Performing an upcoming wedding in Polk County? Congratulations! Presiding over a wedding ceremony is one of life's great memorable experiences. However, this important role also brings with it considerable responsibility. In this guide, we'll dive into the process in detail to make sure you’re aware of what exactly will be required of you. We'll cover details like how to prepare for a wedding ceremony, how to check the officiant requirements in your area, and how to make sure the marriage is legally recorded in Polk County.
1 Become an Ordained Minister in Polk County
If you haven't already, you'll first need to get ordained as a minister of the Universal Life Church. This might sound a bit intimidating on its face, but we promise the process is simple. ULC ordination can be completed online, free of charge, and will provide you the power to perform legal wedding ceremonies! Best of all, getting ordained takes only a few minutes. You can get started by tapping the button below!
Key Info for Ministers in Polk County
- ULC Ordination Accepted:
- Yes
- Minister Registration Required:
- Sometimes
- Documents Required:
- N/A
- Minister's Residency:
- Irrelevant
- Minister's Minimum Age:
- 18
2 Confirm Wedding Officiant Requirements in Polk County
The next step is an important one. Once ordained, you'll want to get in touch with the government office in charge of handling marriages in Polk County. Explain to the office that you’re an ordained minister wishing to know what documentation or information they need to see prior to you performing a wedding in their district.
If you scroll down to the next section, you'll find contact information for the relevant office in Polk County listed.
- Office Address:
-
111 Court Avenue Ste 250
Des Moines, IA 50309 - Office Phone Number:
- (515) 286-3160
- Office Website:
- Polk County Office Website
3 Order Necessary Documentation to Officiate in Polk County
After learning what you'll need to officiate, you can visit our online catalog to order any documents or supplies for the ceremony. For Polk County we typically advise ministers get a Classic Wedding Package, but your conversation with local officials will give you a more specific idea of what to include in your order.
4 Officiate a Wedding and Fill Out the Polk County Marriage License
Now you’re ready to officiate the wedding! If it’s your first time officiating (or even if it’s not) be sure to check out our wedding training center for helpful tips and tools.
After the ceremony is over, the last important box to check is filling out the marriage license. In Polk County, this license does not expire, there is a mandatory 4-day waiting period, and the completed license must be returned before its listed expiration date. If you're unfamiliar with the process of filling out this document, please visit our marriage license training guide.
- Marriage License Waiting Period:
- 4 Days
- Marriage License Valid For:
- Never Expires
- Return Within:
- 15 Days
How to Write a Wedding Officiant Script in Polk County
Pretty regularly, we receive calls from wedding officiants in Polk County who are looking for some help on what to say while they are officiating a wedding ceremony after they've become ordained online.
Once all the legal formalities are settled, the truly exciting part egins – planning and executing the ceremony itself! We totally understand that this whole process might be a bit overwhelming, especially for first-time wedding officiants - so we built a whole collection of online tools to help.
For Polk County wedding officiants, we highly recommend turning to our previously mentioned helpful wedding guides. Additionally, we advise that they take advantage of the various free resources on our website, like our wedding ceremony script generator. This innovative tool enables you to sit down with the couple and input specific details about the planned ceremony and their preferences, resulting in a fully customized wedding script just for their big day!
Take a moment to peruse some of our online sample wedding scripts as well. These pre-written ceremony scripts can be printed and used as-is, or simply serve as additional inspiration while you craft your own script from scratch. In either case, they are extremely helpful resources for any wedding ceremony you're asked to officiate. And remember, for wedding officiant clothing or other necessities for the big day, our wedding catalog is exclusively available to those ordained by the ULC!
What to Know About Polk County Wedding Ceremonies
Polk County is home to Des Moines, the state capital and largest city in Iowa. Des Moines is a cultural hub of the midwest, and is positively brimming with art, history, music, and architecture. Whether you're after a wedding at a charming country barn or a downtown hotel, Des Moines and surrounding Polk County have got you covered.
