It is a very common trend we see in this time and era that Friends and Family members are asked from the Wedding Couple to marry them.  Sometimes the Couple feels that the Friend/Family member knows them best and can portray their story more fluidly and gracefully, or perhaps it is a decision made for budgeting reasons. We always stress to make sure the Officiant who is chosen  checks ahead of time each jurisdiction, county, and the region you are marrying the couple in. Each region may be different and require additional certifications like NYC, and the 5 boroughs and certain counties. The last thing a Bride and/or Groom wants to hear is that their marriage won’t be LEGAL because proper requirements were not met. Due diligence always pays off!