Getting a marriage license

max&lucy

Hi ladies

How was your experience in getting the wedding license? FI is Swiss, so we wanted to go to the office in advance to make sure they will accept all of his foreign identification etc. in advance of actually applying for the license. I tried to call to make an appointment, but was stuck on hold for ages. Do we need an appt? Can we just show up?

Also, I know the licenses are only valid for 30 days, but what if we go ahead and get it now, then just renew it? We will be there for the 1st week of January, but our wedding isn't until May although we won't both be back together in NOLA until the Wednesday before our Sunday wedding and I don't want to risk not having it.

Advice?
Thanks!!

NolaWhit

We didn't have an appointment. You sign in when you get there, and they call your name in order. There were 3 people ahead of us, and we didn't have to wait very long at all. It was a lot more painless than I expected. I want to say we went around 8:30 or 9 in the morning.

We got our license within 30 days before the wedding so I'm not sure about the renewal. Only one of you needs to be present to get the license, but you must have all required documents with you.

NOLAbridealmost

Yeah, you don't both have to be there. Just bring a copy of both birth certificates (doesn't even have to be certified) and the 30 bucks or so in cash (I think it was 27.50 when I got mine).  Easy peezy.

Queen Jane

Ditto Nola, although we got our license in Algiers where they accept non-certified certificates. I would call ahead, if that is an issue for you, to make sure because I was told other courthouses can be more strict about it.

max&lucy

Thanks, ladies - this seems easier than I expected.