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Does an officiant have to be ordained to perform MT weddings?

wandrlustwandrlust
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in Montana
I read on someone's blog about a year ago that the officiant for a wedding in Montana doesn't have to be ordained. I asked the staff at the Carbon County office if that was true and they faxed me something about Rubella. Completely unhelpful. Does anyone know? My FI's brother is marrying us and I need to find out if we need to get him an online ordination.

Thanks! 
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Re: Does an officiant have to be ordained to perform MT weddings?

  • Sierra_85Sierra_85
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Yes, an odination of some sort is required in Montana. (Online should work just fine, and from what I hear really isn't that difficult to obtain...)

    Here is the specifics for officiating a MT wedding : 40-1-301. Solemnization and registration. (1) A marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court of record, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by a mayor, city judge, or justice of the peace, by a tribal judge, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination, Indian nation or tribe, or native group.

    Hope this helps!

    BabyFruit Ticker
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  • mkr42mkr42
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    It costs about $35 to have someone ordained to perform your wedding ceremony in Montana. They are able to do this all online. Other than that any justice of the peace, or pastor, preacher, priest, etc. will be ordained through the state and able to perform the ceremony.
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  • laurae84laurae84 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I knew a friend of a friend who got married in MT with no officiant at all--just him and his (now ex) wife. So evidently it can be done!
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  • elbuort2elbuort2 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    No according to my Grandmother you do not have to have an ordained person do your ceremony she was really pissed off about it but I think its important to do what's special to you.
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