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What must happen at a wedding for it to be legally binding in Virginia? (DC Boards)

mms_wedmms_wed
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in DC
Virginia has some strict laws about who can officiate a wedding ceremony. I did find out that in Fairfax County there is a way for an individual to get a “One Time Civil Marriage” authorization, but they have to be a Fairfax County resident. (it’s much more difficult to get Religious Official authorization, even with an on-line minister license, which seems to be allowed in most other states, because you have to show that you are in ’good standing’ with a religious sect—ie have an actual congregation)

What I need to know is exactly what does a person have to do to make the marriage legal? I have a friend, non-resident, that I want to do the ceremony, but another friend that is a resident and can make the marriage ‘official’. But is there anything in particular that the official friend has to do or say to make it legal? Meaning can the non-official friend do the public ceremony and the official friend sign the paperwork or even have us do some vows privately just to make it legal?

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/courts/circuit/marriage_info.htm
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Re: What must happen at a wedding for it to be legally binding in Virginia? (DC Boards)

  • 2dBride2dBride member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Although only a Fairfax County resident can get a "One Time Civil Marriage" authorization in Fairfax County, any Virginia resident can get such an authorization in his or her home county, then perform a wedding anywhere in VA.  So, you only need to have a Virginia resident, not a Fairfax County one, as your officiant.

    And essentially, the only duties of the officiant are to make sure you both agree to be married, and then make sure that the appropriate paperwork gets signed and filed.  So if you want to have someone conducting the public ceremony, you can either have vows privately with the officiant or just have the officiant attend (so s/he can witness that you both agreed to be married) and then sign the paperwork.
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