A wedding Officiant is an individual who is trained in the art of conducting a wedding ritual and approved by the State to administer a legal ceremony. The Officiant must also complete, sign, and submit your marriage license paperwork to the proper Clerk of Court.
A wedding Minister/Officiant,unlike a priest or pastor, is not affiliated with a seated congregation or connected to a church parish. In some states wedding Officiants may not be affiliated with any religious institution. In this case they are generaly called Celebrants.
Officiants may charge additional fees for writing a custom ceremony, travel expenses, mileage, and court fees.
There currently is no Officiant's Registration process or "license" for the State of Oregon or Washington. Officiants must meet a set of legal and clerical conditions. I meet the Clerical and legal conditions to perform marriages in all 50 States.
What is your service area?
I serve brides and grooms in Northern Oregon and Southern Washington.
In Oregon, I book weddings from mid-Gorge into Clackamas and Multnomah Counties.
Due to traffic congestion and delay concerns,I do not book weddings in Washington County (Beaverton area).
In Washington State, I perform weddings in the Vancouver to mid-Gorge area.
Why should I choose Cherish Ceremonies?
There are many Wedding Officiants and Celebrants in the area to choose from. I can give you three reasons to consider me when interviewing for a wedding Officiant:
1) The simple answer is that I am good at my job.
I am Platinum professional but down-home friendly. I try to be sensitive to your religious or spiritual needs. Clients who have reviewed me find me reliable, honest, and easy to work with. I want your wedding ceremony to reflect your spiritual paths and personalities. I also ensure your court paperwork is filed in a timely manner.
2) Your privacy and security are a professional concern to me.
With the information given on your wedding paperwork identity theft would be a breeze! I never sell my client lists or discard un-shredded documents or other infromation. With so much identity theft going on, I take special care to never disclose ANY of the personal information contained on your wedding license paperwork. I respect your right to privacy and secure your information to the best of my ability.
3) I am an Master's educated liturgist and ceremonial specialist.
I do not Officiate "part time" or as a seasonal job. I am a full time religious professional. I am Interfaith educated (Marylhurst University) and Ordained as an Ecuminical Minister (ULC). As a Master of Applied Theology I understand a wide variety of faith traditions and the rituals of those traditions.
It use to be that the bride and groom were often of the same faith and finding an Officiant to honor their faith tradition and solemize their wedding vows was simple. It is a new world now. Married life often begins with a blending the spiritual and religious traditions of people from two very different backgrounds. An Interfaith ceremony can be handcrafted to honor the religious tradition of both parties.
I hold a BA in Clinical Psychology and have extensive training as a spiritual counselor which enables me to respond to your spiritual and emotional concerns.
Why do you charge a booking fee?
All Officiants charge a booking fee. A $50.00 fee is paid when you reserve your wedding date. The booking fee is designed to cover my time and expense in the rare case a wedding is canceled, or moved to another date.
This is a non-refundable fee you pay to be placed on my schedule.
How may weddings do you perform each day?
The number of weddings I book for any date depends on a number of variables including the ceremony starting time and travel distance to the wedding venue. I do book more than one wedding per date if possible.
My all-inclusive Diamond package features exclusive date booking, which means 100% of my time and attention on that date will be devoted to perfecting and performing your wedding.
What public ceremonies do you perform?
I perform Weddings, Vow Renewals, Couple Commitment rites, and Domestic Partnership ceremonies for same-sex couples. Feather and Cedar Ceremony also available for Native American religious traditionals. I am also available as a public speaker, community educator, and prayer leader.
I can be booked for salmon bakes and other community and private feasts to give an opening blessing or prayer in Lakota Sioux.
Do you offer a Military discount and rapid deployment weddings?
Yes!
A $20.00 discount off the price of any ceremony package is my gift to you for your military service to our country. I appreciate the difficult job our men and women in uniform perform on behalf of our country. I know you don't always have time to plan and arrange your wedding before you ship out, and I try to perform same-day weddings for military men and women whenever possible. This discount must be requested during the initial consultation and applies to both active duty persons and our honored veterans.
What form/type of wedding ceremony do you perform?
Choosing a wedding ceremony is a matter of determining two factors: length and language. A ceremony may contain religious language from a specific denomination or , as in the case of Civil or secular ceremonies,no religious language may be used. Here is a peek at the content of different wedding ceremony forms: Interfaith Wedding: An Interfaith wedding is a blending of two or more religious traditions in a single ritual. All religions and denominations have specific wedding rituals and ceremonies. When two people of different faith paths marry they may choose to honor both of their faith traditions in one ceremony. We can blend your two faith paths into a sublime celebration of your shared committment
to God and individual committment to one another.
Spiritual Wedding: Many people today describe their faith path as, "Spiritual rather than religious". They do not attend worship services, but believe in a higher power and consider themselves to be good, moral people. They want their wedding to reflect their spiritual values. A Spiritual wedding is a sacred marriage ritual without specific religious language. In a Spiritual Wedding the couple enters into a public sacred commitment to begin a shared life-journey. Let's work together to craft a spirit-filled ceremony that speaks from your heart and soul.
Civil Wedding: When most people think of civil wedding, they think of a 5-minute ceremony in Las Vegas. While I do offer that, a civil ceremony is not always short. It is simply a wedding ceremony without religious language,
Oregon Marriage Laws
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding day! Your engagement is only the first step in a new life journey together. Just getting through the legal requirement can seem like a challange. To assist you, here is a summary of the fees and documents required for marriage in the State of Oregon. Some legal and financial requirement may vary by County and municipality. Always check with the County Clerk for current fee schedule, office hours, and document requirements.
