Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely. We have a simple "Intimate" package that includes a pre-written ceremony text modified with a few of your wedding details. It’s an economical way to tie the knot if you’re interested in keeping things simple. Make sure you are aware of the minimum legal requirements by checking with the appropriate state agency.

We also offer a "Sign & Go" when you all you need is the license signed, and you can even add a small "Micro-Ceremony" to that.

The license to get married is something that the couple has to acquire. The fees for ceremony services performed by Chadwick Weddings includes delivery of the marriage license to the appropriate agency immediately following the wedding. If you want to turn it in yourselves, you are welcome to do so, but we are more than happy to do it for you.

Each county/township’s web site usually has helpful FAQs about the license and the post-wedding marriage certificate process.

The marriage license must be acquired in the state in which you are getting married, not the state in which you live (if different). While marriage licenses are not transferable between states, a legal marriage in one state (and its subsequent marriage certificate) is legal across the entire country and is proven by the marriage certificate.

When applying for the license, most townships (especially in New Jersey) will request the name, address, and title of the officiant. Ours is: Chadwick Weddings, Minister (if they request a title), 6 Nantucket Court, Medford NJ 08055, 609-975-9766.

After the wedding, you will get copies of your marriage certificate (the document proving you’re married) from the appropriate township or county where the license was filed.

Absolutely. We have a simple "Intimate" package that includes a pre-written ceremony text modified with a few of your wedding details. It’s an economical way to tie the knot if you’re interested in keeping things simple. Make sure you are aware of the minimum legal requirements by checking with the appropriate state agency.

We also offer a "Sign & Go" when you all you need is the license signed, and you can even add a small "Micro-Ceremony" to that.

A “Sign & Go” is just a license signing. There is no ceremony that takes place, it is merely a legal signature on your marriage license. Chadwick Weddings currently performs “Sign and Go” services in NJ and PA.

What you will need:

Step 1. A legal marriage license from the appropriate municipality/county in NJ or PA. In NJ, the municipality will require our contact information for the license. It is: Chadwick Weddings, Minister, 6 Nantucket Court, Medford NJ 08055. Our contact number is 609-975-9766.

- In New Jersey, you will apply for the license in the municipality where at least one of you resides. If neither applicant is a NJ resident, submit the application in the municipality where the license will be signed/marriage will be performed, according to the municipal tax records for the venue’s address.

Note, it is not always the same town name as the venue’s physical address! Check the address with https://www.njpropertyrecords.com to find the correct municipality and county. Plan on applying at least one week before the license is issued! There is a 72-hour waiting period and the license is good for thirty days, so get it closer to thirty days out if you can. You will not be given the license until the 72 hour waiting period has concluded. Check with your township for more information on logistics and fees. For more information and basic marriage requirements, see this page: NJ Dept. of Health Vital Statistics

- In Pennsylvania, there are no residency requirements. They will issue your license and you can pick it up immediately, but it will not be valid for 72 hours. It is valid for 60 days, and the wedding must take place in Pennsylvania. For general information and requirements/fees, look up the county in which you live (or where the wedding will take place if neither of you are residents of Pennsylvania) and search for their marriage license information. This is often called the Clerk of Orphans' Court.

Once you have the license in hand, Chadwick Weddings has permission to solemnize your marriage by signing your marriage license. An important thing to know in NJ is that you will need two adult witnesses with U.S. mailing addresses. In PA, no witnesses are required.

Chadwick Weddings will mail the appropriate form(s) for you via US Priority Mail postage, and we will retain our portion/copy for our records and as a backup.

Step 2. Pick up your certified copy or copies of the marriage certificate at the appropriate time.

Each municipality or county is different, so be sure to inquire with them when the certificate may be ready. The certificate comes from the same place you turned it in (of course). They will charge a fee for the first copy, and usually a much smaller fee for additional copies. If one or both of you are making changes to your legal name, it is highly recommended you get six or seven copies. If you have to go back later for additional copies, you’ll have to pay the larger fee again.

If your Sign & Go takes place in Medford, NJ, here is some additional helpful information. You will need to fill out an Application for a Non-Genealogical Certification or Certified Copy of Vital Record. They only take cash or check and you must bring exact change. Currently, the first copy is $25 and additional copies are $5 (if they change that I might not be made aware, so check with them first to be sure). So, if you want seven copies, you will need to bring $55. The process of generating the certified copies normally takes less than a day, so please contact the township clerk directly to inquire about any timing concerns. It may take longer based on staff availability or demand, but I have seen it take less than thirty minutes if everything is in order.

If you wish to receive your marriage certificate(s) by mail, Medford Township requires the following:

1. A Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope to the address which matches the information on your ID. 2. A copy of your ID (Driver’s license, Passport, or some other acceptable form of identification) 3. A filled out Application for a Non-Genealogical Certification or Certified Copy of Vital Record 4. Check or Money Order for the exact amount to cover the number licenses desired

If you are looking to have this information from a different township, please contact that township directly for their requirements.

If any name changes will be taking place, you definitely want 6 or 7 copies for various agencies. There are services online that can assist you such as HitchSwitch or MissNowMrs or NewlyNamed. If you use HitchSwitch, be sure to enter coupon code Chadwick12 to get 12% off all packages and gift cards.

