MARRYING EVERYONE UNDER THE RAINBOW! Being a Wedding Officiant is so much fun. It is exciting to meet the couple and plan the wedding. They want to know where and how long you have been an Officiant. I am honored to have been selected as a Speaker at the National Notary Association 2025 Conference in Las Vegas/Henderson, Nevada, to speak on Wedding Officiating. I began in 2018. My first wedding was a simple home wedding of friends. Next was a beautiful ceremony at the St. Augustine Lighthouse, with the reception at the Columbia Restaurant. The following one was at The Riverside House, by the Junior League. I handled the ceremony and was the emcee for the reception. There are so many lovely venues in and around Jacksonville. We now offer a unique setting at the Rainbow Wedding Chapel in our own brick-and-mortar space starting in April 2023. Rainbow Notary And Nuptials is EXPANDING. We will have fingerprinting, copy and scanning services, notary services, and copy services. We will also have the Rainbow Wedding Chapel with 2 unique settings: a beach and a garden. Our new location is 491 W. Forsyth Street, just on downtown Jacksonville's other side of the Duval County Courthouse parking. We are at the corner of Forsyth and Clay. My Notary commission began in late December 2017, and I have been enjoying learning something new every single day. From general notary work to remote online notary to loan signings, this is special and different. I am a Sign and Thrive fan and frequently rely on the guidance of Bill Soroka, Laura Biewer, and Carole Ray. Florida Notaries are you RON ready?
Are you ready to perform remote online notarizations? There are only two choices in getting started. Many Notaries sign up with a RON vendor who will provide any required software and tools for online notarization, and others prefer to independently purchase their own identification, remote notarization, and recordkeeping solutions without relying on a vendor. Well, what’s the best choice for you in Florida? The answer will depend on two important factors. 1. FLORIDA requires RON vendors who are compliant with the law.
For starters, the state of Florida and its state RON laws require Notaries to use a RON vendor. Notaries must use a RON vendor chosen from an approved list. Florida Notaries must use a RON vendor compliant with state law, but the state does not recommend or endorse specific companies. In these states, you can’t set up your own independent RON system. The remote online notarization system you use MUST meet all the state requirements. 2. Which RON vendor is right for you to get started?
The advantage of using a RON vendor is that it allows “one-stop shopping” for Notaries starting remote online notarization services. Vendors typically set up any RON necessities for the Notary in one package, such as:
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Some vendors will also provide Notaries with digital certificates, electronic seals, or training and tech support for their platform, which can be very helpful for Notaries who have little or no experience with RON or electronic documents. At the same time, this convenience comes with additional costs. RON vendors typically charge fees for using their services, and some may require the Notary to split a portion of their notarization fees with the vendor.
Another factor that can affect choosing a vendor is high demand due to COVID-19. Nationwide use of RON has skyrocketed this year due to pandemic safety concerns, and Florida is one of these states. Because there is such a high demand for RON, you may experience delays getting started. Allow yourself extra time before advertising. But most importantly, learning how to navigate the software should be your biggest concern.
