Legal Marriage At Home

[MrsCtoB]

Hi! Fellow masshole...and here is what we were told. You will get your application for marriage certificate at your town/city hall. Some city/town halls will have a Judge or JP on location and they will perform the legal "I DO"s. It is very short and to the point. The other option is to take the application and hire a JP and have your legal ceremony wherever you would like. I had a friend who had the JP "marry" them in her living room the night before her DW so it really is up to you and you can make it as small or extravagant as you would like. Either way, the marriage certificate application is signed and mailed. You will receive it a few weeks later and can then start the name change process etc. if you are doing that! Hoping it really is as simple as they made it seem to us!

[Kayla88]

Hi! Fellow masshole...and here is what we were told. You will get your application for marriage certificate at your town/city hall. Some city/town halls will have a Judge or JP on location and they will perform the legal "I DO"s. It is very short and to the point. The other option is to take the application and hire a JP and have your legal ceremony wherever you would like. I had a friend who had the JP "marry" them in her living room the night before her DW so it really is up to you and you can make it as small or extravagant as you would like. Either way, the marriage certificate application is signed and mailed. You will receive it a few weeks later and can then start the name change process etc. if you are doing that! Hoping it really is as simple as they made it seem to us!

Thanks for the information.

[calgarybride2015]

Can't speak for all Canadian cities but I know in Calgary you can't have a court house marriage. They don't do that anymore!

 

 

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[kmk2016]

Can't speak for all Canadian cities but I know in Calgary you can't have a court house marriage. They don't do that anymore!

 

 

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Yes- Alberta does not do "courthouse weddings". I believe other provinces may also be following/have followed suit.

[Lia33]

Also make sure you know how long the wait period is after you apply for your marriage license! In NY, we have to apply for the marriage license and wait 24 hours before we can a civil ceremony. Then I know we aren't legally married until we do the civil ceremony (quick I do's). You will also need witnesses but I think if you just want to keep it as private as possible, they can provide witnesses for you, or bring who you'd like. States have a minimum number of witnesses required so check with your state! In NY, it's two. 

 

Even though it'll be an 'I do' ceremony, I don't think it will take away from you're DW ceremony - it won't be as elaborate, it won't have everyone there. I was nervous about this also as I'm doing my civil ceremony before my DW also, I'll even be wearing a little white dress since I know my grandmother won't be going to the DW. We just will not exchange rings there. Our DW will be a bigger celebration of our union, so I'm not longer worried about it :-)

[eirbear0915]

We are planning to get the certificate before we have our symbolic ceremony in Cabo.  I think it's up to you and your preference.  When you get married in the courthouse, it will be very straight forward and your DW will be your opportunity to share your special day with your family and friends.  

 

My mom and my soon to be mother in law already told me that they want to be with us when we do the legal process as well.  I think it will be nice to have at least both of them there for both.  Good luck

[helenk]

It seems most places require you to get the license first, wait a day or two and then go in for the "ceremony". It's annoying, I wish I could just sign papers too but you gotta do what you gotta do

[nattiegams325]

@@colleentf09 are you me?! hahaha this is literally exactly what happened tonight. My FI and I originally were going to do the legal thing in Mexico but at the advice of many (including our wedding coordinator) decided to do it at home and have symbolic there. We had planned on not telling anyone, but my parents are paying and would see it on the budget form, and for some reason, my FI told his parents. Now his parents want to come to the courthouse. When I told my parents, they got upset and are telling us to get married after because getting married before by 2 weeks "is way too long." I told them getting married after would make the wedding day in Mexico not feel real, and the courthouse is nothing but an errand in my mind. I'm seriously going in jeans. My wedding day is our day in Mexico in my mind!

 

I told my FI we never should have told anyone because now both our parents are upset. I'm thinking of telling them we changed our minds to legal in Mexico and telling the wedding coordinator to take it off the budget form so they won't see. Seriously. I don't get the what the big deal is.

[Maggietron]

Yes- Alberta does not do "courthouse weddings". I believe other provinces may also be following/have followed suit.

 

Saskatchewan is a mess. You have to get your marriage licence from a jewellery store and then have a marriage commissioner come to you. I don't exactly want to get married in my basement apartment, so I'm not sure what to do there. My FSIL might not be able to come, maybe when we get home from the wedding or a couple days before we'll have the marriage commissioner come to her house and she and her husband can witness it?

[calgarybride2015]

Saskatchewan is a mess. You have to get your marriage licence from a jewellery store and then have a marriage commissioner come to you. I don't exactly want to get married in my basement apartment, so I'm not sure what to do there. My FSIL might not be able to come, maybe when we get home from the wedding or a couple days before we'll have the marriage commissioner come to her house and she and her husband can witness it?

 

Would the marriage commissioner allow you to do it outside in a nice area? or in their home?

We are doing it in our ladies home!  I know two ladies who have done this so I feel ok with it, but it does seem funny.