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Rhode Island
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Can we have family get ordained in RI?

dribblejackdribblejack member
Fifth Anniversary 10 Comments
in Rhode Island
My fiance & I want our dads to officiate our wedding ceremony in Newport.  My cousin did this in MA (although only one of the dads actually did the paperwork - 2 weren't allowed).  I went to RI.gov but didn't really understand everything.  Rather than waiting until Monday to call & ask the town clerk or whoever, I thought I'd ask here 1st.  Does anone know if this is legal in RI?  Neither of them are RI residents by the way.
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Re: Can we have family get ordained in RI?

  • KBinRIKBinRI member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Officiants have to be clergy or one of the types of judges, magistrates, clerks of the court, etc. named in the state law: 

    Here's another document with helpful information in common language instead of law-speak.

    However, I do believe that an online ordination counts, at least from what I've read in posts on this board. The other way is to go through the General Assembly. For instance, my friend worked in the governor's office and his boss wanted the gov to perform her wedding, so they had to get the legislature to approve him as a magistrate for that one day. That's obviously the more difficult route!
    Kristen and Bryan ~ 10-10-10 Image and video hosting by TinyPic
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  • SarahTaggSarahTagg
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    A friend of ours just got ordained online so he could be our officiant. All he had to do was fill out a questionaire so I don't think it's a big deal at all.
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  • dribblejackdribblejack member
    Fifth Anniversary 10 Comments
    edited December 2011

    Thank you!  Can you tell me which website your friend used & if he checked to make sure it was all good with RI?  Also - does your friend live out-of-state but was still able to get ordained in RI?

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  • dribblejackdribblejack member
    Fifth Anniversary 10 Comments
    edited December 2011

    Found out - it's legal if they are ordained as ministers.  We're using the "Universal Life Church" online.  I'm not crazy about the idea of going through a "church" because we're jewish (even though we're not religious & our ceremony won't be religious) but it's non-denominational.

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