The license to get married is something that the couple has to acquire. The fees for ceremony services performed by Chadwick Weddings includes delivery of the marriage license to the appropriate agency immediately following the wedding. If you want to turn it in yourselves, you are welcome to do so, but we are more than happy to do it for you.

Each county/township’s web site usually has helpful FAQs about the license and the post-wedding marriage certificate process.

The marriage license must be acquired in the state in which you are getting married, not the state in which you live (if different). While marriage licenses are not transferable between states, a legal marriage in one state (and its subsequent marriage certificate) is legal across the entire country and is proven by the marriage certificate.

When applying for the license, most townships (especially in New Jersey) will request the name, address, and title of the officiant. Ours is: Chadwick Weddings, Minister (if they request a title), 6 Nantucket Court, Medford NJ 08055, 609-975-9766.

After the wedding, you will get copies of your marriage certificate (the document proving you’re married) from the appropriate township or county where the license was filed.

While Chadwick Weddings cannot perform this service for you, we can offer some guidance. The license does not affect name changes, it merely gives us permission to marry you. The certificate is what you receive from the municipality in which you got married (in NJ – it’s listed near the top of your copy of the license) or at the county clerk’s office where you got the license (in PA). This is usually available 2-3 days after they receive the license.

It is important to know that you will always use your current legal name when applying for your marriage license and acquiring the marriage certificate. The marriage certificate is what you will use later on to prove that you are married, so that you can then change your name accordingly.

After the wedding: 1. Get multiple copies of your certificate to avoid larger fees for additional copies later. I recommend seven or eight copies. 2. Update the “big three” which are Social Security, driver’s license, and passport. Inquire at each regarding their specific requirements before you just show up. 3. Update other things that use your name such as bank and credit cards, lease agreements, loans, car title and registrations, insurance, mortgage, utilities, medical, etc.

There are also services that can assist you with changing your name, such as HitchSwitch or MissNowMrs or NewlyNamed. If you use HitchSwitch, be sure to enter coupon code Chadwick12 to get 12% off all packages and gift cards.

A "Sign & Go" is just an informal license signing by a professional officiant who is legally authorized to solemnize your marriage by filling out and submitting your marriage license. There is no ceremony that takes place, it is merely a legal signature on your marriage license.

You can add a micro-ceremony (about 4 or 5 minutes) when you sign up for the service. In that case, the officiant would be dressed more formally and would perform a small ceremony.

What you will need:

1. A legal marriage license from the appropriate municipality/county in NJ or PA. 2. If the signing is in NJ, you will need two adult witnesses with U.S. mailing addresses. PA does not require witnesses.

That's it! This is informal, so you don't need to be dressed up if you don't want to be. If you have added a micro-ceremony, the officiant will be dressed formally. If not, the officiant will be dressed informally.

The short answer is, yes. Both members of the couple must be present during the license application and each must provide valid identification. This includes a photo ID (usually a driver’s license, military ID, or passport) and a secondary ID that provides proof of a Social Security number (Social Security cart, ITIN doc from the IRS, pay stub, W-2, income tax form, etc.).

There are some counties in PA who do allow for virtual appointments. The last report I received on this stated that a virtual appointment may be made in the following PA counties: Berks, Bucks, Dauphin, Montgomery, and York.

It is highly recommended you do an internet search on the town/county in which you live (or if you live outside of the state, the town/county in which you will be married) plus “marriage license” to get more details.

Some additional helpful information:

If either or both of you have been previously married you must provide proof you are no longer married (i.e. a death certificate or a divorce decree).

If an interpreter is required, they must be an adult and provide current valid photo ID.

Many offices require an appointment for processing the license application. Most states do not require a witness in addition to the couple. However, in New Jersey, one adult witness is required to accompany you to the application appointment.

If one or both members of the couple are terminally ill, arrangements can sometimes be made to have the license application performed at a hospital. This is a question which should be directed to the town/county directly.

Absolutely. We have a simple "Intimate" package that includes a pre-written ceremony text modified with a few of your wedding details. It’s an economical way to tie the knot if you’re interested in keeping things simple. Make sure you are aware of the minimum legal requirements by checking with the appropriate state agency.

We also offer a "Sign & Go" when you all you need is the license signed, and you can even add a small "Micro-Ceremony" to that.

Absolutely! We love personalizing wedding ceremonies with our couples. It helps to make your wedding truly unique and fun!

There are many ways a couple can express their individuality with a unity ritual, with readings, and through other ceremony moments. For example, if the couple are fans of the film The Big Lebowski, we might incorporate movie line references and include a unity ritual where the couple mixes ingredients into a White Russian cocktail. There are no specific requirement for what a wedding must contain, so there is no limit to the things we can do!

Sign & Go: This is merely a license signing. There’s no ceremony performed, the officiant doesn’t get dressed up. We turn in the license to the appropriate municipality or county on your behalf. The officiant can optionally perform a micro-ceremony (and dress appropriately) as an optional add-on.

Intimate: A ceremony is performed by any of Chadwick Weddings’ officiants, and the ceremony is on the shorter side (usually less than 10 minutes) based on some basic questionnaire answers in the limited "Intimate Ceremony Builder" in your client account. The "Intimate" package is meant for a ceremony performed at a non-professional venue, such as a private home, a public park, or some other public space such as a restaurant. The ceremony cannot be attended by more than twenty-five people.

