can someone walk me through the marriage license process?

comeongetdown · April 2012

So, FI and I are getting married in Colorado. He lives there now, but I currently live in NC. I'm not planning to get out there until a week before the wedding. I looked online for Mesa County, Colorado wedding laws and it says both parties have to be present to get a marriage license. If one person can't be there then there's extra paperwork to fill out and yadda yadda yadda. So, I figured it wouldn't be a big deal to just go to the county clerk's office (where we're supposed to get the marriage license) and get it the Tuesday before the wedding (when I get into town).

I'm assuming that all we do is show up with our identification and they give us the marriage license. Is it really that easy? FI's afraid there's going to be a lot more involved and he thinks he needs to go right away even without me.

Then is this the same as the marriage certificate that we're supposed to sign after the ceremony? Or is that something completely different? The county's website doesn't explain it very well :-/

TIA!

Melissa51212 · April 2012

Every state is so different...maybe have your fi ask around...I live in pa but getting married in NJ...no needs 72 hrs waiting and a witness and our isd and birth cents...it was pretty easy.

Cackle6 · April 2012

I would call the county you are getting married in and ask them exactly what you neeed to do. It may be that he can apply in person without you as long as you have the necessary paperwork with your signature notarized (this is how it is in MN)

Like PP said, every state is different, and some have different waiting periods. We're getting married in MN, and you have to wait 5 days after getting the license to get married. So if the waiting period in CO is longer than 3 days for example, you'd def need to get it before you get into town.

mandi921vh · April 2012

It is different state to state. We didn't have to provide any id or birth certificate. Just filled out paperwork with our birth date, ss# and other info. It takes 3 days to process before we can pick it up and then if if there is a mistake it may take another 3 days.

I would call wherever you are to apply for it and ask them directly.

COSmitty · April 2012

So in Colorado it's actually pretty dang easy.

I think the basic difference is if you try to do it absentee then you'd need to have your out of state application notarized.

Check out the state site- https://www.colorado.gov/colorado-how-do-i/living-here-get-married.html

Also a better explanation is at: http://co.clear-creek.co.us/depts/Clerk/marriage-lic-info.htm

So after you get the license and go through the ceremony either you or the person conducting the ceremony turns the paperwork back into the county within 60 days of the date of the ceremony.

This is Colorado we are not the most web state... I'd suggest calling the county and asking if they do appointments. They will know best if you need one. Other than that I'd not worry. Colorado really isn't into paperwork in my experience.

can someone walk me through the marriage license process?

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