AMERICAN WEDDINGS BLOG
Stay up to date with the latest wedding ceremony trends, script writing inspiration, tips and advice for first-time officiants, and news that matters to couples and wedding ministers.
Stay up to date with the latest wedding ceremony trends, script writing inspiration, tips and advice for first-time officiants, and news that matters to couples and wedding ministers.
Published Tuesday, Oct. 25th, 2022
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In almost every state, couples must apply for a marriage license from their local government office in order to marry.
This marriage license is the document that makes the marriage a legally binding contract, and it must be signed by the couple, the wedding officiant, and any required witnesses following the wedding ceremony, and then returned.
But for engaged couples planning a destination wedding ceremony in another state, applying for a marriage license can get pretty confusing: Should they apply for their license where they live, or in the state where their wedding ceremony will be held?
No, in general, marriage licenses can only be used in the state where they are issued. Sometimes, licenses must even be used in the same county where they are issued.
There is one exception to this rule, however: a Texas marriage license can sometimes be used in another state. This depends on the issuing county's guidelines, however, as some counties do require licenses to be used in the state of Texas, with a Texas venue recorded as the legal place of marriage on the license. For this reason, we recommend you check with the clerk's office before you apply for your license and ask where it can be used.
Yes, you can apply for a marriage license in any state, regardless of where you hold residency. Once your wedding takes place and your marriage license is recorded with the local clerk's office, your marriage is legally recognized in all states.
This means that a couple living in California can get married in a destination wedding in Texas, and will apply for their marriage license in Texas. In most cases, couples need to apply for their license together in-person at the clerk's office, but some jurisdictions now offer virtual appointments as well.
In general, you must apply for your marriage license in the state where your wedding ceremony will be held. In some cases, you will need to apply in the same county where your wedding will be held.
(Photo by picjumbo.com / Pexels)
In general, a wedding officiant should only sign a marriage license if it's issued in the same state where the ceremony is held, and in some cases, in the same county. A Texas marriage license is sometimes an exception to this guideline, depending on where it was issued, but we recommend you verify this with the issuing clerk's office before the ceremony.
In addition, officiants who want to perform a wedding in another state should always check the local minister registration requirements before the ceremony. You must register in each state where it's required to officiate weddings there.
Find out if minister registration is required in your destination state here: Minister Registration Requirements by State
More about performing destination weddings: A Wedding Officiant's Guide to Performing Destination and Cruise Ship Weddings
AMM Ministers are authorized to perform marriage in every state and U.S. territitory (excluding Virginia), however each state makes its own laws regarding minister registration. Traveling officiants may be required to register in each state where they wish to perform a ceremony.
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