferences, resulting in a completely personalized wedding script.
Consider delving into some of our online sample wedding scripts as well. These pre-written ceremony scripts can either be utilized as-is or serve as inspiration as you create your own script. Either way, they will prove invaluable for any wedding ceremony you are tasked with officiating. And remember, for your wedding officiant clothing or other essential supplies for the big day, don't forget to peruse our wedding catalog, exclusively available to those ordained by the ULC!
What to Know About New York City Wedding Ceremonies
Home to the world's biggest commercial, financial and cultural centers, New York City is a bustling metropolis where everyone seems to be in a hurry. Among the iconic skyline of Manhattan you can find skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Here you will find no shortage of great dining options and fantastic places to host your wedding.
