In This Article
Officiant. The person who performs the wedding ceremony and, in jurisdictions that require it, holds the legal authority to solemnize the marriage. May be clergy, a registered civil celebrant, a judge, or a privately ordained lay officiant depending on the wedding's tradition and jurisdiction.
Where the term comes from
The English-language term derives from the older verb officiate, in widespread legal and ecclesiastical use in English since at least the 17th century. The expansion of the role beyond clergy to include civil celebrants and ordained lay officiants is more modern; the Universal Life Church's online ordination, established in 1959, is the most-cited mechanism by which a friend or family member can legally perform a marriage in many US states.
How it shows up in real life
A couple chooses a close friend who is not religious to officiate. The friend obtains an online ordination through the Universal Life Church, verifies with the county clerk that this ordination is recognized in the state where the wedding will take place, drafts a ceremony script that reflects the couple's values, leads the ceremony, signs the marriage certificate, and returns it to the county for filing. Each step has legal weight.
Common misuses
The most common misuse is conflating officiant with celebrant. In some jurisdictions and traditions the two roles are identical; in others (notably parts of the UK and Australia) a celebrant leads the ceremony but a separate registered authority must also sign for the marriage to be legally recognized. Verify the local rules before assuming a friend's online ordination is sufficient.
