ULC - IN THE NEWS

Getting Married in 2026? Here’s Who Can Legally Officiate Weddings in GA

Planning a wedding in Georgia? You'll need an officiant, but the good news is that almost anyone can perform the ceremony. According to U.S. Marriage Laws, any minister authorized by their church may perform marriages in Georgia. Anyone over 18 can become ordained online through the Universal Life Church Ministries. There's no waiting period, residency requirement, or minister registration needed in Georgia. Once ordained through the Universal Life Church, officiants can legally perform weddings, baptisms, and funerals.

Source: The Telegraph

She Remembered ‘That Kid Who Used to Be in Love’ With Her

Colleen Bridgit DeCourcy and Jason Leonard MacDonald first met in 1983 during a college production of "Guys and Dolls" in Ontario, Canada. After six months of dating, their ambitious paths led them in different directions. Each married other people and lost touch for over 35 years. In 2024, Mr. MacDonald messaged Ms. DeCourcy on LinkedIn: "Remember that kid who used to be in love with you?" They reunited on Christmas Eve 2024 and married exactly one year later at La Mercerie in New York City. Joanna Coles, a close friend and chief creative officer at The Daily Beast, officiated after being ordained by the Universal Life Church for the occasion.

Source: The NY Times

She Planned Hundreds of Weddings. Now Her Own.

Reneille-Gian Paneda Velez, a wedding planner, and Brian Michael Teodoro, a Microsoft security analyst, met on Bumble in August 2020 during the pandemic's slower wedding season. After a rocky start that included Mr. Teodoro ghosting her due to work stress, Ms. Velez gave him a second chance. Mr. Teodoro proposed under the Eiffel Tower in September 2024. They were married at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. Kimball Gainor, a close friend of Ms. Velez who was previously ordained through the Universal Life Church, officiated.

Source: The NY Times

Austin Living: 'I love, love'

Wendy Anderson became an ordained officiant through the Universal Life Church to play a special role in her sister's wedding. Her sister wanted to avoid choosing a traditional wedding party, so Anderson suggested getting ordained to be involved in a meaningful way. As a self-described storyteller, Anderson loves sitting with couples, hearing their stories, and creating customized ceremonies around them. Being ordained through the Universal Life Church has also opened an unexpected door: conducting funeral services, giving her another opportunity to tell stories and create personalized celebrations of life.

Source: Austin Daily Herald

It Took Them Five Months to Meet. Then Only Six Weeks to Commit

Sabrina Soto, a former HGTV host, and Nate Whitney, an MLB physical therapist, had a slow start to a speedy commitment. The couple met on Raya, but struggled to find time for a first date. Five months later, they finally met in person; less than a year after that, the two were engaged. For both, the mentality was the same: 'why wait?' They married in an intimate ceremony among close friends and family. Christopher Robinson, ordained through the Universal Life Church, officiated.

Source: The NY Times

The Federal Shutdown Almost Delayed Their Marriage

Jared Brown and Daniel Roberts, who bonded over their work with the Obamas, had a meticulous engagement 'rollout plan,' but securing a marriage license was the real test. After a scramble to submit the necessary documents ahead of the federal shutdown, the couple received their marriage license and the wedding went off without a hitch. Their friend Emil Wilbekin, who was ordained through Universal Life Church, officiated.

Source: The NY Times

Their Obsession With Travel Points Led to an Unexpected Spark

Heather Peggs and George Igoe connected over frequent flier miles, but their chemistry sealed the deal. After their first date, she deleted her dating apps, and a month in, he knew she was 'the one.' At Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, under a sky full of stars and surrounded by onlookers, Mr. Igoe knelt with a diamond ring and proposed. They were married in Queens, N.Y. Joe Fulton, a close friend of the couple who was previously ordained through the Universal Life Church, officiated.

Source: The NY Times

Allison Dupuis and Patrick Carmody Wed in Savannah

Allison Frances Dupuis and Patrick Murphy Carmody were united in marriage on Nov. 15, 2025, at Savannah Bottle Works in Savannah, GA. The double-ring ceremony was performed by Tom Alexander, Universal Life Church officiant and friend of the couple. The couple resides in Brunswick where Mrs. Carmody is employed as a historian with the Coastal Georgia Historical Society. Mr. Carmody is employed as the museum educator for Mosaic on Jekyll Island.

Source: The Brunswick News

When Did Marriage Begin?

Evidence suggests marriage is at least 4,300 years old. In that time, options for non-religious weddings have become popular, including a 'unity ceremony' that can symbolize the union of two lives into one, like those offered by the Universal Life Church. Other secular ceremonies often include touches that encourage the couple to make their ceremony unique and personal, with aspects like self-written vows and ring-exchange alternatives.

Source: The Week

Switching Gears to Slow and Steady

Matthew Maggiacomo attracted many fans with his high-energy Peloton classes, but preferred a slower-paced relationship after meeting Evan Feeley. The pace of their romance, slowed by the pandemic, helped both recognize its genuineness. Mr. Feeley proposed on the Cantor Roof Garden at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Jenna Chusid, a friend previously ordained by the Universal Life Church, married them.

