| You must know the laws and policies of the state you | | | | to marry include Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, |
| plan to get married in. Some states have some | | | | Texas and Oklahoma as well as nineteen others. |
| unusual laws, so always make sure you or your | | | | If you want the tropical breeze and beautiful sunsets |
| wedding planner knows all the laws pertaining to your | | | | of Hawaii, make sure you bring cash because their |
| marriage. | | | | county clerks will not accept any other form of |
| In the US, marriage laws are regulated at the state | | | | payment for marriage licenses. It is also a state with |
| level, not federal. This can make life complicated if you | | | | one of the higher fees at $60 a pop. |
| are say from New York, but want to get married in | | | | The most common day for weddings is Saturday. As |
| California. It is essential to research the laws of the | | | | many wedding planners know, this means venues cost |
| state you wish to get married in. Additionally, it is also | | | | much more on Saturday. If you are in Idaho, your |
| important to know if your marriage will be recognized | | | | marriage license will cost more on Saturday, too. The |
| by the state you live in if you are getting married out | | | | state raises the cost from $28 to $45 on a Saturday. |
| of your state of residence. | | | | Idaho is also the only state that requires the bride and |
| Here are some things you might not know about | | | | groom to read a pre-marital AIDS education pamphlet. |
| marriage laws in the United States, starting with fees. | | | | If you are having a crazy night in Las Vegas and find |
| Each state charges a different amount for a marriage | | | | the man or woman of your dreams and decide at |
| license. The range is from $15 in Nebraska to $88.50 in | | | | 3am that a wedding is the best idea, you are in the |
| Florida. So if you are trying to pinch every penny, that | | | | clear. You can get married twenty-four hours a day, |
| is something worth checking out. It would be a shame | | | | three hundred sixty five days a year in Las Vegas. But |
| to have to have to pay twice, so make sure you | | | | your 3am decision is going to cost you a little bit more. |
| know when your license expires. The only states that | | | | Between the hours of midnight and 8am marriage |
| provide non-expiring licenses are Wyoming and South | | | | licenses cost $60, rather than the normal $50. In a |
| Carolina. | | | | hurry? Get married in a Las Vegas drive-thru chapel, |
| If you are not into needles you might want to avoid | | | | limousine, or helicopter. They even will offer a wedding |
| getting married in Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, | | | | planner. |
| Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, | | | | When getting married in Texas make sure you do not |
| Oklahoma or West Virginia. Those eleven states | | | | have any delinquent court-ordered child support or you |
| require blood tests prior to granting marriage licenses. | | | | won’t be legally able to get married in the state. |
| Not only can blood tests be physically painful, they can | | | | Texas is the only state that requires any action in |
| also come with some financial pain in the form of a | | | | terms of court-ordered child support. |
| fee, and each state will charge a different amount. | | | | Getting married in California has the benefits of the |
| Had a few to drink? Then you might want to think | | | | beaches, wine country and mountains, and you can |
| twice about getting married in Pennsylvania. A | | | | also have anyone officiate. Any person in the state |
| long-standing law that has yet to be changed is that no | | | | can become a deputy for a day and be granted the |
| marriage will be performed in the state of | | | | ability to officiate one marriage. |
| Pennsylvania if either the bride or groom is drunk. So | | | | For those getting married abroad, do everything as far |
| be careful if you plan to pop some bubbly with your | | | | in advance as possible, and you may also want to |
| bridal party before the ceremony. Not only must you | | | | consider using a wedding planner in that country. He or |
| be sober to be married, when you sign your marriage | | | | she can assist in filling out documents specific to the |
| license you must speak English or bring someone with | | | | country. Make sure to bring all the essential documents |
| you who does speak English. | | | | with you. Some countries will require non-family |
| Family relations? In twenty-six of the fifty states, a | | | | witnesses. Other countries may take months to |
| resident can marry their cousin. Joke all you want | | | | process the forms. |
| about marrying your cousin in the South, but it turns out | | | | Each state (and country for that matter) requires |
| some of the states that allow cousins to marry each | | | | different procedures for getting a marriage license. It |
| other include California, Colorado, New Mexico, | | | | would be a shame to put the time, effort, and money |
| Connecticut, Alaska, and Maine in addition to several | | | | into planning a wedding only to discover out you |
| more. Some of the states that do not permit cousins | | | | missed a step or forgot a document. |