Selecting the right Atlanta wedding officiant for your upcoming nuptials may require that you do a bit of homework. It’s important to know what to look for when deciding on wedding officiants, but your search may be as simple as talking to your local minister, rabbi, or priest. However, if you and your partner are not religious, or are not associated with a particular house of worship in the area, a little more research may be needed to ensure you find the perfect Atlanta wedding officiant for both of you.

For couples that are residents of Georgia, getting married in Atlanta or anywhere else in the state is legal. Out-of-state visitors looking to wed in or near Atlanta–say, for instance, at the Atlanta Botanical Garden or the jaw-dropping Georgia Aquarium–will be required to have their license issued in Fulton County for the marriage ceremony to be performed. Your Atlanta wedding officiant can help provide guidance in these matters, so don’t be afraid to ask.

Atlanta wedding officiants will normally file the official marriage certificate once the ceremony is completed, and once you and any witnesses have signed the document. Atlanta government officiants who may also be able to perform the wedding ceremony legally include state judges, federal judges, city recorders, or magistrates.

Religious ministers and leaders, as well as priests, are also able to officiate at an Atlanta marriage ceremony–whether held in a non-traditional venue, like the iconic Stone Mountain Park or in a church in downtown Atlanta–as long as these Atlanta wedding officiants are authorized to perform marriage unions.

Wedding officiants are required to deliver the marriage license and marriage certificate to the Fulton County probate court within 30 days after the ceremony for the marriage to be recognized and recorded by the state of Georgia.

To help get you started in planning your nuptials in the lovely Peach State, please preview our list of Atlanta wedding officiants.