Officiant

clevernapkins

I'm sure I can call a local government office there to find out, but I happened to be perusing the boards and thought I'd ask.

We're having a friend officiate our ceremony and I was wondering if he can legally marry us, being as he did get ordained online, or if there was a law specifying otherwise in South Carolina and we'll just have to get a JoP quickie beforehand and not tell anyone.

Anyone have any experience with this or planning to have a non-clergy ceremony in South Carolina?

katydid2014

This is straight from the Charleston County probate court's website:

1. Only ministers of the Gospel or accepted Jewish rabbis and officers authorized to administer oaths in this State are authorized to administer a marriage ceremony in South Carolina.
    
2. A South Carolina marriage license is valid only for marriages performed in South Carolina.

And Charleston County does not have a courthouse type option for getting married.  What you have to do is pick up your marriage license from the courthouse and then go somewhere else to have someone qualified marry you and then send the signed papers back to probate court.  We went to Mobile Marriage in Mount Pleasant and I think it was like $50 or $75 for them to marry us in their office and they send everything in for you.  (We did that because my husband is military, then we just had our wedding later)

kd.joseph

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_south-carolina-charleston_officiant-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:600Discussion:871ab35d-2769-47f8-aba5-e5398972c1bdPost:e999d2a8-9ae9-4523-b057-d86a039f1c17">Officiant</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm sure I can call a local government office there to find out, but I happened to be perusing the boards and thought I'd ask. We're having a friend officiate our ceremony and I was wondering if he can legally marry us, being as he did get ordained online, or if there was a law specifying otherwise in South Carolina and we'll just have to<strong>get a JoP quickie beforehand and not tell anyone.</strong>Anyone have any experience with this or planning to have a non-clergy ceremony in South Carolina?
Posted by clevernapkins[/QUOTE]

I think the PP's answered your question. My only suggestion is don't do the bolded part. You should not feel the need to lie to your family and friends. I'm sure they will understand that there were restrictions and this is why you chose to do it this way.

My personal opinion, if you want to get married in SC just have one ceremony and have someone that is qualified do the "one" ceremony. In the end it doesn't seem worth the hassle. And you are not saving anything. Good Luck.

nfguthrie

Does your friend live in SC?  If there's enough time s/he wants to do it, s/he can become a notary public and legally perform the ceremony.  It's not an esp. hard thing to do, but I think the test to become one costs money.

clevernapkins

Unfortunately, we all live in Georgia, so a notary option wouldn't be feasible.

 I saw that note on the official website, but wasn't sure what their meaning of 'minister of Gospel' was since he's ordained as a minister by the Universal Life Church. I know that the South can be a little particular when it comes to matters of religion, so I didn't know if that would count.

Since we do live here in Georgia, we can just go to the courthouse before we drive up, if need be.