K.I.S.S.: This is a full ceremony performed by an assigned officiant. The ceremony itself is built from your answers in the K.I.S.S. Ceremony Builder in your client account, or optionally based upon one of a few ceremony templates made available as a starting point with a few variables thrown in that you fill out in your client account. You may alter the ceremony text however you like! You can add, change, or delete anything you want. In short, you are the one doing any sort of creative writing addition to the text.

The Perfect Fit: This is a fully customized ceremony text based on a much more thorough questionnaire placed into your client account, and fully personalized based on those answers. You will get the ceremony as a MS Word document to edit as you see fit. It is an original text written for your specific wedding ceremony.

A “Sign & Go” is just a license signing. There is no ceremony that takes place, it is merely a legal signature on your marriage license. Chadwick Weddings currently performs “Sign and Go” services in NJ and PA.

What you will need:

Step 1. A legal marriage license from the appropriate municipality/county in NJ or PA. In NJ, the municipality will require our contact information for the license. It is: Chadwick Weddings, Minister, 6 Nantucket Court, Medford NJ 08055. Our contact number is 609-975-9766.

- In New Jersey, you will apply for the license in the municipality where at least one of you resides. If neither applicant is a NJ resident, submit the application in the municipality where the license will be signed/marriage will be performed, according to the municipal tax records for the venue’s address.

Note, it is not always the same town name as the venue’s physical address! Check the address with https://www.njpropertyrecords.com to find the correct municipality and county. Plan on applying at least one week before the license is issued! There is a 72-hour waiting period and the license is good for thirty days, so get it closer to thirty days out if you can. You will not be given the license until the 72 hour waiting period has concluded. Check with your township for more information on logistics and fees. For more information and basic marriage requirements, see this page: NJ Dept. of Health Vital Statistics

- In Pennsylvania, there are no residency requirements. They will issue your license and you can pick it up immediately, but it will not be valid for 72 hours. It is valid for 60 days, and the wedding must take place in Pennsylvania. For general information and requirements/fees, look up the county in which you live (or where the wedding will take place if neither of you are residents of Pennsylvania) and search for their marriage license information. This is often called the Clerk of Orphans' Court.

Once you have the license in hand, Chadwick Weddings has permission to solemnize your marriage by signing your marriage license. An important thing to know in NJ is that you will need two adult witnesses with U.S. mailing addresses. In PA, no witnesses are required.

Chadwick Weddings will mail the appropriate form(s) for you via US Priority Mail postage, and we will retain our portion/copy for our records and as a backup.

Step 2. Pick up your certified copy or copies of the marriage certificate at the appropriate time.

Each municipality or county is different, so be sure to inquire with them when the certificate may be ready. The certificate comes from the same place you turned it in (of course). They will charge a fee for the first copy, and usually a much smaller fee for additional copies. If one or both of you are making changes to your legal name, it is highly recommended you get six or seven copies. If you have to go back later for additional copies, you’ll have to pay the larger fee again.

If your Sign & Go takes place in Medford, NJ, here is some additional helpful information. You will need to fill out an Application for a Non-Genealogical Certification or Certified Copy of Vital Record. They only take cash or check and you must bring exact change. Currently, the first copy is $25 and additional copies are $5 (if they change that I might not be made aware, so check with them first to be sure). So, if you want seven copies, you will need to bring $55. The process of generating the certified copies normally takes less than a day, so please contact the township clerk directly to inquire about any timing concerns. It may take longer based on staff availability or demand, but I have seen it take less than thirty minutes if everything is in order.

If you wish to receive your marriage certificate(s) by mail, Medford Township requires the following:

1. A Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope to the address which matches the information on your ID. 2. A copy of your ID (Driver’s license, Passport, or some other acceptable form of identification) 3. A filled out Application for a Non-Genealogical Certification or Certified Copy of Vital Record 4. Check or Money Order for the exact amount to cover the number licenses desired

If you are looking to have this information from a different township, please contact that township directly for their requirements.

If any name changes will be taking place, you definitely want 6 or 7 copies for various agencies. There are services online that can assist you such as HitchSwitch or MissNowMrs or NewlyNamed. If you use HitchSwitch, be sure to enter coupon code Chadwick12 to get 12% off all packages and gift cards.

Chadwick Weddings team members are non-denominational interfaith ministers with a variety of ordinations including Universal Life Church, Soul Community Church (PA), and even the Church of the Latter-Day Dude (i.e. The Big Lebowski church). We can perform any legal marriage ceremony authorized by the State/Commonwealth.

This is information your township clerk might request. Your officiant’s title is Minister, and here is the company’s contact information.

Chadwick Weddings 6 Nantucket Court Medford, NJ 08055 609-975-9766

If the township insists upon the specific officiant’s name, please feel free to use it, but keep the rest of the information as is. All communication regarding marriage licenses goes through the company.

Happily!

We perform weddings for any loving, consenting adult couple who wishes to be joined in the beautiful covenant of marriage. To Chadwick Weddings, a same-sex wedding or LGBTQIAP+ wedding is treated with the exact same reverence and joy as any other wedding might be. We believe in equal kindness, respect, and treatment for all.

Chadwick Weddings has a beautiful rainbow stole and a rainbow handfasting cord available upon request.

