How do you get married? Can you just go down to courthouse??

[SapphireDreams 71]

I'm in Virginia (Fairfax county) - you go and apply down at the courthouse for your marriage license (you each fill out a form) - you stand in line, pay a fee and they give you the marriage license.

You need to bring id - I brought my Cdn passport, and Cdn birth certificate (probably I brought the long - just in case). My husband is the USC, he brought his drivers license (which shows address) and his birth cert or passport I forget which)

There is no blood test or anything fancy - took us about ½ hour tops

I googled marriage license and the county name and it came up with a hit

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/COURTS/CIRCUI...icense_info.htm

Once married, the minister signed it and it was submitted back to the courthouse - This is where you're going to get a notiarized copy of your marriage license which you will need for the AOS package. I got a few extra copies for other things too. They notarize it on the spot if you pay.

We took it in ourselves to speed the process

Good to know!

I guess I am confused because we already HAD our wedding. So, after we get the license I wasn't sure where to take it, since we weren't having a minister or anything like that.

Do we have to have a mini ceremony somewhere??? We were just hoping to get the certificate, like graduating university or something Just go, shake a hand and they give it to you

I dont wanna have another hookey ceremony just because. I mean, I will if we have to.

Anyone do this??

You can just go tot he courthouse and they read the vows and you say I do and sign the certificate. It's nothing fancy by any means.

[kcoyclay1 98]

I am totally confused on this.

Upon arrival, how do we get married?? I know we go to the courthouse, get a marriage license but then it says "you have 60 days to use it". HUH?? I thought that was it? Use it how?? We aren't having a ceremony because we already did that (non legal a few months ago). Do we still have to get someone to do a ceremony with the legal certificate now????

ANyone have any tips?? I will be in Virginia. I'm so confused!!! I'm also hugely confused on the definitions. What is "marriage" and "married". Is that the CEREMONY???

Married license and married certificate are two different things.The license allows you to be married and the certificate is proof that you are married. Regarding married and marriage, let me use it in a sentence with regards to the question you asked. You get the license so that you can get married and receive the certificate after the marriage.

Edited April 27, 2009 by kcoyclay1

[Reba 2]

And an official cannot give you a marriage certificate unless an actual ceremony of some sort takes place in his/her presence. They cannot just take your wordfor it that you were already married. Which you're not, if it was not a legal ceremony and you rec'd no documentation. (surprising for Canada, unless an unlicensed friend did it for you, marriage laws are fairly specific about by whom and how in Canada.)

[Tina&Roland 4]

I am totally confused on this.

Upon arrival, how do we get married?? I know we go to the courthouse, get a marriage license but then it says "you have 60 days to use it". HUH?? I thought that was it? Use it how?? We aren't having a ceremony because we already did that (non legal a few months ago). Do we still have to get someone to do a ceremony with the legal certificate now????

ANyone have any tips?? I will be in Virginia. I'm so confused!!! I'm also hugely confused on the definitions. What is "marriage" and "married". Is that the CEREMONY???

Hi,

Im not sure how you were able to have a ceremony without it being legal. We were thinking of having a church ceremony in Toronto in August 2009 (without the legal signing of the pastor). However, our plans fell through when the pastor said that it's illegal for pastors or officiators to do minister a wedding without it being legal. He said that he would only be able to do it if we got married legally before the wedding or do the legal signing at the wedding ceremony.

Needless to say, we were both bummed and had to change our plans and marry after I enter the U.S. We'll likely do the courthouse marriage first and then hopefully hold the actual ceremony in December 2009.

Tina

[FormelyCA 0]

I am totally confused on this.

Upon arrival, how do we get married?? I know we go to the courthouse, get a marriage license but then it says "you have 60 days to use it". HUH?? I thought that was it? Use it how?? We aren't having a ceremony because we already did that (non legal a few months ago). Do we still have to get someone to do a ceremony with the legal certificate now????

ANyone have any tips?? I will be in Virginia. I'm so confused!!! I'm also hugely confused on the definitions. What is "marriage" and "married". Is that the CEREMONY???

Hi,

Im not sure how you were able to have a ceremony without it being legal. We were thinking of having a church ceremony in Toronto in August 2009 (without the legal signing of the pastor). However, our plans fell through when the pastor said that it's illegal for pastors or officiators to do minister a wedding without it being legal. He said that he would only be able to do it if we got married legally before the wedding or do the legal signing at the wedding ceremony.

Needless to say, we were both bummed and had to change our plans and marry after I enter the U.S. We'll likely do the courthouse marriage first and then hopefully hold the actual ceremony in December 2009.

Tina

We had our wedding in Honduras and there wasn't a priest or pastor present. We aren't religious so, why pretend to be for the 30 min ceremony? It was still nice though and you would have never really known it wasn't legal. We had an "officiant" (husbands uncle), exchanged vows, rings, did a candle ceremony. Really, all this hoopla about marriage is overrated. It really is a legal thing. Makes me even madder about the anti-legalization of gay marriage attitude prevalent here...separation people....SEPARATION. Anyway...back to issue

Are you 100% set on a church ceremony? You could have a nice outdoor ceremony somewhere. Venues don't care if your thing is legal or not, they just want paid So, you could get "married" and do EVERYTHING else but sign the papers. Perhaps something to consider if you are dead set on a Canadian wedding. Though, I am not sure you have enough time to plan everything if you are leaving soon

[Reba 2]

Im not sure how you were able to have a ceremony without it being legal. We were thinking of having a church ceremony in Toronto in August 2009 (without the legal signing of the pastor). However, our plans fell through when the pastor said that it's illegal for pastors or officiators to do minister a wedding without it being legal. He said that he would only be able to do it if we got married legally before the wedding or do the legal signing at the wedding ceremony.

Needless to say, we were both bummed and had to change our plans and marry after I enter the U.S. We'll likely do the courthouse marriage first and then hopefully hold the actual ceremony in December 2009.

Tina

It's just the way the marriage laws are written in Canada. Any licensed officiator cannot perform a marriage ceremony without there being paperwork involved. However, you CAN have someone who is NOT licensed "officiate" for you. Like a friend or relative or complete stranger, and have it not legal.