Marriage officiant

Protestant weddings are conducted by a pastor such as a priest as with Lutheranism and Anglicanism, or a minister as with Methodism.

Some organizations have limited or no requirements for ordination, like American Marriage Ministries and the Universal Life Church.

[6] Many nonreligious people have their marriages in churches and officiated by Christian pastors,[2] while others marry in mosques, and synagogues.

Their main social and cultural responsibility is to create ceremonies which engender respect for the institution of marriage.

[7][8] In the United States, Canada and many other countries, marriages are legally performed by a member of the clergy, a public official (e.g. a judge), or where authorised, by a civil celebrant (e.g. New Jersey).

There is some controversy over whether these laws promote religious privilege that is incompatible with the United States Constitution.