Chadwick Weddings is currently licensed to perform weddings in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, and Maryland. We are happy to get licensed elsewhere if your wedding takes place in another state or even another country. We simply need to know well ahead of time in order to apply for and obtain that license.

We do not. Our ceremonies come from the heart. We do not use an AI program to generate text and have no plans to.

AI uses already existing text based on what previous humans have written, so it would not at all be surprising if on the day it becomes truly sentient it deems humanity too stupid to continue existing because most people don’t know how to properly use an apostrophe.

Joking aside, your love comes from your heart. Therefore, we will always create your ceremony texts from the heart instead of the computer.

We do perform vow renewals, which is merely a ceremony where an already married couple renews or re-affirms their wedding vows. This can be new text, or a repetition of their original vows that we are happy to include.

To some couples, a vow renewal might be an opportunity to have the wedding they dreamed of, but for some reason could not have earlier. To others it may signify the desire to mark a significant anniversary milestone, or to perhaps strengthen their commitment following a difficult time.

Chadwick Ceremonies offers funeral services (see https://www.chadwickceremonies.com), including the performance of the Masonic funeral service (Michael Chadwick is a Past Master). He offers comfort services to those in need and who may not have access to a church pastor or other resource to provide comfort. As an interfaith wedding minister he is happy to come and speak comfort to friends and family who are losing or have lost a loved one. It is important to be clear that he is not theologically trained for that particular counseling service. That said, he has come to speak words of comfort to the dying.

Owner Michael Chadwick offers pre-marital counseling sessions, with the caveat that he is merely someone experienced with weddings and with life in general. He is not specifically licensed or trained as a counselor or life coach.

Officiating a wedding is more than just the act of getting ordained online and reading text. It requires creativity with writing the ceremony itself. It requires a confident public speaker that can properly enunciate and professionally deliver that ceremony text with clarity, energy, and sincerity. It requires a person who can improvise and speak extemporaneously if something happens that might fall outside of the plan.

It requires general experience with weddings, and the ability to spot possible problems before they arise. It requires someone who understands how the license should be filled out and returned to the proper authority. Not knowing this crucial bit of information can actually invalidate your license!

This is your wedding. You have probably spent thousands of dollars to make it as perfect as it can be, and you put the tone of the entire day at risk if you don’t have a good, experienced, professional officiant. There is only one chance to deliver it in a way that is elegant, engaging, beautiful, sincere, easily understood, and confident. One chance. Trust it to a professional.

If you want to involve a cherished friend or family member in the ceremony, there are many ways to accomplish this without putting your entire wedding ceremony at risk. Anyone can buy a baseball bat. That doesn’t instantaneously turn them into Bryce Harper.

All of that said, sometimes it is understandable wanting to have someone close to you perform your wedding ceremony. There are things they need to know or they could actually cause your wedding not to be legally recognized! If this is the option you choose, owner Michael Chadwick offers an online video course for officiants in New Jersey to ensure they know everything they need to know about properly filling out the marriage license, performing the service, and what to do with the license afterward.

Here is a link to that course if you are interested: https://payhip.com/b/utBzp

The license to get married is something that the couple has to acquire. The fees for ceremony services performed by Chadwick Weddings includes delivery of the marriage license to the appropriate agency immediately following the wedding. If you want to turn it in yourselves, you are welcome to do so, but we are more than happy to do it for you.

Each county/township’s web site usually has helpful FAQs about the license and the post-wedding marriage certificate process.

The marriage license must be acquired in the state in which you are getting married, not the state in which you live (if different). While marriage licenses are not transferable between states, a legal marriage in one state (and its subsequent marriage certificate) is legal across the entire country and is proven by the marriage certificate.

When applying for the license, most townships (especially in New Jersey) will request the name, address, and title of the officiant. Ours is: Chadwick Weddings, Minister (if they request a title), 6 Nantucket Court, Medford NJ 08055, 609-975-9766.

After the wedding, you will get copies of your marriage certificate (the document proving you’re married) from the appropriate township or county where the license was filed.

The purpose of a rehearsal is to teach ceremony participants their procession and recession order (walking in and out), where they stand, and what will be expected of them during the ceremony. It is not normally necessary for us to rehearse, as Chadwick Weddings has been involved with hundreds of weddings and can say with a high degree of confidence that we can stand there and do our part very well on your wedding day. On the rare occasions we are asked to be part of the processional, all we have to do is walk in a forward direction, turn, and stand. That doesn’t usually require rehearsal either. Don’t waste money having your officiant attend the rehearsal.

If you do not have a wedding coordinator, we do offer services to assist with coordination of your wedding party and to teach everyone what they will be doing on the wedding day. This can be done the day before or the day of, depending on availability. There is a fee for this service. It is possible for our officiants to perform more than one wedding in a day. So, it is prudent to decide and communicate this need early on, to make sure your officiant is available to guide the rehearsal for you.

Chadwick Weddings doesn’t charge for travel if your wedding takes place within the included travel range for the package you select. Any travel beyond that range will have a travel reimbursement quoted with the package price. For travel to locations more than three hours away from Medford, NJ it is possible (though not necessarily required) that an overnight lodging reimbursement will also be necessary.

