How do I find a local wedding officiant?

No Officiant Registration is Required

You may be surprised to hear this, but wedding officiants in Florida are not required to register with any government office prior to performing marriage. The Florida State Government has no laws requiring officiant registration or office dedicated to the registration of wedding officiants.

Florida does have a law ( Florida Statutes Stat § 741.07 ) that specifies who can solemnize marriage. This includes all ministers, including online ordained ministers of American Marriage Ministries. However, there are no laws, offices, or procedures requiring officiants to register with any government office.

Simply put, once you are an online ordained minister of American Marriage Ministries you immediately have the legal ability to officiate weddings anywhere in Florida. If you have been asked to officiate a wedding in Florida, Get ordained with AMM today!

Ordination with AMM is fast, free, and simple. To learn more about getting ordained in Florida with AMM, check out our Get Ordained in Florida page.

Keep Records of Your Ministry Credentials

Though there are no officiant registration requirements in Florida, you must be an ordained minister to be able to legally perform marriage. Local regulations in Florida stipulate that wedding officiants under the designation of "Minister" be ordained by a religious organization, such as American Marriage Ministries.

While you are not required to register with any Florida government office as a wedding officiant, it is a good idea to keep personal records of your official Ministry Credentials. Proof of your ordination is essential in the event that the couple, government officials, or the wedding venue request to see proof of your ordination.

We recommend that you order your Florida Minister Ordination Package to receive your official ministry credentials. Your package includes your official Ordination Certificate and Letter of Good Standing.

Your Letter of Good Standing is signed by a church officer, dated, and notarized. Your Minister Ordination Package also includes your AMM Minister's Manual, a valuable resource for officiant training information.

Part of the proceeds from your order will go towards our charitable activities. So along with receiving your AMM ministry credentials, you are also helping to support a good cause.

Start Preparing for the Wedding Ceremony

Your next step is to learn how to officiate a wedding ceremony. If you have no experience, you are in good hands. Our Florida Wedding Officiant Preparation Guide covers all aspects of how to prepare for a wedding ceremony.

You will learn everything from the format for a wedding ceremony, the names of the ceremony parts, how to write a wedding ceremony, and more.

PREPARE FOR THE FLORIDA WEDDING CEREMONY

Use Our AMM Wedding Helper

If the process of planning, scripting, and performing a wedding is daunting, then you need our Wedding Helper suite of tools.

We have distilled years of experience into an easy-to-use platform with training materials, quizzes, a personalized ceremony script generator, and tips to prepare you for performing marriage, all accessible through your minister profile.

That's only the beginning. After the wedding, you can share your wedding on the AMM Wedding Wall with our nationwide network of ministers.

All Inclusive Wedding Packages

Wedding Officiant Basic Ceremony

$295

What’s included?

  • Help with choosing your location, Whether it be one of our Beautiful Beach locations or an Alternative Location of your choice
  • Answers to all questions regarding your ceremony & celebration.
  • Your choice from a list of Heartwarming Ceremonies, Vows, Readings and Blessings.
  • Wedding Officiant Day Checklist, to help guide you through your special day.
  • Licensed Wedding Officiant Professional to Perform your Ceremony.
  • Our Free Wedding Concierge Service will help find you restaurants, hotels and activities for you to enjoy on your stay.
  • Notarized Legalization of your Marriage License by your Wedding Officiant.
  • Keepsake Marriage Certificate

Renewal of Marriage Vows Available. Surprise Renewals are always fun!

Why choose us?

Weddings on a Whim has been offering heartwarming ceremonies for 20 years. We are experienced, professional officiants who conduct religious or non-religious ceremonies, based on your preferences. We have extensive knowledge and have connections to locations & other wedding related services.

Where we are?

We have been Located in Pinellas County, Florida for 20+ years. Pinellas County has many locations to have a wedding ceremony. Since there are 24 miles of beaches, finding the perfect beach shouldn’t be hard. Our Beach wedding locations include Clearwater beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores Beach, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island and St Pete Beach. We also preform ceremonies at alternative locations like Condos, Resorts, Chapels & Parks.

What is a Wedding Officiant?

A Wedding Officiant is someone who conducts wedding ceremonies, he or she may also be called a Celebrant. Prior to the ceremony, your Wedding Officiant will send ceremony choices & furthermore go over ceremony details over the phone. In addition, he or she will also legalize your license at the ceremony.

Are there Guest Count Restrictions?

Whether its just the 2 of you or a large gathering, we will do ceremonies for any size group. When you use our services, there are no guest count restrictions for how many guests can attend your beach wedding. Furthermore we have no restrictions regarding size of wedding parties either, therefore you’re welcome to bring as many friends and relatives as you like to help celebrate your special day! (The people who are in the wedding are called the “wedding party”, while the guests are called “attendants”.)

Why a Wedding On a Whim?

We named our service Weddings On a Whim because of how easy it is to have a wedding on a whim with us here in the great state of Florida. You and your guests can arrange a last minute wedding and since no witnesses or blood tests are required to apply for a marriage licence it makes the entire process of getting married that much easier. Are you planning to elope in Florida? If so, our affordable Wedding Officiant Service is perfect for you. Out-of-state destination wedding couples who travel to our area can obtain a license and get married all in the same day! Florida residents however are required to wait 3 days after receiving their licence before they may get married. Anyone can take advantage of our free Wedding Concierge Service, by the way, we don’t charge for questions!

Who are Our Wedding Officiants?

Our incurably romantic Wedding Officiants have conducted thousands of weddings at beaches, parks, chapels, hotels, banquet halls, restaurants and homes over the past 20 years. We are licensed Notary Publics for the State of Florida, furthermore all of us have been ordained by the Universal Life Church. Each of us brings our own unique style and personality to your wedding day.

Thank you!

In closing, we want to say thank you. Our Wedding Officiant team has  the privilege of witnessing and sharing the special joy and grace of each wedding. Gifts of love exchanged amongst family and friends is a treasured blessing to us all. We are fortunate and grateful to have been given the honor of conducting countless wedding ceremonies.

How do I find an ordained person near me?

Contact your house of worship. If your ceremony site is not a house of worship, contact city, town or village halls and ask about judges or justices of the peace available for weddings. Ask a loved one to get ordained and officiate your wedding.

How do I find a pastor to marry me?

You can check church websites (sometimes churches have the wedding information listed there) or you can call the church office. You can ask, "Does the pastor have any sort of restrictions about whom he or she will marry?" If the secretary does not know, you can call, email, or meet with the pastor.

How much is a wedding officiant in Florida?

Fees for Performing Marriages Per Florida wedding officiant requirements, a public notary must be paid a $20 fee to perform the ceremony.

What is the person who officiates a wedding called?

A marriage officiant is a person who officiates at a wedding ceremony.