How to Perform a Wedding in Florida

3 Florida Officiant Requirements

Once you’ve spoken with the county clerk’s office to determine what is required to officiate a wedding in Florida, head over to our online catalog to order any materials you’ll need.

Ministers are not generally required to register in Florida, but it's still prudent to have physical copies of ordination documents just in case you are asked to show proof of ordination. Couples often feel more comfortable knowing that their wedding minister has official documents issued by the church, just in case. For those planning to officiate in Florida, we typically recommend the Ordination Package. Additionally, we encourage ministers to place their orders at least three weeks prior to the wedding – that way, materials are guaranteed to arrive in plenty of time.

The state of Florida does not have any specific requirements for how a wedding ceremony should be conducted. For any minister, including those who are ordained online, it would be prudent to note that under Florida law, couples who participate in a state-sanctioned marriage preparation course are eligible to receive a discount on their marriage application fees.

4 How to Ensure Weddings are Legal in Florida

Florida's Top Wedding Spot

A sandside ceremony at Smathers Beach, Key West's longest strand

The last thing to review prior to the ceremony are marriage license rules. Here is a quick list of need-to-knows for a Florida marriage license:

• The couple should pick up the marriage license before the ceremony date. It is typically issued by the county clerk’s office.

• The license will be valid for 60 days, and a mandatory 3-day waiting period applies only to Florida residents. The ceremony cannot legally be held until that waiting period is over. However, this rule doesn’t apply to non-residents.

• Once the ceremony is over, the signed marriage license needs to be handed back to the office that issued it within 10 days.

So long as everyone understands these important legal aspects, the couple and officiant can turn full focus to the main event! Performing a wedding ceremony is an experience one does not soon forget, but it’s also an honor that deserves proper preparation and planning. That’s why we’ve curated an entire Wedding Training Center, chalk-full of helpful pointers for first-time officiants and tools designed to make wedding prep a breeze. But that’s not all! We also provide higher level resources, like this in-depth wedding guide, in the literature section of our website catalog.

5 Important Florida Wedding Planning Tips

When planning to officiate a wedding in Florida, there are several specific things to consider. Florida is known for warm weather and miles of coastline, with a good majority of ceremonies taking place outside and around 25% at Florida beach wedding venues. During the late summer and fall, tropical storms are something to contend with as well. Don't forget to check the weather report and plan your attire accordingly!

Florida is also a common location for destination weddings, so keep in mind that demand for certain regions or venues may be higher than expected. Are you wondering how much an officiant should charge for weddings in Florida? That is dependent on several factors, including how experienced the officiant is, how much involvement the officiant will have in preparations, and the distance of travel that will be required.