perform a marriage ceremony in illinois
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In the state of Illinois, those who perform marriage ceremonies must be an ordained minister or a Justice of the Peace. These qualifications permit them to perform marriages throughout the state. Various ministries ordain laypeople who have a desire to administer marriage rites to their community, giving many people the opportunity to share in the celebration of marriage in this way. Ministers do not need to be residents in the state where they are accredited, making the process of registering as a minister for a particular ceremony much simpler.
Instructions
1
Ensure that your credentials are correct.
2
Register the marriage you intend to officiate with your County Clerk. If this is one of the first marriages you will perform, speak to the county's registrar before the betrothed couple applies for a marriage license to assure them of your accreditation in the state of Illinois.
3
Meet with the couple to work through any ceremony specifications they desire. To ensure that all of you are comfortable with the arrangements, plan a wedding rehearsal for the day before the wedding.
4
Arrive at the wedding venue at least half an hour before the ceremony is scheduled to begin. This will give you time to settle in and answer any last-minute questions posed to you by the bride or groom.
5
Inspect the marriage license which the couple presents to you. The seal at the bottom of the document must be raised in order for the license to be valid and it must have been issued within the last 60 days.
6
Conduct the marriage ceremony. Most wedding ceremonies follow a basic format, and your job as officiant is to lead the service smoothly. You may wish to rehearse the ceremony on your own time, particularly if the couple has asked you to give a lengthy speech. The traditional format for weddings is as follows:
Procession
Greeting and Invocation
Declaration of Intent
Exchange of Vows
Exchange of Rings
Pronouncement
Recessional
7
Ask the witnesses and newlywed couple to sign the marriage license to make the bond official. Return the original license to the County Clerk within a week.
Tips &- Warnings
Ministers must be at least 18 years of age in the state of Illinois.
Tags: marriage ceremony, marriage license, perform marriage, state Illinois, ceremony illinoisSource: www.ehow.com
