Once a couple gets engages and starts planning their wedding it may seem that it’s all about flowers, dresses, color schemes, food and so on. But in addition to the culinary and aesthetic parts of the wedding, there’s a legal side that needs to be taken care of if you want to get married legally and avoid any trouble in the future. So what do you need to get married legally? You’ll find the answer in this article.
What is the difference between a marriage license and a marriage certificate?
You may think that a marriage license and a marriage certificate are different names for the same thing. But in fact, they are two different documents. A marriage license is a document that you obtain before the wedding, it’s basically an application to be married. Once your wedding ceremony is complete, you, your witnesses and your officiant will sign the marriage license and once the officiant submits the license to the county, you will receive your wedding certificate, which is a document that proves that you’re married.
How to get a marriage license?
Getting a marriage license is simple if you follow a few rules. First, you need to decide when and where you will be getting married because you need to obtain the license in the county where the ceremony will happen and because the license can expire, so you shouldn’t get it too far in advance. At the same time, don’t wait until the day before your wedding to obtain the license, as there’s usually a waiting period of a few days.
The next step is to visit the county clerk with your fiance. The rules for obtaining a marriage license are different in every county, so make sure that you find out what you need to bring to this visit. You will need proof of identity, information about your parents, a certificate of divorce or death if it’s not your first marriage and sometimes even a witness.
Once you have the marriage license and the ceremony has been held, you will need to take care of signing the marriage license before you start drinking and partying with your guests at the reception. The license needs to be signed by the newlyweds, the officiant (with the exception of some states where an officiant’s signature is not necessary), and two witnesses who can be your friends or relatives.
What to do with a marriage license after the ceremony?
Once the marriage license has been signed by everyone, it is the job of the officiant to submit the license to the county clerk in person or by mail. After a few days or weeks depending on the county, you will either receive your official marriage certificate by mail or you will need to go and pick up the document. Make sure to keep your marriage certificates safe because you will need them every time you need to provide proof of your marital status.