Source: The NY Times

Their Love Story Came With Clues — and One Obvious Answer

Every morning, Lynn Fang He and Zachary McLean Hobesh play their favorite New York Times games: Wordle, Mini Crossword, and Connections. So when Mr. Hobesh proposed to Ms. He in July 2024, it was only natural that he did it using a custom Connections game he created featuring four categories whose titles aligned to ask 'Will You Marry Me?' The two were wed by their mutual friend Tali Errecano, who was ordained by the Universal Life Church.

Source: The NY Times

Between Laps, a Deep Friendship Surfaced

Lilly King, the Olympic swimmer, met James Wells as teammates for the Indiana University swim team. The world was watching when Mr. Wells proposed at the June 2024 Olympic trials in Indianapolis. Ms. King, still dripping in her race suit after coming in second at the 200-meter breaststroke final, was stunned. Their friend, Kyle Johnson, another Indiana University teammate, was ordained by the Universal Life Church to officiate their wedding.

Source: The NY Times

A Coachella Encounter Leads to Love and Lots of Caviar

Lily Rosenthal, a food influencer, and Mason Royal, a chef, met at a music festival and bonded over their love of food. For their first date, Mr. Royal picked Ms. Rosenthal up at her parents Los Angeles home with caviar in hand. Two years later, they created their own food festival for their wedding. Jose Arellano, a close friend of Ms. Rosenthal, officiated before 165 guests. Mr. Arellano was ordained by the Universal Life Church for the occasion.

Source: The NY Times

Castmates Become Co-Stars in Their Own Romantic Comedy

A video project and mutual friends helped bring Maya Bradford, a book publicist, and Lily Marotta, a comedian and podcaster, together. They connected over their love of books, gossip and more. On vacation in Barcelona, Mr. Marotta proposed to Ms. Bradford while they were getting ready to go to an Olivia Rodrigo concert. They were married in Provincetown, Mass., by Luke Studebaker, a friend of the couple and a Universal Life Church minister.

Source: The NY Times

A Promise She Was Happy to Break

Adrienne Tarver had told herself she would never date a fellow artist. Seeing the fallout from breakups between artist couples she knew, inspired her personal ban. Then she met Jason Karolak, an abstract painter, on an art gallery crawl. After a couple glasses of wine, both Ms. Tarver and Mr. Karolak were sensing their dinner conversation had veered beyond friendly. The couple took things slow over the next three years, building steadily to a proposal in 2024. They were married in Livingston Manor, N.Y. by Adam Green, a cousin of Mr. Karolak who was ordained by the Universal Life Church for the occasion.

Source: The NY Times

Lucy Dacus Officiated 9 Weddings During Music Festival

Lucy Dacus officiated weddings for nine couples onstage at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, N.Y., during her set at All Things Go festival. In January, the Grammy winner posted a call to action on her Instagram Stories asking LGBTQ+ couples if they'd like to be legally married on stage during her tour stops. Ms. Dacus was ordained by the Universal Life Church to officiate the weddings,” and plans to continue marrying concert-goers at upcoming shows.

Source: People

Breaking News Interrupted Their Date, but Not Their Connection

As the senior political correspondent for ABC News, Rachel Scott has to be ready at a moment’s notice to cover a big story. Elliott Smith proved early on that he wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever it took to help her. Despite finding success independently, the two married in the hopes of celebrating it together, forever. One of Ms. Scott’s best friends, Hayley Gallian, who was ordained for the occasion by the Universal Life Church, officiated.

Source: The NY Times

Two Friendly Gamers Became Forever Teammates

Elyse Freeman and Jeff Carpenter met five years ago while competing on the same team in Killer Queen Black, an online game. As their relationship grew, so did their love for Killer Queen Arcade. They run tournaments in Utah and travel often to play elsewhere. The couple married at the Sundance Mountain Resort in Sundance, Utah, by a frequent teammate, Mark Howell, who is ordained by the Universal Life Church.

Source: The NY Times

When a Walk Turns Into a 12-Hour Date

Sparks didn’t fly when Melissa Lee and Skylar Gibson met while moving into the same building. But after a trip to Guitar Center and an impromptu dinner, they ended the evening on the rooftop, where everything started to click. 'It was one of those 12-hour dates,' Ms. Lee said. The couple said 'I do' four years later, in front of a college friend of the groom who was ordained by the Universal Life Church for the occasion.

Source: The NY Times

After He Proposed, 19 Friends Lost Their Bet

When they met on a dating app three years ago, Stefanie Manisero and John Avanzino had been single for a while. Both were uncertain whether they would ever marry. Friends bet they would be single into their 40s. Many of those friends were in attendance when they were wed by Pat Kiernan, a longtime friend and mentor to Ms. Manisero, who was ordained by the Universal Life Church for the occasion.

Source: The NY Times