Because God Says To Honor The Government
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. God has established the authorities that exist. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
The United States provides valuable benefits and protections for couples obtaining an official marriage license.
Local Arizona Wedding Customs
With its rich Native American history and proximity to Mexico, as well as a large populace of Caucasian descent, Arizona boasts a huge variety of wedding traditions. You can opt to honor your ancestors with a ceremony that aligns with your own customs, or you can respectfully pay homage to the traditions of other cultures. Some of the most common local customs include:
- Hispanic weddings: Filled with the colorful wedding traditions of Spain, Mexico and Latin America, a Hispanic wedding often combines religious ceremonies with all-out Latin festivities afterward. Common elements include kneeling during vows, the exchange of coins between bride and groom, and a family heirloom dress or veil.
- Native American weddings: People of Native American and non-Native American descent alike are enchanted with the ancient traditions of the Southwestern tribes. If you would like to respectfully incorporate some of these traditions into your ceremony, or enlist a Native American officiant for a traditional Native religious ceremony, you will find plenty who can help in Arizona.
- Western weddings: Lest we forget, Arizona is saturated in the near-mythic lore of cowboys and cactuses, saloons and steer, tumbleweeds and ten-gallon hats. If you like this theme, you only need to include some of these in your wedding . If your own family has a ranching past, so much the better, but its far from necessary in order to have fun with this theme.
Can You Marry Your Mom
In the United States, every state prohibits you from marrying any of your ancestors or descendants including your brother, your sister, your half-brother, your half-sister, your aunt, your uncle, your niece, your nephew, your mother, your father, your grandmother, your grandfather, your great-grandmother, your great-
Read Also: What Goes First Engagement Or Wedding Ring
Here Are Some Questions We Recommend Asking Yourself To Make The Right Decision For You And Your Partner:
Do we want the guidance and structure in our ceremony that an officiant would provide?
Would we feel confident to be the leaders of our own ceremony and be happy if we potentially left out a particular aspect of a traditional ceremony?
Do we value traditional vows and the traditional officiating of marriage?
Would we prefer for our wedding to literally only include us and the scenery around us? Not another soul in sight?
Can we afford to take an international or out of state trip at this point in our lives?
Would we be happy legally marrying before we go international to hold our ceremony?
Do we want to get married somewhere easily accessible for family to join us?
Will our family be able to join us abroad?
Do we value convenience and ease in the wedding planning process?
Is applying for international marriage paperwork an additional task we are willing to take on in this season of our lives?
Is there a country we connect with deeply or has been impactful to our story?
If you are thinking about self-solemnizing your wedding, check out our One-Of-A-Kind Elopement Packages HERE.
Want help planning your own wedding? We created The Plan & The Partnership Wedding Planning Guide and Workbook just for you! Start planning with your copy HERE!
A Courthouse Wedding Can Make Sense For Couples Looking To Break Away From A Traditional Ceremony
The ring that sits on my finger is one my husband forged from a block of sterling silver. Our vows were more or less spoken off the cuff, rather than written using an internet-approved script. At our reception we ate homemade food and danced with nieces and nephews to Cardi B. No toasts. No father-daughter dance. No cake.
This is what felt right to us, since many of the traditional aspects of a wedding seemed outdated and unnecessary to us. I especially dislike the concept of bridesmaids and the bouquet toss, which can both be seen as pitting women against each other.
This isn’t to say a traditional wedding ceremony is not fulfilling. I know many people who have dreamed of their special day since childhood, and once it was all said and done, believed it to be worth the price, time commitment, and stress.
But I am here to tell you this: A courthouse wedding can be just as fulfilling, intimate, and beautiful. So if you and your partner are having trouble grappling with traditional wedding planning, consider pulling out your phone and calling the closest city clerk.