Residency and ID Requirements in Oregon: You do not have to be a resident of Oregon to be married in Oregon. You will need to provide a driver's license or some sort of photo ID card.
Previous Marriages: You only have to wait one day after your divorce is final to get remarried. The date of the final divorce decree is needed on the marriage license application. Some counties may require a copy of the final divorce decree. However, remember your marriage license is not valid until three days after issue date.
Pre-marital Education in Oregon: Whether or not you will need to receive premarital education or counseling depends on the location which issues your marriage license. Some Counties in Oregon still do require pre-marital education of some type prior to legal marriage.
Waiting Period in Oregon: Yes. There is a three-day waiting period in Oregon. Some counties may waive the waiting fee for an additional payment of $10.00.
Fees in Oregon: Vary with County. Court fees vary between $50.00 - $60.00 in Oregon. Cash is required in most counties.
Same-Sex Marriage: Not currently allowed. In November, 2004, voters passed Measure 36 defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. However, as of February 1, 2008, residents of Oregon can register for domestic partnerships and receive many rights, benefits, privileges and immunities that are given to married couples in Oregon.
Marriage Under the age of 18: If you aren't 17 years of age, you can't get married in Oregon. Individuals 17 years of age will need parental consent. The consenting parent or guardian must accompany the applicant when applying for the marriage license. There is no waiver for anyone under the age of 17.
Cousin Marriage: No.
Common-Law Marriage: No.
Proxy Marriage: No.
Legal Officiants: Judges, County Clerks or their Deputies, Justices of Peace, and ministers, pastors, priests, rabbis may perform wedding ceremonies in Oregon.
Witnesses: Two witnesses who are at least 18-years of age are needed at the wedding ceremony.
Miscellaneous: License is valid for 60 days.
Please Note: State and County marriage license fees and document requirements frequently change. The above information is from About.com (2010) and is intended for guidance only and should not be regarded as legal advice. When in doubt consult legal a professional.
Washington State Marriage Laws
Here's what you need to know and what documents to bring with you before you apply for a Washington state marriage license. I recommend getting this legal aspect of your wedding out of the way about a month before your wedding date. Requirements may vary as each county in Washington could have their own requirements.
ID and Residency Requirement: Some counties may require a picture ID. You should know your Social Security numbers and be ready to provide your Social Security card. You do not have to be a resident of Washington State.
Previous Marriages: A divorce must be final and filed before applicants can apply for a license.
Covenant Marriage: No.
(What is a Covenant Marriage? In some parts of the United States, a covenant marriage is a legally distinct kind of marriage, in which the marrying couple agree to obtain pre-marital counseling and accept more limited grounds for divorce. The covenant marriage laws emphasize the belief that marriage is more than just a mere contract between two individuals, contending that without marriage, there would be no foundation of family in society and, in turn, no civilization or progress to follow. The movement sets out to promote and strengthen marriages, reduce the rate of divorce, lessen the number of children born out of wedlock, discourage cohabitation, and frame marriage as an honorable and desirable institution . As a law, covenant marriage is technically written neutrally with respect to religion, however it quickly became marked as a religious form of marriage, due to its sacred historical background. Wikipedia.com 2010)
Waiting Period: 3 days. NO FEE MAY BE PAID TO AVOID THIS WAITING PERIOD.
Fees: The cost of applying for a marriage license in Washington state varies from county to county. Some counties charge approximately $42 while others charge $62 and up. Many counties will not accept checks or credit cards.
Same Sex Marriages: No.
However, as of July 22, 2007, gays, lesbians and unmarried seniors in domestic partnerships have rights that include hospital visitation, inheriting property without a will, emergency health care, funeral arrangements, adoption, child custody, community property, and disposition of remains. Washington's "everything-but-marriage" law was approved by Washington state voters in November 2009. To qualify for these rights, couples will have to register with the Office of the Secretary of State.
Proxy Marriage: No.
However, if both of you cannot apply for your marriage license application at the same time, you may be able to apply through an Absentee Marriage Application. Contact the county offices where you plan on getting married for more information about this option.
Cousin Marriage: No.
Common Law Marriage: No.
Under 18: Applicants between 17 and 18 years of age need to have a parent (legal custodian) present with them to provide their consent. If you are under 17 years old, you will need to have the age requirement waived by a superior court judge of the county in which one of the parties resides. Proof of age such as a driver's license or an original birth certificate are also required along with the written permission of the family court. Emancipated minors must present court emancipation papers specifically allowing the minor to marry.
Officiants: Any ordained or licensed clergyperson, judge, and justice of the peace. Not a Ship's Captain or Notary Public!
Witnesses: You need to have two witnesses at your marriage ceremony of legal age.
Miscellaneous: A Washington state marriage license is valid for 60 days and it is valid only in the state of Washington. You can not use the marriage license to get married in another state.
To obtain a Copy of Certificate of Marriage:
Washington Dept. of Health
Center for Health Statistics
P.O. Box 9709
Olympia, WA
(360) 236-4300 NOTE: Information on marriage laws from About.com (2010)
Please note that I make every effort to offer you common-sense marriage advice and helpful information about marriage on this website, but I am not an attorney and the articles on the site are not ALWAYS written or researched by me.
ALWAYS SEEK PROPER LEGAL ADVISE!