RI BRIDES! Need Your Help with Officiant!

kgrenon812

I am hoping to get some information regarding Officiants in Rhode Island. My fiance and I had planned to have a friend of ours who was ordained online with the Universal Life Church do our ceremony in June. We are getting married in the Gardens at Blithewold so it is not a religious ceremony.
I had done lots of research and keep coming up confused. I contacted the Clerk's office in Bristol, RI and he gave me a very round-about answer which still left me confused.
Our friend has performed 3 other marriage ceremonies in California and Hawaii with no problem but I was wondering if anyone on these forums would have any insight.

Thank you!

musictchr25

Here's a helpful link that should explain everything for you.  The last page has specific information about who can perform the ceremony.  

http://www.health.ri.gov/publications/requirements/GeneralMarriageRhodeIsland.pdf

kgrenon812

Thanks for sending that. I had read that over the other day and even after contacting the Clerk again he has left me confused and a little insulted with his responses.
He said that we have to go through a State Legislature. I can't believe that it is such a process!

Has anyone out there had their wedding done by a minister through the Universal Life Church? Did you have any issues??

Please let me know.

Thanks!

Motes414

I would recommend Victoria Burdick - www.authenticceremony.com.

She is great! I know a few of the brides on here have used her, and loved their experience.  FI and I unfortunately could not get her for our own ceremony in September ' 12  (she was already booked a year in advance!!) But hopefully you will have better luck : )

Sarah MD

I think if you say it's a religious ceremony, you do not need to go through the legislature.  While you don't intend it to be "religious" in the typical sense, I think having a "religious ceremony" keeps the state out of your business.  I'm not going this route, so I suggest you double check this, but I remember reading something about it.  Try the clerks office again saying it's religious. 

As a back-up, Judge Gariepy out of Woonsocket is $100-150 and Peter Rosedale (retired judge - and who I am using) is $200.

SotobeMarried

We loved Michael Egan from Heavenly Weddings, he was so helpful and realxing!

www.Heavenly Weddingsinri.com