For destination weddings, actual travel expenses will be added to the package. We are happy to facilitate travel in any way that helps keep costs down. Owner Michael Chadwick has performed services at weddings all around the U.S. and even in Europe. There are many benefits to working with a vendor you know and trust, and have reasonable access to during and after the wedding planning process. You will have met your officiant in advance, so you know what you’re getting and you know you’ll be comfortable with the person who will be marrying you. In addition, hiring your officiant locally is also helpful if and when your friends and family ask you for a recommendation on an officiant for a wedding. You will be able to give them an officiant you know and trust, and who is in your area.

It is important to note that some states and countries will require your officiant be registered with them. Sufficient lead time is necessary in these cases, so please be sure to book at least thirty days in advance if you are getting married in a location not currently in our list of currently licensed locations.

Chadwick Weddings offers unlimited access to the owner Michael for couples, regardless of whether you’re eloping or getting a fully customized ceremony. Multiple pre-wedding sessions are rarely required, and they can be done virtually to help with travel time and expense. We are here for you as an information resource, and are happy to share our rather extensive wedding knowledge and experience to help make your wedding as stress-free as we can make it.

While Chadwick Weddings cannot perform this service for you, we can offer some guidance. The license does not affect name changes, it merely gives us permission to marry you. The certificate is what you receive from the municipality in which you got married (in NJ – it’s listed near the top of your copy of the license) or at the county clerk’s office where you got the license (in PA). This is usually available 2-3 days after they receive the license.

It is important to know that you will always use your current legal name when applying for your marriage license and acquiring the marriage certificate. The marriage certificate is what you will use later on to prove that you are married, so that you can then change your name accordingly.

After the wedding: 1. Get multiple copies of your certificate to avoid larger fees for additional copies later. I recommend seven or eight copies. 2. Update the “big three” which are Social Security, driver’s license, and passport. Inquire at each regarding their specific requirements before you just show up. 3. Update other things that use your name such as bank and credit cards, lease agreements, loans, car title and registrations, insurance, mortgage, utilities, medical, etc.

There are also services that can assist you with changing your name, such as HitchSwitch or MissNowMrs or NewlyNamed. If you use HitchSwitch, be sure to enter coupon code Chadwick12 to get 12% off all packages and gift cards.

Because we sometimes perform more than one wedding in a given day, unless specifically requested by the couple, we do not typically stay beyond cocktail hour. If not already done before the ceremony, the marriage license gets filled out, your officiant will “grip and grin” a little with your guests, and then check out with you before departure.

Some couples have asked their officiant to stay and offer a blessing before dinner, which we are also happy to do if time allows and with advance notice. We do require being informed of this ahead of time, in the event the officiant has to leave for another wedding. Even if asked to stay to provide the dinner blessing, you do not have to provide a vendor meal, a seat at a table, or anything like that.

This will be discussed in more detail later, but the short answer is your choice of either a suit or a black cassock (robe). With the cassock (or the suit, for that matter) your officiant can also wear a stole (like a long scarf going down both sides in the front).

We are happy to dress in any way that is appropriate for your wedding. If any wedding is so specifically-themed that an entire costume rental or purchase is required, that exact cost would have to be reimbursed in advance of the wedding date, or the costume would have to be provided.

We do have access to a portable amplification system if it is needed. This service can be added to your wedding ministry package at an additional cost, but it is almost never something that is required. It is suggested first you inquire with your DJ or the venue, as they will likely already have one. If neither the DJ nor the venue have amplification, then we can talk about your logistics and see if it is necessary to amplify.

If your space is a controlled indoor environment, there is a very good chance your officiant will not need to be amplified. As professionally trained orators (and even opera singers in Michael’s case) your officiant will have a powerful enough vocal presence to be heard in most settings. That doesn’t mean we can be heard in every setting, so this is a conversation worth having if you’re concerned about your officiant (or you, or your readers) being heard.

Outdoor ceremonies can benefit from amplification if there is a distance between the altar space and your guests, if there is wind or other background noise (such as rain on a metal roof or a noisy breezy beach), or if there will be additional participants in the ceremony who aren’t trained to professionally project their voices.

Each state’s laws vary, so it is advised you research your own state’s laws on this matter. Chadwick Weddings can only provide non-legal advice. From what we have come to understand:

In Pennsylvania, it is not legally permitted for your officiant to perform a wedding ceremony without a marriage license. Period. Any ceremony we perform in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania without a license cannot use certain language (i.e. “pronounce,” “wife,” “husband,” “married,” “marriage,” “wedding,” etc.). Doing so without a license constitutes fraud and could result in the validity of your marriage being challenged.

In New Jersey, you can have a wedding complete with any and all typical wedding verbiage, including the pronouncement of you as spouses at the conclusion of the ceremony. It is very important you understand that this is not a legal wedding in the eyes of the state, and your wedding date for the purposes of any legal documents cannot be the date of your unlicensed ceremony. The marriage license will have a date range when it is valid, and we can have your two witnesses (who saw you get married) and the officiant fill out and submit the license to the appropriate municipality. The date which is placed on that form will be your official wedding date for legal purposes.

As a former wedding photography provider, it can be safely assumed that we are in favor of you having the best possible photographs of your ceremony. We always check in with the photography team to let them know if there is anything they should be on the lookout for, and to let them know that the officiant behind you at the ceremony will get out of the way for the kiss (especially 6’7″ Michael). 🙂

We do not restrict your photography team. We do ask them to be as professionally unobtrusive as is reasonably possible, and not to become a distraction to you or your guests. There is no circumstance in which any professional wedding photographer worth their salt should ever need to be up in the faces of everyone at the altar, or blocking your guests from viewing the ceremony.

