A friend of ours (Phil) got ordained to perform our wedding. Since he is a New York City employee he found out that he could jeopardize advancement in his career if he performs our wedding.
My fiance came up with the idea of having our best man (Ron) get ordained. His logic is have Phil perform the wedding as planned but when it comes to signing the marriage certificate have Ron sign where the officiant would and Phil sign where the witness would.
I really need to know if this is legal!! I would hate to find out years down the road that we aren't really married.
Please please please please help! My wedding is in 5 weeks!
Church of Ancient Ways
Posted:
Member since
Re: Officiant Help!
In New York State there have been cases of people being declared never legally married because their officiant didn't have a group or real live humans that constituted a congregation who met on a regular basis in a fixed location for spiritual reasons.
The worst was a Rabbi.. Heller I think his name was.. he was marrying people for many many years and there were literally hundreds who were declared never legally married.
This was decided in divorce court even after the certificate came from the state. With or without an ordination, in NY it is the body count of a congregation that seems to be the issue of law. (See McKinney's Law, New York State Domestic Law, Ravenel vs Ravenel) or consult your lawyer for more details.
I'm not trying to sell you anything, and I'm not suggesting that if you have chosen a friend to marry you that you change who you have performing the public celebration of your marriage, but the paperwork is another matter.
I married a couple last Sunday, her friend did the public ceremony and for $100.00, I swung by the reception and made it legal. The town of Babylon Clerk marries residents for free. There are lots of ways to have a public ceremony and lots of ways to sign a license. My personal advice is to separate the two and have a wonderful day that is beyond a shadow of a doubt legally binding. As with many things in life it is more often not as much a matter of What to do but of How.
Hopefully this has been helpful and has answered your question. Please feel free to call me if I may be of any further assistance.
L&L, Pastor April 516-785-4191 http://www.churchofancientways.org
