Paperwork! What You Need To Know About Marriage Licenses

What's the most important part of a wedding?  The gown?  The food?  The music?  The church?  The reception?  Nope to all!  Believe it or not, it's the marriage license.  While a wedding is often a spiritual binding of two people, it's also a legal binding as well.  That's why it is really important that you make sure you've got everything taken care of before the big day.

The place to start is the place where you're getting married.  You'll need a license from that state or county - or country, if it's a destination wedding.  You can find that information online if you do some checking by looking up the government center of where you're getting hitched.  If you are getting married in the United States, you'll want to find a town hall, probate court, or city clerk's office in the town where you're getting wed.

Sometimes, you'll have to honor a waiting period before your license is valid.  These vary by state.  It's intended to prevent impulsive weddings (they don't require this in Nevada, thus Britney Spears' first quickie marriage!).  You may have to wait several days after you apply, or maybe a few days after you receive it.

What about a blood test?  When I married in Michigan in 1984, we were required to have that.  Yuck.  But now, only four states require blood tests: Connecticut, Indiana, Mississippi and Montana, and also Washington, DC.  Why, you ask?  It's a hold over from the last century when there was syphilis but not penicillin.

Make sure you're aware that your license has a time limit.  In Clermont County, Ohio (where I live) the license is good for 60 days.  So, getting it too soon won't work - you'll have to time it right.  This isn't really a big problem if you live close to where your wedding will be, but if you're traveling to wed, you'll want to make sure you've got that covered.

Most of the time, BOTH of you have to be present in person to apply for a marriage license.  You'll want to take along your ID.  Check with the issuing office to see if they require anything else.   They'll ask you for your parent's names (this means birth or legally adopted parents, not step parents) and they will want your mother's maiden name.  It's a good idea to confirm spelling for difficult names before you arrive at the license window and have to make a hasty call to your mom!

If you've been divorced, you'll be required to show the divorce decree before you will be allowed to get a license - this applies to both of you.

Once you've said your vows, your officiant (the minister, pastor, or just the guy/gal that married you) will send the signed license to the proper authority.  The city or state will then issue a marriage certificate and send it to you.  Order extras if you're changing your name - you'll need to produce originals for various agencies.

I'm located in Cincinnati, so if you're in Cincinnati as well, here are the links to local sites that describe what you'll need for your marriage license:
Clermont County, Ohio - http://probatejuvenile.clermontcountyohio.gov/MarriageLicense.aspx
Hamilton County, Ohio - http://www.probatect.org/marriagelicenses/index.htm
Brown County, Ohio - http://www.browncountyohio.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=14

Getting married in Kentucky?  This link is a great way to find out what you need and also lists the contact information for every county in the Commonwealth:  http://www.weddingvendors.com/marriage-license-laws/united-states/kentucky/

Some information for this blog is from Bride's Magazine, April, 2011

Next time on this blog site..."Changing Your Name - A List".

Need some help with the rest of the wedding?  Advice?  Ideas?  The contact info for some great vendors?  Just give me a call or shoot me a text at 513-407-7165.  And check out my website at wwww.innobrations.com.  And don't panic - we'll work together to make it the best day of your life!