The short answer is, yes. Both members of the couple must be present during the license application and each must provide valid identification. This includes a photo ID (usually a driver’s license, military ID, or passport) and a secondary ID that provides proof of a Social Security number (Social Security cart, ITIN doc from the IRS, pay stub, W-2, income tax form, etc.).

There are some counties in PA who do allow for virtual appointments. The last report I received on this stated that a virtual appointment may be made in the following PA counties: Berks, Bucks, Dauphin, Montgomery, and York.

It is highly recommended you do an internet search on the town/county in which you live (or if you live outside of the state, the town/county in which you will be married) plus “marriage license” to get more details.

Some additional helpful information:

If either or both of you have been previously married you must provide proof you are no longer married (i.e. a death certificate or a divorce decree).

If an interpreter is required, they must be an adult and provide current valid photo ID.

Many offices require an appointment for processing the license application. Most states do not require a witness in addition to the couple. However, in New Jersey, one adult witness is required to accompany you to the application appointment.

If one or both members of the couple are terminally ill, arrangements can sometimes be made to have the license application performed at a hospital. This is a question which should be directed to the town/county directly.

Chadwick Ceremonies no longer officially offers wedding photography services. Owner Michael Chadwick photographed 400 weddings before retiring from it, so he can assist you with knowing what to look for in a professional quality wedding photographer, and even assist you with photography logistics. These conversations are better held with your photographer once you have chosen one.

Absolutely! We love personalizing wedding ceremonies with our couples. It helps to make your wedding truly unique and fun!

There are many ways a couple can express their individuality with a unity ritual, with readings, and through other ceremony moments. For example, if the couple are fans of the film The Big Lebowski, we might incorporate movie line references and include a unity ritual where the couple mixes ingredients into a White Russian cocktail. There are no specific requirement for what a wedding must contain, so there is no limit to the things we can do!

We do not. Our ceremonies come from the heart. We do not use an AI program to generate text and have no plans to.

AI uses already existing text based on what previous humans have written, so it would not at all be surprising if on the day it becomes truly sentient it deems humanity too stupid to continue existing because most people don’t know how to properly use an apostrophe.

Joking aside, your love comes from your heart. Therefore, we will always create your ceremony texts from the heart instead of the computer.

Officiating a wedding is more than just the act of getting ordained online and reading text. It requires creativity with writing the ceremony itself. It requires a confident public speaker that can properly enunciate and professionally deliver that ceremony text with clarity, energy, and sincerity. It requires a person who can improvise and speak extemporaneously if something happens that might fall outside of the plan.

It requires general experience with weddings, and the ability to spot possible problems before they arise. It requires someone who understands how the license should be filled out and returned to the proper authority. Not knowing this crucial bit of information can actually invalidate your license!

This is your wedding. You have probably spent thousands of dollars to make it as perfect as it can be, and you put the tone of the entire day at risk if you don’t have a good, experienced, professional officiant. There is only one chance to deliver it in a way that is elegant, engaging, beautiful, sincere, easily understood, and confident. One chance. Trust it to a professional.

If you want to involve a cherished friend or family member in the ceremony, there are many ways to accomplish this without putting your entire wedding ceremony at risk. Anyone can buy a baseball bat. That doesn’t instantaneously turn them into Bryce Harper.

All of that said, sometimes it is understandable wanting to have someone close to you perform your wedding ceremony. There are things they need to know or they could actually cause your wedding not to be legally recognized! If this is the option you choose, owner Michael Chadwick offers an online video course for officiants in New Jersey to ensure they know everything they need to know about properly filling out the marriage license, performing the service, and what to do with the license afterward.

Here is a link to that course if you are interested: https://payhip.com/b/utBzp

The license to get married is something that the couple has to acquire. The fees for ceremony services performed by Chadwick Weddings includes delivery of the marriage license to the appropriate agency immediately following the wedding. If you want to turn it in yourselves, you are welcome to do so, but we are more than happy to do it for you.

Each county/township’s web site usually has helpful FAQs about the license and the post-wedding marriage certificate process.

The marriage license must be acquired in the state in which you are getting married, not the state in which you live (if different). While marriage licenses are not transferable between states, a legal marriage in one state (and its subsequent marriage certificate) is legal across the entire country and is proven by the marriage certificate.

When applying for the license, most townships (especially in New Jersey) will request the name, address, and title of the officiant. Ours is: Chadwick Weddings, Minister (if they request a title), 6 Nantucket Court, Medford NJ 08055, 609-975-9766.

After the wedding, you will get copies of your marriage certificate (the document proving you’re married) from the appropriate township or county where the license was filed.

The purpose of a rehearsal is to teach ceremony participants their procession and recession order (walking in and out), where they stand, and what will be expected of them during the ceremony. It is not normally necessary for us to rehearse, as Chadwick Weddings has been involved with hundreds of weddings and can say with a high degree of confidence that we can stand there and do our part very well on your wedding day. On the rare occasions we are asked to be part of the processional, all we have to do is walk in a forward direction, turn, and stand. That doesn’t usually require rehearsal either. Don’t waste money having your officiant attend the rehearsal.

