Posted by GinnySac on 6/11/09 5:09pm
Msg #292054

Wedding

Okay, maybe I'm the only notary that doesn't know this, but how do you perform a wedding? A lady called me a while ago and wanted me to do her wedding, but since I have no idea how to perform one I was forced to turn her down. Are notaries even allowed to perform weddings in the state of California?

Reply by Cam/CA on 6/11/09 5:20pm
Msg #292060

Not unless you are an ordained minister.

Reply by GWest on 6/11/09 5:27pm
Msg #292065

Page 17 of the CA Handbook

Confidential Marriage Licenses
A notary public who is interested in obtaining authorization to issue confidential marriage
licenses may apply for approval to the county clerk in the county in which the notary public
resides. A notary public must not issue a confidential marriage license unless he or she is
approved by the county clerk having jurisdiction. The county clerk offers a course of instruction, which a notary public must complete before authorization will be granted. Additionally, in order for a notary public to perform the marriage, he/she must be one of the persons authorized under Family Code sections 400 to 402, e.g., priest, minister, or rabbi. The county clerk in the county where the notary public resides may or may not approve the authorization to issue confidential marriage licenses. The county clerk should be consulted if the notary public is interested in obtaining approval. (Family Code section 530)

Reply by Shoshana Roller on 6/11/09 5:32pm
Msg #292069

Forget About the Confidential Marriage License.

It's not worth the effort. Just google the Universal Life Church and you'll find out all you need to know about weddings.

Reply by Shoshana Roller on 6/11/09 5:29pm
Msg #292067

You can get ordained by the Universal Life Church in Modesto. They also have lots of resouces for wedding officiants.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/11/09 6:15pm
Msg #292075

CA Notaries do NOT perform marriage ceremonies...

...not in the role of a notary, anyway. A Notary can perform the ceremony if they are also ordained as a minister.

CA Notaries can issue a confidential marriage license, but only IF they are approved by their county to do so. The types of notaries are usually those that run wedding chapels or primarily advertise themselves as wedding officiants rather than notaries.

A very common notarial request is to notarize the signature of a person on an "Inability to appear" form for those who want to obtain a marriage license but cannot go the the clerk's office. Any commissioned notary can handle this. This is very common for people in jail, house bound or in the hospital. The person notarizing the signature of the person who cannot appear cannot be the same person to perform the ceremony.

Reply by GinnySac on 6/11/09 7:19pm
Msg #292078

Re: CA Notaries do NOT perform marriage ceremonies...

This is what I thought. Thank you very mucho!

Reply by rengel/CA on 6/12/09 10:49am
Msg #292160

Re: CA Notaries do NOT perform marriage ceremonies...

Where in Calif are you? If you are in No. Calif, have them contact me, I am an ordained minister.

[e-mail address]

Reply by DellaCa on 6/13/09 12:51pm
Msg #292258

Re: CA Notaries do NOT perform marriage ceremonies...

I am also an ordained Minister and preform Weddings [e-mail address] Rengel are you in Sacramento? Maybe we could refer as I don't com to Sac. for weddings or notary work.

Reply by DellaCa on 6/13/09 12:52pm
Msg #292259

Re: CA Notaries do NOT perform marriage ceremonies...

I am also an ordained Minister and preform Weddings [e-mail address] Rengel are you in Sacramento? Maybe we could refer as I don't travel to Sac. for weddings or notary work.

Reply by GinnySac on 6/15/09 7:08pm
Msg #292372

Re: CA Notaries do NOT perform marriage ceremonies...

I'm in Southern California, San Bernardino Area.