Who officiates a civil marriage?

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Evelyn Carpenter

Marriage of Josefa & Eduardo

Who can officiate a wedding? The answer will depend on whether they are seeking to make the marriage legal or just allegorical.

But both options are perfectly compatible, so you can add a symbolic ceremony to your civil marriage. Clarify all your doubts about who should preside over them.

In a civil marriage

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The civil marriage may only be conducted by an officer of the Civil Registry. The agency's offices or at a location within the jurisdictional territory.

And anyone will be competent to officiate at a wedding, regardless of where the bride and groom are domiciled, as long as they have carried out the previous steps with that person, i.e. the Manifestation and the Information. The reason is that a civil officer cannot terminate the act initiated by another.

In the Manifestation, the bride and groom will inform the official of their intention to marry; while in the Information, two witnesses over 18 years of age will declare that the future spouses have no impediments or prohibitions to marry. Both instances are carried out at the Civil Registry.

The functions of the civil officer

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The day of the celebration of the marriage has arrived, the civil officer will conduct a very simple ceremony that is divided into stages .

In the presence of the witnesses, the rite will begin with a preamble by the officiant, who will emphasize the importance of marriage and of beginning a life together.

Then, he will read the articles of the Civil Code, referring to the rights and obligations of the contracting parties, which are those that constitute the object and content of the contract.

Afterwards, the officiant will ask for the mutual consent of the bride and groom, who must answer out loud if they accept each other, at which point the vows are declared and the rings are exchanged, although neither of these acts is obligatory in a civil wedding.

And to finish, the civil marriage officer shall declare them to be married under the law. He will then ask them to sign the nuptial acts, which he himself and the two witnesses will also sign. This will certify that the oath was carried out in accordance with the legal framework.

In a symbolic ceremony

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Since civil marriage is a fairly short and simple ceremony, many couples today complement this moment by integrating some symbolic rite, either during the celebration of the marriage or after it.

How to officiate a symbolic wedding? If you decide to incorporate an act of this style, you can choose between the candle ceremony, the ritual of the sand, the tying of hands, the planting of a tree, the painting of a canvas, the wine ceremony or the ritual of the red thread, among many others.

And who will preside over this special act? With the exception of the officer of the Civil Registry, since it is not part of their competence, they can choose between a family member or friend or, if they prefer, hire a professional.

However, if you plan to have the candlelight ceremony at the time of the wedding vows, for example, you will have to inform the civil officer beforehand.

Why choose a family member or friend

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If you plan to celebrate a more informal marriage and, therefore, a symbolic ritual with the same characteristics, choosing a master of ceremony among your guests will be the best option.

Even when a script is structured, the closeness and intimacy that a loved one will provide will be irreplaceable. Whether it is a parent, a sibling, a best friend or even a child, the person you choose as officiant will undoubtedly know in detail your love story, and will be as happy and excited as you are.

You will also be able to improvise easily, if necessary, or surprise with an anecdote never told before. What is certain is that everything will flow in a genuine way with a master of ceremony from your closest circle, who will be honored to be chosen for this mission.

Just make sure that the officiant you choose for the ceremony does not feel uncomfortable speaking in public, as the goal is for them to enjoy their role and not the other way around.

Why choose a professional

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On the other hand, if you don't want to improvise or leave any loose ends, the best option is to hire a professional officiant. We will offer you a complete service, from a face-to-face interview, script development and music selection, to the design and conduct of the ceremony from beginning to end, including your own vows or the intervention of third parties.

On the one hand, you will find marriage officiants for all kinds of marriages, and on the other hand, specialized, for example, in Easter Island, Mapuche or Celtic rituals, as well as masters of ceremonies who preside over intercultural rites, whether for brides and grooms of different ethnicities, nationalities or religions.

The advantages of using an expert provider is that you can leave everything in their hands, and since they are officiants with years of experience, they will surely know how to pass on your love story in a very romantic and emotional symbolic ceremony.

While the civil officiant may not be chosen, the master of ceremonies can be, which is why it is a good idea to complement the celebration of the marriage as such, with a personalized act that will put the finishing touch to your nuptials.

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Evelyn Carpenter is the author of the best-selling book, All you need for your marriage. A Marriage guide. She has been married for over 25 years and has helped countless couples build successful marriages. Evelyn is a sought after speaker and relationship expert, and has been featured in various media outlets including Fox News, Huffington Post, and more.