Marriage License Question

whiskers24

Fiance and I are really worried about getting our marriage license. There is normally a 3 day waiting period in PA. Our wedding is a Saturday and we could not fly home any earlier than Wednesday. Our flight lands in philly at 12:30pm, the marriage license office closes at 3:30pm in Lackawanna county (2 hours away!). I'm afraid we won't make it on time. Myself and my father called the office on two separate occasions to see if they can make an exception. The person I spoke to said yes if I pay the fee. The person my dad talked to said they usually only make exceptions for Military people. Anyone else having difficulties getting their license?

~mRm~

Yes you can request a waiver of the waiting period. Send a letter as early as possible addressed to Linda Munley, Register of Wills, requesting a Waiver and your reason why. Your letter should contain both names, a telephone number, proof of your wedding date (a wedding invitation will work), and a return address so a letter of confirmation to be sent to you. There is an additional $15.00 fee in cash only for this service, paid at the time you apply for the marriage license.

I know you said the earliest you can leave is the Wednesday before, but the license is valid for 60 days, if by chance you are coming into the area for anything prior to your wedding weekend.

SusieQ1981

Also, you can get a license in any county and it is good anywhere in the state.  mRm is right - get it early if possible, but if you HAVE to get it the Wednesday before, hit the courthouse in Philly - max 30 minutes from the airport. If you count the time from landing til you get off the plane, get bags, get on the road, etc, (assuming everything is on-time) you're taking a BIG chance to try to make it to Lackawanna before the office closes.

xlizellx

You don't have to get it where you're getting married either -- go to a place close to the airport in PA.

Also, the worst that happens is your marriage license has the wrong date.

Example:

Wedding on July 10

Get marriage license on July 8 (oops, too late!)

So you get the license to say July 11 instead and have the minister/whoever sign it on the 11th instead.  YOU don't have to sign it outside of the court house.  I actually gave my minister the license the day before our wedding (at the rehearsal) so I wouldn't forget it and never saw it again until it came back signed and sealed in the mail.  The minister mailed it out for us while we were busy with the honeymoon and whatnot.  

whiskers24

Thanks for the advice. I never knew I could write them before hand and get it paper that they have to give it to me early. We looked into getting it in Philly, but they required a birth certificate and I can't find mine. Lackawanna said we can bring our passports instead. The woman I talked to said not to even bother making it there on Wednesday, but get there early Thursday morning. I am defiantely going to call back and ask about writting to LInda Munley though.

xlizellx

I was in a similar situation and was told that the circumstances usually accepted are things like military leave and whatnot -- my husband and I took a day off from work and caught the bus to PA to get the license a few weeks before the wedding since we were in a similar situation.  good luck.