Marriage License

redwoodoriginal

In Chicago, we didn't sign anything and didn't need any witnesses to sign anything either. I assume we signed when we applied for the license at city hall when we got it, but at the ceremony we just handed it to the judge officiating and I never saw it again. I assume he signed off on it with the date of our ceremony, since I was able to get certificate copies a few months later

madamerwin

It's interesting how many people have signed it/seen it signed during the ceremony - I have never seen that, and it never occurred to me as an option! My dad is ordained has officiated the majority of the weddings in my family. At my sisters' weddings, everyone (dad/officiant, witnesses, bride and groom) signed it immediately after the ceremony during cocktail hour. I figured that's how everyone does it. 

But now I'm thinking that maybe we should sign it during the ceremony, since we're not doing a unity candle or anything.

LadyMillil

I've never been to a wedding where the license wasn't signed by everyone during the ceremony. We had a little table set up off to the side. DH and I signed, then our 2 witnesses, then the officiant, then we were pronounced as husband and wife. We had the DJ play our song during the signing and the whole thing took about 3 minutes.

CMGragain

Things that are on most states' marriage licenses:

Names of bridal couple.
Name of officiant
Names of witnesses
DATE OF CEREMONY

It is the last item that determines when you are actually married.  It is this date that will be recorded in the county records for all to see.  It usually takes from days to weeks for it to be recorded.
I think most people sign it immediately after the ceremony, but until it is completed, the marriage has not happened.

ohannabelle

You know, I really like the Canadian thing of signing during the ceremony. I seriously think this is a sensible idea. And it's a big deal. 

Why on earth do we not do this? Why do we run off to the other room and sign?

I need to know this. 

amelisha

ohannabelle said:

You know, I really like the Canadian thing of signing during the ceremony. I seriously think this is a sensible idea. And it's a big deal. 

Why on earth do we not do this? Why do we run off to the other room and sign?

I need to know this. 

Right? I think this is one area where all the hockey concussions and maple-syrup drinking have actually managed to help us come up with something logical.

I would maybe guess it's something we picked up from our English roots, perhaps? I need a UK Knottie to weigh in on this theory.

photokitty

In my state, the b&g sign at the courthouse when you apply for the license. After that, only the officiant has to sign it. I don't know when he signed it. We weren't paying attention. You get a keepsake for the witnesses the sign, but that's just for the b&g, not the government. They signed during cocktail hour.

flantastic

ohannabelle said:

You know, I really like the Canadian thing of signing during the ceremony. I seriously think this is a sensible idea. And it's a big deal. 

Why on earth do we not do this? Why do we run off to the other room and sign?

I need to know this. 

We did it right after our ceremony (not really an appropriate place for it within the Catholic Mass), but brought it out to the front of church and signed it there, in front of everyone who didn't run out of church immediately after the recessional and was sticking around to chat. People who were not just our photog got pictures if they wanted them.

I think it's important for people to see it, and if the marriage license is the main point of your ceremony, why would it not be part of the ceremony?

IrishPirate60

I have a batch of wedding photos from previous generations, all Catholic ceremonies. Licenses were all signed after the ceremony, in a side room, with bride and groom, best man, maid/matron of honor, and the priest.

I've never been to a wedding where the license was signed during the ceremony. It's the exchange of vows/promises that make the marriage happen.

amelisha

IrishPirate60 said:

I have a batch of wedding photos from previous generations, all Catholic ceremonies. Licenses were all signed after the ceremony, in a side room, with bride and groom, best man, maid/matron of honor, and the priest.

I've never been to a wedding where the license was signed during the ceremony. It's the exchange of vows/promises that make the marriage happen.

Uh, you can make all the vows you want, but that's going to mean zilch when your partner is in the hospital and "next of kin" is making decisions.

hellosweetie1015

amelisha said:

IrishPirate60 said:

I have a batch of wedding photos from previous generations, all Catholic ceremonies. Licenses were all signed after the ceremony, in a side room, with bride and groom, best man, maid/matron of honor, and the priest.

I've never been to a wedding where the license was signed during the ceremony. It's the exchange of vows/promises that make the marriage happen.

Uh, you can make all the vows you want, but that's going to mean zilch when your partner is in the hospital and "next of kin" is making decisions.

The vows and the license are both important - you have to say the vows or the signed license means fuckall because you didn't complete the contract, but if you don't have the license all the vows in the world don't make you married from a legal standpoint. At least, that's how I understand it.

amelisha

hellosweetie1015 said:

amelisha said:

IrishPirate60 said:

I have a batch of wedding photos from previous generations, all Catholic ceremonies. Licenses were all signed after the ceremony, in a side room, with bride and groom, best man, maid/matron of honor, and the priest.

I've never been to a wedding where the license was signed during the ceremony. It's the exchange of vows/promises that make the marriage happen.

Uh, you can make all the vows you want, but that's going to mean zilch when your partner is in the hospital and "next of kin" is making decisions.

The vows and the license are both important - you have to say the vows or the signed license means fuckall because you didn't complete the contract, but if you don't have the license all the vows in the world don't make you married from a legal standpoint. At least, that's how I understand it.

I think the vows part depends on your jurisdiction. Some places require you to actually speak something, but not all.

Regardless, the part that makes you legally married is the piece of paper that gets signed, and it's pretty damn important, so I'm not sure what the poster I quoted is on about.

redoryx

IrishPirate60 said:

I have a batch of wedding photos from previous generations, all Catholic ceremonies. Licenses were all signed after the ceremony, in a side room, with bride and groom, best man, maid/matron of honor, and the priest.

I've never been to a wedding where the license was signed during the ceremony. It's the exchange of vows/promises that make the marriage happen.

Except, not. I'm pretty sure in some jurisdictions you can be married without vows. But no where can you be married without signing that piece of paper.