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 officiate a wedding in the UK. The information provided below will walk you through the steps one must follow to become an ordained minister and perform a valid wedding ceremony in the United Kingdom.
1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in United Kingdom
If you haven't already, you should get ordained online in the UK with the Universal Life Church. Ordination is free and can be completed in just a matter of minutes. If you are wondering about becoming an ordained minister in the UK, you aren't alone! There are thousands of ULC Ministers operating in the United Kingdom, and millions more around the globe. You can begin the UK online ordination process by clicking the big blue button below!
2 How to Officiate a Marriage in United Kingdom
Are you interested in performing a wedding for your friends or family in the UK? If so, your next step is to contact the office of your local marriage authority. Let them know that you are a minister who was ordained online with the Universal Life Church UK, and ask what they will require of you to officiate a legal marriage. Please do note that in many areas of the UK you may not currently be eligible to officiate a legally binding marriage ceremony in all parts of the UK, though we are working to change this. Please do contact us to share your story by emailing outreach@ulc.org.
3 License to Marry in United Kingdom
After you've contacted your marriage authority, you should visit our online store to purchase whatever documentation will be required. We typically advise ministers in United Kingdom to get an Ordination Package. Please note that the Universal Life Church offers an international FedEx shipping option that will allow you to receive your ministerial products anywhere in the United Kingdom. You should endeavour to leave at least 1 month between the date of the wedding and your order, to ensure that all of your materials will make it to your door well in advance of the wedding.
4 How to Perform a Wedding in United Kingdom
Now that you've done all of the above, you are ready to perform the wedding! If you are ultimately able to successfully register as a UK wedding minister, you'll probably have plenty of questions about how to actually perform the ceremony. It's a big job, and you want to get it right! At the Universal Life Church UK Ministries we receive several calls from wedding officiants who were ordained online in the United Kingdom asking for guidance on how to perform a wedding ceremony. We would suggest that new UK 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.
United Kingdom Marriage Code
United Kingdom Marriage Code
Marriage laws in the United Kingdom are quite strict and while they vary slightly in Northern Ireland and Scotland are largely the same throughout the country. First off, local governments in the United Kingdom tend to employ professional marriage registrants. If you want a religious ceremony, you will need to seek one out who is registered as a religious marriage celebrant. As noted, the Universal Life Church is not currently a recognized religious denomination in the United Kingdom, as such, but it is on the horizon. Be aware that Same-Sex marriage is legal in the U.K. with the exception of Northern Ireland. Also note that some churches, like the Anglican Church, will not celebrate same-sex marriages.6. Religious ceremonies
A religious wedding can take place at a church, chapel or other registered religious building.
Religious blessing can take place after a civil ceremony in a register office.
You can't get married in an Anglican Church as a same sex couple. You can get married in other religious buildings if:
the religious organisation allows the marriage of same sex couples to take place
the premises has been registered for the marriage of same sex couples
View the United Kingdom Statutes on the official state site⇓ Show the rest
