I'm getting married April 1, 2007 and we live in Orlando, Florida,
which is Orange County.  The ceremony may take place in Lake County
though.  We're looking for information telling us how to go about
having our friend legally marry us instead of a preacher.  She's a
high school teacher and a practicing Catholic, so she won't get
ordained by Universal Life Church or anything like that.  In Florida,
does the person only need to be empowered by the two getting married
to sign the marriage certificate or is there more to it?

Dear adamsimon-ga

Thank you for allowing me to answer your interesting question.
Unfortunately, for you, there is more to it.

The following officials are authorized by Florida law to perform
marriage ceremonies:

--A regularly ordained minister or other ordained clergy; 
--Elders in communion with some church; 
--All judicial officers (judges) of the State of Florida; 
--Clerks of the Circuit Courts and their deputized employees; and 
--Notaries Public of the State of Florida. 

In addition, the law provides that marriages may be performed among
"Quakers" or "Friends," in the manner and form used or practiced in
their societies.

MARRIAGE LICENSES AND CEREMONIES
http://orangeclerk.onetgov.net/service/marriage.shtml#ml12

Your best bet in order to get your friend to be able to legally marry
you in the State of Florida is to have her apply to a Notary license.
If all goes well and the completed application is submitted
electronically and in paper format to the Department of State, and if
approved without further review by the Governor's Office, her
commission could be issued within just a matter of a few days to a few
weeks.

FLORIDA GOVERNOR?S OFFICE
How to become a Notary Public
http://www.myflorida.com/myflorida/government/governorinitiatives/notary/howto.html

Other than that, it looks like you?ll have to settle with a duly
authorized officiant. One other options that some people in your
situation sometimes choose to do, and I have recommended in the past,
is to have an informal (but official) civil ceremony on the office of
a Judge or Notary on the morning of your previously planned wedding
day and have him or her sign the necessary documents. Then have (what
appears to be) a formal wedding the same evening with your friend
?acting? as the formal ?officiant?. This practice is perfectly legal
and for all intents and purposes appears, for the sake of your guests,
that your friend has married you in an official ceremony. They need
not be informed and no one will know except you and your friend. In
this way your friend won?t have to compromise her beliefs by
subscribing to some shake-and-bake authority or require her to apply
for any special licenses.

Bingo! Problem solved.

I hope you find that my answer exceeds your expectations. If you have
any questions about my research please post a clarification request
prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.

Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher



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Thanks for the help.

Your friend could become a notary.  I don't know about FL, but in OH,
it's just a multiple choice test.

Sorry - that should say "should" instead of could.

And if she's a notary, then it will be easier for you to get things notarized =)