A Quaker wedding is a traditional ceremony of marriage within the Religious Society of Friends. Quaker weddings are conducted in a similar fashion to regular Quaker meetings for worship, primarily in silence and without an officiant or a rigid program of events, and therefore differ greatly from traditional Western weddings. Here are some key features of a Quaker wedding:

• Silent ceremony: Quaker weddings are often referred to as the silent ceremony, and there is a long period of silent, open worship after which those attending may speak on the couples behalf.

• Officiant-free: No officiant is actually required to be present at the ceremony; two witnesses and their signatures are all that is needed.

• Clearness committee: A couple wishing to have a Quaker wedding in a meetinghouse mails a letter of intent to marry to the clerk of their meeting. The clerk reads the letter at the next monthly meeting for business, and those assembled appoint a usually two- or three-member clearness committee to discuss issues involved in marriage with the couple.

• Wedding certificate: A Quaker civil marriage certificate is the certificate recognized by the government and also by institutions such as banks. It is completed by the Registering Officer of the Area Meeting in which the marriage is taking place, and it is signed by the couple and four witnesses.

Quaker weddings are also sometimes referred to as self-uniting ceremonies, and Pennsylvania is among only a handful of states in which you can say “I do” via a self-uniting ceremony. Self-uniting marriage licenses allow a couple to wed without an officiant.