Legally Married Before Wedding

Re: Legally Married Before Wedding

• tcnoble member

  

  January 2015 edited January 2015

  That's a big hot button topic on these boards. The day you get married - on paper or otherwise - is your actual wedding. There's a very informative thread over on the etiquette boards about PPDs and why it's not a great idea. Might help clear up any confusion you may have about the different scenarios and whatnot.

  
  

  To answer your question, no, we will be actually married on our actual wedding day.

  
  

  ETF spelling

  

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• amelisha member

  

  January 2015 edited January 2015

  No. That makes it a renewal of vows, not a wedding. ETA: The "on paper" is the important part for us in any event, as we are not religious and are getting married so that we are legally married.

  
  

  It is in fact easier, less paperwork, and cheaper for us (even as non-Americans) to get married in Vegas than it is at home, so there would certainly be no point at all.

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• DixeChik19 member

  

  January 2015

  No, I'll be married on my wedding day in Vegas.

  

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• [Deleted User] member

  

  January 2015

  We won't be married until the wedding. For me personally, I don't see the point and I think it takes the excitement away from the wedding day. I read an article on the subject earlier and it may actually be more common than I thought. Just thought it was interesting.

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• sdg2502 member

  

  January 2015

  Until a couple of months ago we were going to have get legally married either before or after vegas and were treating the vegas ceremony as the 'real' wedding, due to the fact we couldn't legally get married in Vegas.
  
  I have to admit, it was putting a bit of stress on us because we wanted to treat the legal bit as a formality but our parents wanted to mark the occasion by having a meal with us, which we didn't want because that would make it seem like more of the official wedding and the vegas part more like a show.
  
  When the law changed, it was a huge relief (I had a wee tear in my eye at my desk at work when the Google news alert came through on my phone) and we were so delighted that now, without question, when we get married in Vegas that is us legally married with no ifs or buts or possibility that people will view it as some sort of charade following the 'genuine' event.
  
  If it's possible for you to wait until vegas for the legal bit I would urge you to seriously consider it and if you are planning on doing the legal bit beforehand, speak to your family and friends who are coming to vegas about it before you decide for sure. I can almost guarantee that even if you don't realise it, some people will feel like it makes your wedding day less 'real' and the closer you get to the day, the more that will bother you and niggle at you.

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• vegasgroom mod

  

  January 2015

  I have known people who have done it, and in the cases where it was known to all and the 'ceremony' was simply a celebration or exchange of vows and a reiteration of the commitment to one another, I didn't think anything of it.  The situation that I have a problem with is having what is a false ceremony where an officiant, who is really just pretending to officiate a wedding, 'pronounces' the couple married at the conclusion of the ceremony, knowing full well they already are.  I'm really not sure why I have an issue with it since I'd probably never even know, but if I were to find out later that someone I knew pretended to not be married for the sake of throwing a ceremony, that's still lying to me, regardless of how inconsequential it may be to me personally.
  

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  Married in Vegas - June 2011

  
  

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