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Welcome to the Universal Life Church Wisconsin
The Universal Life Church Monastery, the most prominent ULC organization online; is here to help guide newly ordained ULC ministers by showing them our path to "do that which is right" and to further help facilitate an easy transition into their newly found role as a ULC minister and wedding officiant. Our goal is to provide you the best information available on becoming an officiate, performing wedding ceremonies and officiating marriage under Wisconsin statutes and law.
Wisconsin Marriage Law
765.05 Marriage License; by whom issued:
No person may be joined in marriage within this state until a marriage license has been obtained for that purpose from the county clerk of the county in which one of the parties has resided for at least 30 days immediately prior to making application therefore. If both parties are nonresidents of the state, the marriage license may be obtained from the county clerk of the county where the marriage ceremony is to be performed. If one of the persons is a nonresident of the county where the marriage license is to issue, the nonresident's part of the application may be completed and sworn to or affirmed before the person authorized to accept marriage license applications in the county and state in which the nonresident resides.
765.16 Marriage Contract, how made; officiating person
Marriage may be validly solemnized and contracted in this state only after a marriage license has been issued therefore, and only by the mutual declarations of the 2 parties to be joined in marriage that they take each other as husband and wife, made before an authorized officiating person and in the presence of at least 2 competent adult witnesses other than the officiating person. The following are authorized to be officiating persons:
- Any ordained member of the clergy of any religious denomination or society who continues to be an ordained member of the clergy.
- Any licentiate of a denominational body or an appointee of any bishop serving as the regular member of the clergy of any church of the denomination to which the member of the clergy belongs, if not restrained from so doing by the discipline of the church or denomination.
- The 2 parties themselves, by mutual declarations that they take each other as husband and wife, in accordance with the customs, rules and regulations of any religious society, denomination or sect to which either of the parties may belong.
- Any judge of a court of record or a reserve judge appointed under § 753.075
- Any circuit court commissioner appointed under SCR 75.02 (1) or supplemental court commissioner appointed under § 757.675 (1).
- Any municipal court judge.
765.17 Nonresident Officiating Person; sponsorship
Any member of the clergy, licentiate or appointee named in § 765.16 who is not a resident of this state may solemnize marriages in this state if he or she possesses at the time of the marriage a letter of sponsorship from a member of the clergy of the same religious denomination or society who has a church in this state under his or her ministry.
Statutes Source: Wisconsin State Legislature
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” - Proverbs 31:8, 9