If you do not have a wedding coordinator, we do offer services to assist with coordination of your wedding party and to teach everyone what they will be doing on the wedding day. This can be done the day before or the day of, depending on availability. There is a fee for this service. It is possible for our officiants to perform more than one wedding in a day. So, it is prudent to decide and communicate this need early on, to make sure your officiant is available to guide the rehearsal for you.

This will be discussed in more detail later, but the short answer is your choice of either a suit or a black cassock (robe). With the cassock (or the suit, for that matter) your officiant can also wear a stole (like a long scarf going down both sides in the front).

We are happy to dress in any way that is appropriate for your wedding. If any wedding is so specifically-themed that an entire costume rental or purchase is required, that exact cost would have to be reimbursed in advance of the wedding date, or the costume would have to be provided.

We do have access to a portable amplification system if it is needed. This service can be added to your wedding ministry package at an additional cost, but it is almost never something that is required. It is suggested first you inquire with your DJ or the venue, as they will likely already have one. If neither the DJ nor the venue have amplification, then we can talk about your logistics and see if it is necessary to amplify.

If your space is a controlled indoor environment, there is a very good chance your officiant will not need to be amplified. As professionally trained orators (and even opera singers in Michael’s case) your officiant will have a powerful enough vocal presence to be heard in most settings. That doesn’t mean we can be heard in every setting, so this is a conversation worth having if you’re concerned about your officiant (or you, or your readers) being heard.

Outdoor ceremonies can benefit from amplification if there is a distance between the altar space and your guests, if there is wind or other background noise (such as rain on a metal roof or a noisy breezy beach), or if there will be additional participants in the ceremony who aren’t trained to professionally project their voices.

Each state’s laws vary, so it is advised you research your own state’s laws on this matter. Chadwick Weddings can only provide non-legal advice. From what we have come to understand:

In Pennsylvania, it is not legally permitted for your officiant to perform a wedding ceremony without a marriage license. Period. Any ceremony we perform in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania without a license cannot use certain language (i.e. “pronounce,” “wife,” “husband,” “married,” “marriage,” “wedding,” etc.). Doing so without a license constitutes fraud and could result in the validity of your marriage being challenged.

In New Jersey, you can have a wedding complete with any and all typical wedding verbiage, including the pronouncement of you as spouses at the conclusion of the ceremony. It is very important you understand that this is not a legal wedding in the eyes of the state, and your wedding date for the purposes of any legal documents cannot be the date of your unlicensed ceremony. The marriage license will have a date range when it is valid, and we can have your two witnesses (who saw you get married) and the officiant fill out and submit the license to the appropriate municipality. The date which is placed on that form will be your official wedding date for legal purposes.

As a former wedding photography provider, it can be safely assumed that we are in favor of you having the best possible photographs of your ceremony. We always check in with the photography team to let them know if there is anything they should be on the lookout for, and to let them know that the officiant behind you at the ceremony will get out of the way for the kiss (especially 6’7″ Michael). 🙂

We do not restrict your photography team. We do ask them to be as professionally unobtrusive as is reasonably possible, and not to become a distraction to you or your guests. There is no circumstance in which any professional wedding photographer worth their salt should ever need to be up in the faces of everyone at the altar, or blocking your guests from viewing the ceremony.

In NJ, contact directly the municipality where your license was mailed/turned in. This will be the municipality listed on the top of your copy of the license (not necessarily the township that issued it!).

In PA, contact the county that issued the license.

This is information your township clerk might request. Your officiant’s title is Minister, and here is the company’s contact information.

Chadwick Weddings 6 Nantucket Court Medford, NJ 08055 609-975-9766

If the township insists upon the specific officiant’s name, please feel free to use it, but keep the rest of the information as is. All communication regarding marriage licenses goes through the company.

The license to get married is something that the couple has to acquire. The fees for ceremony services performed by Chadwick Weddings includes delivery of the marriage license to the appropriate agency immediately following the wedding. If you want to turn it in yourselves, you are welcome to do so, but we are more than happy to do it for you.

Each county/township’s web site usually has helpful FAQs about the license and the post-wedding marriage certificate process.

The marriage license must be acquired in the state in which you are getting married, not the state in which you live (if different). While marriage licenses are not transferable between states, a legal marriage in one state (and its subsequent marriage certificate) is legal across the entire country and is proven by the marriage certificate.

When applying for the license, most townships (especially in New Jersey) will request the name, address, and title of the officiant. Ours is: Chadwick Weddings, Minister (if they request a title), 6 Nantucket Court, Medford NJ 08055, 609-975-9766.

After the wedding, you will get copies of your marriage certificate (the document proving you’re married) from the appropriate township or county where the license was filed.

The short answer is, yes. Both members of the couple must be present during the license application and each must provide valid identification. This includes a photo ID (usually a driver’s license, military ID, or passport) and a secondary ID that provides proof of a Social Security number (Social Security cart, ITIN doc from the IRS, pay stub, W-2, income tax form, etc.).

There are some counties in PA who do allow for virtual appointments. The last report I received on this stated that a virtual appointment may be made in the following PA counties: Berks, Bucks, Dauphin, Montgomery, and York.

It is highly recommended you do an internet search on the town/county in which you live (or if you live outside of the state, the town/county in which you will be married) plus “marriage license” to get more details.

Some additional helpful information:

If either or both of you have been previously married you must provide proof you are no longer married (i.e. a death certificate or a divorce decree).

