This is just a warning for all future brides to PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO WHERE YOU SIGN YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE ON THE DAY OF THE WEDDING.
We were married on 10/20/13 and still do not have a license.
On 10/16, we went to the Algiers courthouse to get a marriage license. We were turned away as the computers were down. Came back after lunch, was able to get a license just before computers went down AGAIN. We signed in the spots she told us to, took the other copy we needed for our wedding day to sign with our Officiant, and went about our business.
On 10/20 just before the wedding ceremony, our Officiant had us sign the license (told us where to sign), our Witnesses signed where he told them to sign. We were told we'd get the certified copy in the mail and that we'd have to go online and order any additional copies. I was obviously nervous about the Ceremony and jittery, so I just signed and walked a way to get ready to walk down the aisle.
4 weeks go by and no license. I'm not too worried because it says 6-8 weeks on the website I checked. So I go online and order copies, send in payment. Check is cashed, so I wait to see it in the mail.
8 weeks go by and still no license. I call to check on copies and they say they have "no record of our marriage, so there are no 'copies' to send". I frantically call 100 different numbers to find someone to help me because nobody knows anything about anything. Finally I was told "you signed it in the wrong spot so it's not valid. you have to pay the $27.50 again by mail. Your Officiant has to resign it." Click.
I sent in the money order 2 weeks ago. It was received 1.5 weeks ago. Nothing has happened. I called two days ago and was only told "Tammi Majors (I think was her name) needs to call you.". No further information. I call again today as I haven't heard from anyone. I find out this Tammi woman is "on leave" and apparently there is nobody else to help me.
I'm honestly at the end of my patience. We are now considering going to our local courthouse in Jersey City, NJ and getting married there which would mean we pay for a marriage license THREE times and for TWO Officiants. The other bummer would be that our marriage date would be different than our wedding date.
Please be careful when signing the license! Just because your Officiant tells you to sign in a certain spot, READ IT OVER ANYWAY. Double check, triple check, make him/her swear up and down it's the right spot, because getting the marriage license office in New Orleans is a total joke.