Created and reviewed for accuracy by researchers at the Universal Life Church
Congratulations! If you've found yourself at this page it is likely that you are either planning to be married or have been asked to perform a wedding ceremony in Louisiana. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Louisiana. The information provided below will walk you through the steps one must follow to become a minister and perform a valid wedding ceremony in the state of Louisiana.
- ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
- Minister Registration Required: Yes
- Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
- Minister's Minimum Age: 18
- Marriage License Waiting Period: 24 Hours
- Marriage License Valid For: 30 Days
- Marriage License Return Within: By Expiration
Local LA Wedding Guides
For more specific information about performing a wedding in certain parts of Louisiana, choose a location above. If your area isn't listed, don't worry - just continue scrolling to review the helpful general information on this page.
1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Louisiana
If you haven't already, you should get ordained online with the Universal Life Church. Ordination is free and can be completed in just a matter of minutes. Thousands of legally valid marriages are performed by ULC ministers around the world every year. Begin the process by clicking the big blue button below!
2 Officiating a Wedding in Louisiana
Your first step is to contact the marriage licensing office in the parish where the ceremony will take place. Let them know you’re a minister and ask what documents they require. You may be asked to provide proof of ordination and, in some cases, complete and submit the below affidavit confirming your status as a minister.
Louisiana Marriage Officiant Registration Affidavit
Keep in mind that requirements can vary from one parish to another, so it’s best to check with local officials in advance. Any documents or supplies you might need are available through the Church Supplies catalog on our site.
To find contact details for a specific office, select a parish below:
Select a parish clerk of courts
Choose the parish you'd like to contact from the dropdown menu above to see their office’s information.
3 Louisiana Officiant Requirements
After you've contacted your marriage authority, you should visit our online store to purchase whatever documentation will be required. We typically advise ministers in Louisiana to get an Ordination Package and add a Letter of Good Standing to her or his order. Minister registration is required in Louisiana. You will need to present the documents in the Ordination Package and your Letter of Good Standing to the Parish clerk before the marriages you perform will be accepted as having been legally solemnized. As an added bonus, having this proof of your ordination will also provide peace-of-mind to any couple that you intend to marry. Additionally, please attempt to leave at least 3 weeks between the date of the wedding ceremony and your order, to ensure that you receive all of your materials in advance.
Parish courts will grant temporary licenses for wedding officiants in Louisiana, but these licenses are expensive and only last for a month. By getting ordained online with the Universal Life Church you can save money and be legally authorized to perform valid Louisiana weddings for life.
4 How to get Married in Louisiana
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Now that you've done all of the above, you are ready to perform the wedding! Be sure that the couple has picked up their Louisiana marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is valid for 30 days, and there is a 24 hour mandatory waiting period between when the couple receives the marriage license in Louisiana and when the ceremony may be legally performed. Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office by its date of expiry.
At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Louisiana, after they've received their license to marry by getting ordained online, asking for guidance on how to perform a wedding ceremony. Once the legal matters have been taken care of, officiating a wedding (while a sometimes-daunting task) can be a great deal of fun. We would suggest that new Louisiana wedding ministers concerned about the ceremony peruse one of our helpful wedding guides. The minister training section of our website should offer a helpful refresher for more experienced ministers.
5 Important Louisiana Wedding Information
Folks who have been to Louisiana might describe a certain magic that seems to emanate from the state. With the beautiful natural settings, the colors, the flavors, and welcoming disposition of the locals, plenty of people are hoping to take advantage of the many gorgeous wedding venues in Louisiana. If you know a happy couple looking to have a Louisiana wedding, there are some things you should take into account. The first would be the heat. Like many states, Louisiana's prime wedding season is also the warm season, spanning from late spring to early autumn. This isn't going to be your average dry heat - no, this is a thick, wet heat that you feel saturate your entire body. Be sure to discuss appropriate attire with the couple. Consider that some colors such as white tend to show perspiration less than others would. Attention to these sorts of details can really make a difference and set you apart from less-seasoned wedding officiants. The second thing to consider is the location. While there are a great many wedding chapels in Louisiana and certainly some breathtaking outdoor wedding venues, there is actually just one important distinction when it comes to ceremonies; whether it takes place in the city of New Orleans or somewhere else in the state. This has great impact of the formality of the event. Generally speaking, Louisiana weddings tend to range from semi-formal to completely relaxed and casual with about 89% of ceremonies falling into this category. New Orleans weddings are quite a different a story. They tend to range from formal to black tie affairs. Again, you would want to discuss appropriate attire with the couple. Keeping these things in mind can help you set your fee for performing the wedding. A charismatic and experienced officiant can charge a pretty penny for nuptials.
Louisiana Marriage Code
Louisiana Marriage Code
Marriage in Louisiana is governed by Title 9 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes. Ministers who got ordained online with the Universal Life Church have successfully solemnized thousands of weddings in the state. Below, you will find that we have reproduced a relevant excerpt of this code.§202. Authority to perform marriage ceremony A marriage ceremony may be performed by: (1) A priest, minister, rabbi, clerk of the Religious Society of Friends, or any clergyman of any religious sect, who has attained the age of majority and is authorized by the authorities of his religion to perform marriages, and who is registered to perform marriages; (2) A state judge or justice of the peace. Acts 1987, No. 886, §3, eff. Jan. 1, 1988; Acts 1997, No. 73, §1; Acts 2014, No. 651, §1. View the Louisiana Statutes on the official state site.
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