2009. This comprehensive report surveyed more than 17,500 US brides married in 2012. Corrigan and Watkins chose Brigid Beckman Schmidt of Albany, the mother of one of the couple’s friends, as their officiant. She had gotten her online ministry certificate through the Universal Life Church in Modesto, Calif., in October 2011. “Now, I’ve turned it into a business called Bountiful Blessing Events,” Schmidt says, noting she performed two weddings within a week of getting her certificate. “It feels like couples these days don’t necessarily want a church wedding. They also don’t want to go the justice of the peace,” she says. “We are drawn to ceremony and ritual because it draws people tighter. That’s what I love to do — I’m always drawing people together.” The options for who can officiate at your ceremony are many. Beyond online-ordained ministers and more traditional religious figures such as ministers or rabbis, the list includes city clerks, a village or city mayor, or a county justice. To be valid, a marriage ceremony must be performed by individuals specified in Section 11 of the New York State Domestic Relations Law listed on the Department of Health for New York website. (See sidebar.) Most couples, like Corrigan and Watkins, want someone who can help them create something meaningful, personal and memorable. “Standing in front of everyone in your life and stating your vows is a big deal, and we wanted to feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible,” she says. “We already knew that Brigid could speak beautifully, had plenty of ideas for beautiful poetry and words, and would be a great orator to our friends and family for such an important event. It was perfect for us, and we couldn’t have
— Photo courtesy of the couple
The Legal Fine Print Alexis Gomes-Evans, account clerk at the Albany County Clerk office in Albany, says that couples getting married in New York must get a marriage license that is good for 60 days. Couples must apply in person to any town or city clerk in the state. The ceremony may not take place within 24 hours from the exact time that the license was issued. “Once they get that done, they have to find someone to marry them,” she says. Section 11 of the New York State Domestic Relations Law outlines who can legally perform a marriage ceremony, which includes the mayor of a city or village; a justice or judge of different courts; and a member of the clergy or minister who has been officially ordained. Andre Hensley, president of Universal Life Church (ULC) in Modesto, Calif., says his church has ordained nearly 20 million people without charge or classes. “They submit an application. Those
been happier with the result.”
T
he Rev. Joy Burke of Saratoga Springs has been performing weddings since 2009 when she married her husband’s best friend from 2nd grade. She had been trained in a variety of spiritual practices through the two-year seminary One Spirit Interfaith in
requests are looked at by someone here, and then they are ordained by that person. Our church believes in the freedom of religion,” he says. “If they have a calling to serve, we will help them do it without cost.” Not all states require that you register as an ordained minister. Most churches have their own ordination process, he says. There have been a few lawsuits that involved ULC marriages and whether they were legitimate. In April 2013, the state of New York ruled a ULC wedding was valid despite a husband claiming he didn’t have to go by a prenuptial agreement to his wife during a divorce because he claimed his marriage wasn’t legal through the church, Hensley says. Whether a priest, rabbi, online ordained friend or someone else marries you, that person must sign the “minister” part of the wedding license and mail it back within five days of the ceremony. The county clerk’s office keeps a copy, and the original is filed with the New York State Department of Health.
New York City. “It was the original interfaith seminary with three forward thinking people — a priest, minister and rabbi. They trained people in the interfaith, and trained us to create ceremonies,” she says. Her home is a converted 1869 Methodist church, where she officiates at elopements and small timesunion.com/VOW 27