Host: Does the wedding officiant need to be licensed in the jurisdiction I am getting married in? Bill Cochran: In most cases, yes. Now let me offer you a little insight into something that doesn't help my business any, but I think it will help you. Many of you are thinking about maybe asking a friend or a relative to do your wedding and maybe someone who is not, doesn't have a pastor or a religious background and you are wondering about that and there you need to go to the jurisdiction and find out because some are much easier than others. For instance, in the area that I am in, in Virginia it's much easier for a friend to just step in and do a wedding. They can get certified for one day. In the District of Columbia, it will never happen. In Maryland, it's doable, but it takes a bit of work. So wherever you are, whatever jurisdiction you are working with, it's important to know what their guidelines are.