The Marriage License is a legal document you must obtain before getting married, as it permits you to get married in your state.

The Marriage Certificate is the document you receive after getting married and serves as proof of your marriage.

In addition to judges, mayors, county clerks, and authorized ministers of all religions, civil celebrants certified by the Secretary of State and internet ministers may also perform wedding ceremonies in New Jersey!

For more detailed and updated information, please be sure to visit The New Jersey Department of Health.

Wondering where I fall on that list?

I’m a professional Wedding Officiant and Certified Celebrant certified by the State of New Jersey, and registered with the City of New York!

At this time, all New Jersey couples are required to obtain a marriage license and have their marriage solemnized by a ceremony conducted by an officiant approved by the state.

Well, hello there! Weddings By Aretha’s services are available in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and beyond!

When searching for your perfect local officiant, I recommend using online resources such as The Knot, Wedding Wire, and Google (of course!)

Although officiant costs can vary significantly depending on their offerings, many offer rates as low as $100.

While this might sound like great news, I highly recommend staying away from officiants with cheaper rates, as they are often inexperienced and unreliable.

In some cases, they don’t even have the appropriate credentials to make your marriage legal!

Always do your research!

Feel free to view my detailed pricing page for:

💍 Large Weddings

💍 Elopements

💍 Paperwork Processing Only

Yes, you can get legally married in New Jersey without an official ceremony, but you ARE required to hire a professional wedding officiant for three main reasons:

1️⃣ To obtain your marriage license.

2️⃣ To deliver the Declaration of Intent (legally required.)

3️⃣ To sign, witness, and correctly process your marriage license with the appropriate Registrar’s Office.

Plus, with how fun we make the ceremony planning process, who would want to miss the opportunity to hire an officiant anyway?

Suppose your marriage occurred within the Westfield municipality, and your marriage license was adequately signed, witnessed, and submitted for processing by your Officiant. In that case, you may apply for your Certified Marriage Certificate through the Westfield Regional Health Department or the State of New Jersey’s Vital Statistics and Registry!

-OR-

You can call the Westfield Registrar’s office, make an appointment to come in, pay, and pick up your Certified Marriage Certificate.

I recommend obtaining TWO copies of your Certified Marriage Certificate.

New Jersey’s marriage license application costs $28. You may also contact your Local Registrar to learn more about your municipality’s fees.

After submitting your marriage license application, there will be a 72-hour waiting period before it is issued.

No, New Jersey Marriage Certificates are NOT public records.

Because these vital records are protected by law, they cannot be searched or accessed online.

You can find marriage records through the State of New Jersey Department of Health’s Office of Vital Statistics and Registry.

You can also search for Vital records through your Local Registrar’s Office!

For more information, visit The Town of Westfield Regional Health Department.