Virginia Wedding Officiant

I agree with Rev. Jim and Rev. Byron. All the online ordinations are totally worthless when it comes to performing a legal marriage ceremony in Virginia. Many of my friends, and I, tried all of them and were turned down because all the Virginia Courts have a list of all of the online ordinations. A friend finally told me about HLAM MINISTRIES who serves as the go between for prospective ministers and real churches who actually issue the ordinations, not HLAM MINISTRIES. It is well worth the $100 administrative fee, since hiring a real wedding minister at the last minute usually runs around $500.

Beginning in early 2013, all Virginia Circuit Courts stopped accepting all online ordination entities to perform marriage ceremonies. In fact, every courthouse has a list of all the online ordination programs. Since many ministers were turned down with Universal Life Church, they tried other entities such as First Nation Ministry and American Marriage Ministries which are both also rejected. Both of these organizations guarantee their ministers that Virginia will accept them, and will not apologize to their ministers when they are turned down. In fact, First Nation Ministry charges $32 for a worthless two year ordination, and will not issue a refund if the minister is not accepted in Virginia, and they also erroneously state that ministers do not have to show their credentials to a Circuit Court. The only online ordination ministry that is accepted in Virginia is HLAM MINISTRIES , since ordinations are issued through traditional churches for only $100 and your ordination is forever!

My husband, and I tried all the online ordinations for a family friend to no avail. Open Ministry was paid $45 for a useless letter of good standing, and other documents, and would not refund our money when we told them that their ordinations were no good in Virginia.

Thank God for HLAM Ministries! HLAM Ministries uses real churches, not online ordination scams, to issue their ordinations. They are the only way Virginia will accept online ordination. It is well worth the $100 fee, and ordinations are for life, and all ministers are issued credentials that will get them lifetime authorization to perform marriage ceremonies in Virginia. Please don't make the mistake of having your officiant go with one of the scam ordinations, and then at the last minute being rejected by a Virginia Circuit Court, with no time left for HLAM Ministries to issue your credentials.

At the last minute, you will be stuck paying at least $500 for a Court Authorized Minister to perform your ceremony.

The real question is: "What ordination is accepted in Virginia?" Virginia code 20-23 clearly states that ministers must be part of a pastoral staff and must be in regular communion with their church. In other words, go through a real church, and don't try online ordination. For those stuck in the middle, I recommend HLAM Ministries since their network of churches do the ordinations, not HLAM Ministries. They are not an online ordination, since regular churches handle the paperwork, unlike the online ordination scams blacklisted by all Virginia Circuit Courts.

My fiancee, and I, are having my father marry us because of the good people at HLAM Ministries.

Coming from a brick and mortar minister, this whole you have to be this or that for Virginia is utterly ridiculous, what happened to separation of church and state?

Who the heck is the state of Virginia to tell anyone who is an ordained minister and who isn't? That is not for them to decide. Obviously the Virginians give their Government a little too much power over their marriages... either its a money thing for VA or they just love to have that much control over people's lives.

I say take your money to another state (that isn't Virginia) and get your marriage and reception performed there and then perhaps the idiots in Government will change their tune about what concerns them and what does not when they lose the revenue that weddings bring.

At least one county (Spotsylvania County) got their act together...

Isn't Virginia the same state that now allows convicted felons to vote? Go Figure!

Rev. Jim and Rev, Byron,

Are the above comments about HLAM MINISTRIES still correct? I recognize your suggestions for a legal wedding in Fairfax County was a couple years ago. To your knowledge, is this still correct?

Thank you,

I am Rev. Gene Wandell, and I will tell you that everything about HLAM Ministries has remained the same for ordinations accepted in Virginia. Since HLAM uses local churches to do their ordinations they are always accepted at the Virginia Court that you are sent to. The other ordinations do not qualify since they are online ordinations. HLAM was the only hope for me to perform the wedding of my daughter. Thank God for HLAM Ministries!

Rev. Gene Wandell is definitely right about HLAM. Some courts charge a filing fee and others don't . For those ministers coming from out of state to perform Virginia marriage ceremonies, the other option is have your couple legally married by an HLAM minister, and then only have to officiate the big weekend wedding and not have to worry about the paperwork. They can call HLAM to schedule for Henrico Courthouse for $50, or Alexandria Courthouse for $100. HLAM told me that this is a popular option for ministers who are not sure if they can get in to town in time. Either way, HLAM will take care of you!

Hi! Is there anyone out there who knows whether HLAM is still a viable option to have a friend ordained and perform a ceremony in Virginia?

My fiance and I are hoping to have one of his lifelong best friends marry us in the Fall of 2022. We all currently live in New Jersey, but, since my fiance and I met in Virginia, we are planning on getting married there. Though we have a lot of time to figure this out, I want to make sure we are not scrambling on as many things as possible. So - HLAM? Yay or nay?

View Quoted Comment Contact the marriage license office in the city/county you plan to marry in to find out what their requirements are. That way you know for certain.

View Quoted Comment HLAM Nibidtrirs

View Quoted Comment Good idea! They will tell you that online Ordination is not accepted in Virginia. If you have been ordained by the local church you attend every Sunday, you should be able to get Circuit Court authorization. If not, HLAM Ministries can assist you with confirming what Ordination is accepted, and what Court to go to to get Circuit Court Authorization.