There are as many ways to celebrate life's events - weddings, re-commitment ceremonies, baby naming ceremonies - as there are people celebrating. Your ceremony should be about you - together we'll make that happen.

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It's Your Wedding - Have it Your Way!


Weddings are not always about white bridal gowns and black tuxes. Tomorrow’s weddings are often far from the traditional walk down the aisle and more like a great party in a fun setting with good friends and special surprises.

Today’s wedding couples want their ceremony to reflect them – their tastes, their lifestyles, their dreams. They want their vows to be words of love, of truth and of happiness. Mostly, though, they want to create a ceremony they will remember always!

Your Justice of the Peace should be willing to spend time listening to you and learning who you are as a couple and your dreams. Whether you are 20-somethings or 60-somethings, whether the wedding is in the living room with no witnesses or in a barn with two hundred guests, whether you want a five minute vows exchange or a twenty-five minute ceremony complete with music, rings and multiple readings, your officiant should endeavor to make your planning smooth, simple and fun.

Couples should explore wedding traditions - from different heritages, religions or secular beliefs - finding what matters to them and what they want their ceremony to reflect about them.  They should research online, in books and talk to their married friends. Your celebrant should also share readings, vows, ring exchange wording and special ceremony ideas that he or she has discovered through the wedding planning process.  

It is important for a bridal couple to feel comfortable that their officiant understands exactly what they want and is willing to go beyond the simple “I Do.” There are only a few components that must be included in a ceremony for it to be officially recognized. But there is lots of room for individuality and it is your Justice’s job to ensure that it all comes together.

Timing is critical to planning the perfect ceremony. Couples should reserve their wedding date with an officiant at least one to two months in advance, especially if they also want to hold a rehearsal or meet prior to the wedding day. However, if the couple wants a simply ceremony, the wedding can be scheduled in as little as a day or two or within a few weeks.

Planning a ceremony can be involved or simple.  An officiant’s job is to be sure that you have the ceremony you want, in the place where you are comfortable and at the time that seems right to you.

Justices of the Peace are also often asked to conduct other formal ceremonies, such as naming ceremonies for new babies and vow renewal ceremonies for married couples reaffirming their love. Although these events do not require an official celebrant, having someone conduct the ceremony formalizes the event and gives special significance to those participating.

In Massachusetts, Justices of the Peace are commissioned by the Commonwealth to serve for a period of seven years. Each Justice is commissioned in the city or town in which he or she lives; however, this does not restrict a Justice from solemnizing a marriage in another municipality. Justices of the Peace may also, with appropriate paperwork, officiate at weddings in other states if their regulations allow; they may also agree to preside at a wedding rehearsal or participate in wedding planning with the couple in meetings prior to the actual ceremony. Fees for Justices are set by the Commonwealth.

Justices of the Peace are required to obtain from the couple their marriage license issued in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts prior to the wedding ceremony.  At least four days prior to the wedding ceremony, the parties to the marriage must appear in person at the city or town clerk’s office with satisfactory identification to complete the application. It is important to note that the applicants do not have to be a resident of the community in which they are applying. Each will swear an oath under the penalties of perjury that the information they are providing is true.  The Marriage License is valid for 60 days from the date of application. It must be picked up by the couple and presented to the officiant prior to the ceremony.  If the license cannot be provided, the ceremony cannot be conducted officially.

Once the ceremony is completed, the Justice of the Peace signs the license and documents the specifics of the ceremony (including address and date) and returns the license to the city or town clerk’s office from which was issued. The certificate is recorded in the originating office after which a couple may request a copy for their records.

 

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