Created and reviewed for accuracy by researchers at the Universal Life Church Ministries
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 Maryland. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Maryland. 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 Maryland.
- ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
- Minister Registration Required: No
- Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
- Minister's Minimum Age: 18
- Marriage License Waiting Period: 2 Days
- Marriage License Valid For: 6 Months
- Marriage License Return Within: By Expiration
For more specific information about performing a wedding in certain parts of Maryland, choose a location below. 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 Maryland
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 Maryland
Next, you should contact the office of your local marriage authority (typically your county clerk). Let them know that you are a minister of the Universal Life Church in Seattle, and ask what they will require of you to officiate a legal marriage.
Select your County Clerk to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.
Select a county contact
3 Maryland 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 Maryland to get an Ordination Package. While minister registration is not technically required in Maryland you may be required to present proof of your ordination to the local authorities before any marriages you perform will be accepted as having been legally solemnized. As an added bonus, having this proof of your ordination will 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.
4 How to get Married in Maryland
Maryland's Top Wedding Spot
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, set in a lighthouse on the Miles River
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 Maryland marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is valid for 6 months, and there is a 2-day mandatory waiting period between when the couple receives the marriage license in Maryland and when the ceremony may be legally performed. Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office before its date of expiry.
At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Maryland, 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 Maryland 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 Maryland Wedding Planning Considerations
If you intend to officiate a wedding in Maryland soon, you're in luck! Here is some useful information to help plan and conduct your wedding ceremony. Maryland wedding season is almost equally split between both summer and fall. Summers are frequently hot, with temperatures peaking in the mid-nineties, and very humid. Fall brings much more reasonable temperatures -- the average high is usually in the mid-sixties. Remember to dress appropriately! Take note that barn weddings are very popular in Maryland. Popular barn wedding destinations include Bohemia River Lookout, the White Barn at Lucas Farm, Spring Hill Manor, and many others. If your wedding ceremony is going to take place in a barn, bring some comfortable shoes. Waterfront weddings and courthouse weddings are also common in Maryland. How much should an officiant charge for weddings in Maryland? That depends on several factors, including how experienced the officiant is, how much preparation will be involved, and if travel will be required. For example, make sure to account for the mileage from your home to the ceremony location.
Maryland Marriage Code
Maryland Marriage Code
Marriage in Maryland is governed by the Family Law section of Maryland's 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.(2) A marriage ceremony may be performed in this State by: (i) any official of a religious order or body authorized by the rules and customs of that order or body to perform a marriage ceremony; (ii) any clerk; (iii) any deputy clerk designated by the county administrative judge of the circuit court for the county; or (iv) a judge. View the Maryland Statutes on the official state site.
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