- Read more:
Read Also: How To Plan A Wedding Under 5000
Where Do I Get A Marriage License
To get married in Minnesota you apply for a marriage license. You can apply for a license in any county. You dont have to apply in the county where you want to get married. Because each county is different, contact your local license center about where to apply for a marriage license. Check if your county has a general information line or do an internet search for your county and license center to find it.
Many counties have application forms you can print out on their websites. Some also let you start the application process online. Check your county website.
You have to go together to the license center to apply for a marriage license. If for some reason you cant both go, ask the license center what you need to do to be able to apply for the license.
The fee for a marriage license application is $115. If you take at least 12 hours of premarital education classes, the application fee is $40. You have to take a class from:
- a licensed or ordained minister
- a person authorized to perform civil marriages, or
- a person authorized to practice marriage and family therapy
Talk to your minister or look online for pre-marital counselors. Make sure you ask about cost before you sign up.
You need proof that you did the classes. The person giving the classes should have the necessary forms or wording for a letter to show that you did the classes. The form or letter has to be notarized. Take it when you apply for your license.
Do You Want To Be Legally Married To Your Partner Or Would You Prefer Your Ceremony Be More Symbolic In Nature
Legally Married
Symbolic Ceremony
Elopements and civil ceremonies/civil marriages are both legally binding ways to get married without a wedding. With elopements you’ll pick up a marriage license from the County Clerk and Recorder and you’ll sign it on the day of your elopement and then have it filed after its completed.
A commitment ceremony, unlike an elopement ceremony or a civil ceremony, is not legally binding. You are not married in the eyes of the law. There are many reasons, whether financial or personal, why a couple may opt to have a commitment ceremony or delay marriage as opposed to having a legally binding marriage ceremony, but if you like the idea of sharing vows, exchanging rings, or committing your lives to one another, but don’t want to be legally considered married, a commitment ceremony is a great option.
Recommended Reading: Fleet Farm Gift Registry
Can I Get Copies Of The Marriage Certificate For Both My Civil And Church Weddings
According to the PSA, the first registered marriage is the one considered valid. For example, if you had a civil wedding first before you married in a church, then the PSA will issue the marriage contract that was registered first at the local civil registrar.
On the other hand, if you had a church wedding without a civil wedding beforehand, the marriage is still recognized as legal in the Philippines. The marriage certificate youll get from the PSA is the one you signed during your church rites.
Renewing Your Wedding Vows
In Ireland, someone who is already married cannot get married again . This means that you cannot renew your wedding vowsin a civil ceremony in Ireland.
However, there is a long tradition of “church blessings” in Ireland. This iswhere Irish people who have married in civil ceremonies abroad, marry in areligious ceremony the next time they are home. Sometimes, people living inIreland have their marriage blessed in a religious ceremony, to commemorate aspecial anniversary or event. If you would like to have your marriage blessed,you should get in touch with your local clergyman.
Don’t Miss: Engagement Or Wedding Ring First
Get A Replacement Licence
You must apply for a replacement licence only if you still wish to get married and:
- you or your future spouse have changed a name or since your unused licence was issued, or
- you no longer have your unused licence
The replacement licence is valid for three months from the date it was issued. Couples should only apply for a replacement within three months of their rescheduled wedding.
When you visit a municipal office to get a replacement licence:
- municipal fees may apply
- there is no provincial fee
- bring your unused licence
- bring your identification documents
- go to the municipality where you originally purchased your licence
If you are unable to go back to the same municipality where you originally purchased your licence, additional time and information may be required to issue a replacement.
Contact your municipality before applying for a replacement for more information.
How Many Witnesses Do You Need To Get Married In The Uk
All marriages must be entered in the marriage register and signed by both parties, two witnesses, the person who conducted the ceremony and, if that person is not authorised to register marriages, the person who is registering the marriage.
