My daughter is getting married and she wants a family friend to conduct the wedding ceremony. Will the ceremony still be legal and recognized by the state of Texas if the family friend officiates the ceremony?
It depends. Texas law recognizes specific categories of people that are authorized to conduct a wedding ceremony. Assuming the family friend is not currently a judge or religious leader, his best bet will be to become an officer of a religious organization who is authorized by the organization to conduct a marriage ceremony.
For the most part, Texas law allows soon-to-be newlyweds to include special or unique touches to the wedding ceremony. However, Texas law does place some limitations on the wedding process, including different categories of people that are legally recognized to conduct wedding ceremonies.
Under current Texas law, persons authorized to perform weddings includes traditional religious figures such as licensed or ordained Christian ministers or priests or Jewish rabbis. Texas law also allows different types of judges to conduct wedding ceremonies, including a justice of the Supreme Court or courts of appeals; federal or magistrate judge (located in Texas); judge of the court of criminal appeals; judge of the district court, county court, probate court, county courts at law, or juvenile courts; or judges of courts of domestic relations. Retired judges who formerly presided over the courts mentioned above can also perform the wedding ceremony.
It has, however, become fairly popular to have a close friend or family member preside over the ceremony, which often raises the question: Is Uncle John really qualified to officiate the wedding? Texas law recognizes wedding officiants that qualify as an officer of a religious organization that is authorized by the organization to conduct a marriage ceremony.
Many people look to the Internet to become a recognized officer of a religious organization in a way that complies with Texas law. The bar to entry is fairly low. A quick Google search yields multiple sites that provide this designation, typically at little or no cost. If you go this route just be sure to confirm the designation and that it will satisfy Texas law.
This article appears in February 6 • 2015.