A person interested in becoming a wedding pastor can choose between two paths. He can get a degree in theological studies by studying theology at an accredited school. This could take two to ten years of study, as well as college tuition. Another option for becoming a wedding officiant is to simply purchase an ordination. Many churches sell ordinations online, making it legal for anyone who wants to be a wedding pastor to do so.
Attending a university to study theology and completing the program ensures that the student will graduate with an associate’s degree at the very least. Some theologians study for up to ten years at a university to earn a Master of Divinity or Doctor of Theology degree. Students who pursue theology degrees don’t do so solely to become wedding pastors. They usually serve as church ministers or teach theology. He has the authority to perform weddings as a church minister.
A person must be ordained by a church to become a wedding pastor, or any other type of pastor or minister. The church makes the decision, and the person is given the authority to perform religious and church functions, such as officiating at weddings. Governments do not impose any requirements on those who are permitted to perform weddings. That decision is entirely at the discretion of the church.
Many churches will ordain anyone interested in serving as a wedding minister. A significant number of these ordinations take place on the church’s website. A Christian who believes in God and accepts Jesus as his savior is all that is required of an applicant. The church provides an identification card or certificate authorizing the prospective wedding pastor to perform legal weddings in the United States for a fee.
After a wedding pastor or minister, whichever title he prefers, has been ordained by a church, he must follow the state’s requirements in order to perform a wedding. The wedding pastor handles all of the paperwork for the city or county where the ceremony is held. Within a certain number of days after the wedding, the minister must usually submit a marriage license to the county clerk. In most cases, the marriage license must be filed within four to twenty days.