If you are planning a wedding in North Carolina, you have likely encountered a warning that sounds something like this:

“Marriages performed by online ordained officiants aren’t legal.”

It is often shared with urgency and very little explanation. For couples already navigating contracts, timelines, and emotional weight, that statement can create immediate fear. But here is the problem with that statement: it oversimplifies the law and leaves out critical context.

There are legal nuances in North Carolina when it comes to who is authorized to solemnize a marriage. That part is true. What is not accurate is the claim that these marriages are automatically illegal or instantly invalid. The law does not work that way, and understanding the difference matters.