Getting married in the UK must take place on government-approved premises:
- a Register Office
- premises approved by the local authority such as a hotel
- a church of the Church of England, Church in Wales
- a synagogue or any other private place if both partners are Jewish
- a Meeting House if one or both partners are either members of the Society of Friends or are associated with the Society by attending meetings
- any registered religious building
- the home of one of the partners if the partner is housebound or detained, for example, in prison
- a place where one partner is seriously ill and not expected to recover, for example, in hospital
- a licensed naval, military or air force chapel
Here is the official government list of approved premises in the UK.
Recommended Reading: Have A Beautiful Wedding For Under $5000
Can You Go To Jail For Marrying An Immigrant
An individual will be charged with marriage fraud if they entered into a marriage for the purpose of evading U.S. immigration law. This felony offense carries a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000, and applies to both foreign nationals and U.S. citizens who perpetrate this crime.
Can Catholics Get Tattoos
There is no such law that tells the Catholic Church allows tattooing. Some Catholics dont have an issue with tattooing, while some regard it as a sinful act. The Old Testament mentions how tattoos are sinful, Do not lacerate your bodies for the dead, and do not tattoo yourselves. I am the Lord .
You May Like: How To Plan A Wedding For Under 5000
What’s The Difference Between A Marriage License And A Marriage Certificate
A marriage license is a document that you must obtain from the county clerk before you get married. A marriage certificate is a document that proves you’re married.
Typically, couples obtain a marriage license, hold the wedding ceremony, and then have the officiant files the certificate in the appropriate county office within days. The married couple will then receive a certified copy of the marriage certificate.
Most states require both spouses, the officiant, and one or two witnesses, to sign the marriage certificate. This is often done just after the ceremony.
What Should I Know About Getting Married In Massachusetts
Massachusetts General Law Chapter 207 covers many of the legal requirements for getting married in Massachusetts. The Secretary of the Commonwealth also provides some guides to help you get the right paperwork filed on time. For the most detailed information, you should contact your city or town clerk, because each place has its own regulations about marriage licenses.
You May Like: Buying An Engagement Ring At A Pawn Shop
Frequently Asked Questions About Commitment Ceremonies
Is a commitment ceremony legally binding?
No, but that doesnt make it any less important! For more FAQs about the legalities of eloping, check out our blog.
Who can perform a commitment ceremony?
Anyone who is willing to. If you ask someone to officiate, be up front that it isnt legally binding.
What is the difference between a wedding and a commitment ceremony?
Just the paperwork.
What is the difference between a civil ceremony and commitment ceremony?
Civil ceremonies are legally binding. Its usually done by government entities without a religious component.
We love the freedom of commitment ceremonies for couples who want to get married their own way
We encourage our couples to not let government paperwork hold them back from a wedding experience that is truly them, meaningful, intimate, and everything theyve ever wanted out of their elopement location. You want to look back on your wedding day, on the day that you say your vows to each other, and love every single minute of it! No one should love your wedding experience more than you do. If doing the legal paperwork on that same day is a hassle, time consuming, stressful, expensive, or restrictive in any way it is so easy and so worth it to ditch the legal side of things. Youll still be getting married!
Are you ready to start planning your own commitment ceremony?
Identity And Eligibility Documents
Your registered celebrant must see:
- evidence of the date and place of birth for both of you, or a current overseas passport if you were born outside Australia
- current
- evidence of any previous divorce or death of any spouse, if applicablesuch as original divorce or death certificate for previous spouse.
Don’t Miss: Weddings For Less Than 5000
As A Seasoned Elopement Photographer I’ve Got Your Back
As an elopement photographer who also decided she wanted to get married without a wedding , I know firsthand what youre going through. I spent nearly a year planning my own big, traditional wedding, only to decide I didnt want a big wedding at all. So I found a way for me to get married without one.
As someone who has been there, I love helping my couples do exactly that: figure out how to get married without a wedding, and have the best time doing so. I exclusively document adventure elopements, because I know what an amazing and freeing option they are for couples who want a non-traditional celebration. Id love nothing more than to document yours.
