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 Mississippi. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Mississippi. 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 Mississippi.
- ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
- Minister Registration Required: Sometimes
- Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
- Minister's Minimum Age: 18
- Marriage License Waiting Period: 0 Days
- Marriage License Valid For: 90 Days
- Marriage License Return Within: By Expiration
For more specific information about performing a wedding in certain parts of Mississippi, 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 Mississippi
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 Mississippi
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 Circuit Clerk to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.
Select a county contact
3 Mississippi 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 Mississippi to get an Ordination Package. While registration is not legally required, you may be asked to show proof of ordination to the county clerk in order for the marriage to be accepted as legally valid. 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 Mississippi
Mississippi's Top Wedding Spot
Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation, in downtown Vicksburg
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 Mississippi marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is valid for 90 days, and there is no mandatory waiting period between when the couple picks up the marriage license and when the ceremony may legally be conducted. Please note that the signed marriage 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 Mississippi, 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi Wedding Planning Need-to-Knows
In Mississippi, where the intoxicating scent of Magnolia flowers are ever present, weddings take place year-round. Home of the Mississippi River, the second longest river in the United States, this state experiences balmy, warm conditions year round. Southern summers can become quite hot and humid so it is important to check the average temperatures before planning, particularly if you are sensitive to the heat. Mississippi hosts several large and exciting music festivals through the year on various holidays, so it is also important to check the calendar and review the dates. Wedding officiant fees in Mississippi can vary substantially depending the officiant’s level of experience, whether travel is involved, and how complex the ceremony will be. This can be further affected by how busy the season itself is with celebrations and festivals. Nevertheless, performing a wedding in Mississippi will be a memorable and thrilling experience, whether it be in a venue along the grand Mississippi River, or in a humble barn decorated with bright colors, serving sweet tea and lemonade amidst bright colors and smiling faces.
Mississippi Marriage Code
Mississippi Marriage Code
Marriage in Mississippi is governed by Title 93 of the Mississippi Revised Statutes. Ministers ordained online with the Universal Life Church are permitted to solemnize marriages in Mississippi and have successfully done so thousands of times. Below, you will find that we have reproduced the relevant excerpts of this code.Any minister of the gospel ordained according to the rules of his church or society, in good standing; any Rabbi or other spiritual leader of any other religious body authorized under the rules of such religious body to solemnize rites of matrimony and being in good standing; any judge of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, circuit court, chancery court or county court may solemnize the rites of matrimony between any persons anywhere within this state who shall produce a license granted as herein directed. View the Mississippi Statutes on the official state site.
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