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 Rhode Island. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Rhode Island. 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 Rhode Island.
- ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
- Minister Registration Required: No
- 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
1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island
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 City or Town Clerk to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.
Select a county contact
Rhode Island's Top Wedding Spot
Centrally located in the downtown harbor, the Newport Yachting Center
3 License to Marry in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island to get an Ordination Package. Although minister registration is not required in Rhode Island you may be asked to display proof of your ordination to the county clerks before they will accept the marriage as having been legally solemnized. Having this proof of your ordination can also provide a great deal of 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.
Please note that weddings in Rhode Island require the presence of 2 witnesses in addition to the presence of the ordained minister.
4 How to get Married in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is valid for 90 days, and there is no mandatory waiting period between when the couple receives the marriage license in Rhode Island and when the ceremony may be legally performed Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office before its expiry.
At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island Wedding Tips
Congratulations on officiating a wedding in Rhode Island. Here are a few tips to keep in mind: The most popular time to hold a wedding in Rhode Island is the summer, and the Ocean State’s summers are wonderfully temperate. Highs average in the mid-seventies, and lows typically fall in the mid-fifties. Dress warmly if you’re someone who is always cold—otherwise, enjoy officiating in a climate that allows you to wear whatever you find most comfortable. Rhode Island boasts wedding destinations rich in colonial history and luxurious mansions constructed for the Gilded Age. Narragansett, Warwick, and Providence all make popular wedding locations, but Newport, with its collection of Castle Hill, Aldrich Mansion, Belle Mer, and more, is the crown jewel of Rhode Island’s wedding scene. Expect ocean views wherever your wedding ceremony leads you. Now that you know a little about Rhode Island, it’s time to answer the most important question. How much should I charge? Your fee should account for your experience, time commitment, and travel. The average cost for a pastor or minister in Rhode Island is $263, according to the Bridal Association of America.
Rhode Island Marriage Code
Marriage in Rhode Island is governed by Chapter 3 of Title 15 of Rhode Island's Statutes (the RI general laws). 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.15 R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-3-8. Witnesses to ceremony. The solemnization of marriage shall be in the presence of at least two (2) witnesses besides the minister, elder, justice, or warden officiating. View the Rhode Island Statutes on the official state site.
To view the in-depth wedding laws for Rhode Island state:
Rhode Island Marriage Laws⇓ Show the rest
