Florida Notary Public Updates

A few months ago, a dear friend of mine got engaged. The excitement of the moment led to a conversation about her big day and her dreams of the perfect wedding. We chatted about the tiny details—decorations, food, and drinks. Then I posed the question, “Who will officiate the wedding?”

She hadn't thought about it at all. A few days later, she came to me in a panic, worried about who would marry her and her soon-to-be husband. She was anxious because she didn't want a minister, priest, or any other religious figure to officiate. Adding to her stress, the wedding was rapidly approaching, and this important detail had not been finalized. I mentioned to her that I had recently become a notary public for work and that Florida notaries are able to solemnize wedding vows. After a huge sigh of relief, she asked if I would marry them. My answer came out before I even had time to think—“YES!”

The following weeks were filled with research, fact-finding missions, and hours of practicing speaking slowly, clearly, and loudly. I had never married anyone before, and I don’t think I had even made a speech in front of a crowd of more than 30 people. Not only did I need to make sure that the marriage license was done properly, but I also had to make sure that I didn’t mess up any words in the vows. Drawing on the couple's heritage, I included unique “filler” parts for the ceremony (in my mind, the religious parts were the fillers).  At the bride’s request, I added an Apache saying that was not religious in nature but focused on two becoming one with nature. Throughout the process, I thought the preparation would be the most “fun” part, purely because I got to learn about different cultures and wedding traditions.

Finally, the big day arrived, and although I was nervous, my stoic nature helped me hide it. My sweaty palms were the only thing emitting nervous energy that day. After reading through the ceremony details about 100 more times, it was time to get started. As I walked to the ceremony site with the groom, my nerves seemed to disappear. Perhaps my psyche finally calmed down, or maybe I realized that that this wasn't as difficult as I'd imagined. It was absolutely beautiful! The ceremony went wonderfully. I had one moment of hesitation during my introduction, laughed and asked if I could start again. The bride and groom laughed with me and agreed. That laugh broke the ice, and from that moment on, everything flowed smoothly. The ceremony went so well, I felt like I must have forgotten something.

In the end, I was wrong about which part would be the most fun. It wasn't the preparation—it was the actual ceremony, the signing, and the joy I saw when I solemnized the couple's dream of becoming husband and wife. This thrilling experience is something Florida notaries should take advantage of! The opportunity to unite two people in marriage is a wonderful experience, and being the one to make it legally binding is just the cherry on top.

~Cate, Florida Notary

Troy Fain Insurance offers Florida notaries a marriage kit to help answer any questions they might have about performing a wedding ceremony. The kit includes with 10 certificates, gold foil seals (for use with an embosser), sample ceremony scripts, and informative literature.