If an interpreter is required, they must be an adult and provide current valid photo ID.

Many offices require an appointment for processing the license application. Most states do not require a witness in addition to the couple. However, in New Jersey, one adult witness is required to accompany you to the application appointment.

If one or both members of the couple are terminally ill, arrangements can sometimes be made to have the license application performed at a hospital. This is a question which should be directed to the town/county directly.

Sign & Go: This is merely a license signing. There’s no ceremony performed, the officiant doesn’t get dressed up. We turn in the license to the appropriate municipality or county on your behalf. The officiant can optionally perform a micro-ceremony (and dress appropriately) as an optional add-on.

Intimate: A ceremony is performed by any of Chadwick Weddings’ officiants, and the ceremony is on the shorter side (usually less than 10 minutes) based on some basic questionnaire answers in the limited "Intimate Ceremony Builder" in your client account. The "Intimate" package is meant for a ceremony performed at a non-professional venue, such as a private home, a public park, or some other public space such as a restaurant. The ceremony cannot be attended by more than twenty-five people.

K.I.S.S.: This is a full ceremony performed by an assigned officiant. The ceremony itself is built from your answers in the K.I.S.S. Ceremony Builder in your client account, or optionally based upon one of a few ceremony templates made available as a starting point with a few variables thrown in that you fill out in your client account. You may alter the ceremony text however you like! You can add, change, or delete anything you want. In short, you are the one doing any sort of creative writing addition to the text.

The Perfect Fit: This is a fully customized ceremony text based on a much more thorough questionnaire placed into your client account, and fully personalized based on those answers. You will get the ceremony as a MS Word document to edit as you see fit. It is an original text written for your specific wedding ceremony.

A “Sign & Go” is just a license signing. There is no ceremony that takes place, it is merely a legal signature on your marriage license. Chadwick Weddings currently performs “Sign and Go” services in NJ and PA.

What you will need:

Step 1. A legal marriage license from the appropriate municipality/county in NJ or PA. In NJ, the municipality will require our contact information for the license. It is: Chadwick Weddings, Minister, 6 Nantucket Court, Medford NJ 08055. Our contact number is 609-975-9766.

- In New Jersey, you will apply for the license in the municipality where at least one of you resides. If neither applicant is a NJ resident, submit the application in the municipality where the license will be signed/marriage will be performed, according to the municipal tax records for the venue’s address.

Note, it is not always the same town name as the venue’s physical address! Check the address with https://www.njpropertyrecords.com to find the correct municipality and county. Plan on applying at least one week before the license is issued! There is a 72-hour waiting period and the license is good for thirty days, so get it closer to thirty days out if you can. You will not be given the license until the 72 hour waiting period has concluded. Check with your township for more information on logistics and fees. For more information and basic marriage requirements, see this page: NJ Dept. of Health Vital Statistics

- In Pennsylvania, there are no residency requirements. They will issue your license and you can pick it up immediately, but it will not be valid for 72 hours. It is valid for 60 days, and the wedding must take place in Pennsylvania. For general information and requirements/fees, look up the county in which you live (or where the wedding will take place if neither of you are residents of Pennsylvania) and search for their marriage license information. This is often called the Clerk of Orphans' Court.

Once you have the license in hand, Chadwick Weddings has permission to solemnize your marriage by signing your marriage license. An important thing to know in NJ is that you will need two adult witnesses with U.S. mailing addresses. In PA, no witnesses are required.

Chadwick Weddings will mail the appropriate form(s) for you via US Priority Mail postage, and we will retain our portion/copy for our records and as a backup.

Step 2. Pick up your certified copy or copies of the marriage certificate at the appropriate time.

Each municipality or county is different, so be sure to inquire with them when the certificate may be ready. The certificate comes from the same place you turned it in (of course). They will charge a fee for the first copy, and usually a much smaller fee for additional copies. If one or both of you are making changes to your legal name, it is highly recommended you get six or seven copies. If you have to go back later for additional copies, you’ll have to pay the larger fee again.

If your Sign & Go takes place in Medford, NJ, here is some additional helpful information. You will need to fill out an Application for a Non-Genealogical Certification or Certified Copy of Vital Record. They only take cash or check and you must bring exact change. Currently, the first copy is $25 and additional copies are $5 (if they change that I might not be made aware, so check with them first to be sure). So, if you want seven copies, you will need to bring $55. The process of generating the certified copies normally takes less than a day, so please contact the township clerk directly to inquire about any timing concerns. It may take longer based on staff availability or demand, but I have seen it take less than thirty minutes if everything is in order.

If you wish to receive your marriage certificate(s) by mail, Medford Township requires the following:

1. A Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope to the address which matches the information on your ID. 2. A copy of your ID (Driver’s license, Passport, or some other acceptable form of identification) 3. A filled out Application for a Non-Genealogical Certification or Certified Copy of Vital Record 4. Check or Money Order for the exact amount to cover the number licenses desired

If you are looking to have this information from a different township, please contact that township directly for their requirements.

If any name changes will be taking place, you definitely want 6 or 7 copies for various agencies. There are services online that can assist you such as HitchSwitch or MissNowMrs or NewlyNamed. If you use HitchSwitch, be sure to enter coupon code Chadwick12 to get 12% off all packages and gift cards.