What makes you officially married

The federal benefits of marriage aren't available to unmarried couples that are in domestic partnerships or civil unions. Because marriage is avaiable to everyone, the federal government has no obligation to recognize these alternative relationships. You will take on certain responsibilities when you get married. The responsibilities vary from state to state, but commonly include the following:.

After you've tied the knot, you are legally joined to your spouse. This means that, when the honeymoon's over, you may be in line for some paperwork. All of the following are optional, however:. Stoner and Shae Irving, provides detailed information on every state's laws about prenups and marital property.

It also explains what you can and can't do with a prenup, helps you decide whether or not you need one, and walks you step by step through the process of drafting your own agreement.

The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site.

The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service.

Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Grow Your Legal Practice. Meet the Editors. Getting Married: An Overview. What to expect before and after marriage. Feburary 17, Getting married is a big decision, and it isn't just about making a lifelong commitment to your partner: Marriage is a legal contract. The Register of Deeds may require proof of age, such as a government-issued ID or birth certificate.

The Register of Deeds may also require proof of divorce if either partner was previously married. Because requirements can vary, you should contact the Register of Deeds in your county with any specific questions.

The marriage license must be issued before the wedding. North Carolina has no required waiting period between the issuance of the marriage license and the wedding. A marriage license expires after 60 days if the wedding has not taken place, and applicants must apply again if the wedding does not occur within 60 days. A wedding can be performed by a magistrate or by any minister who is ordained in a religious denomination or authorized by a church. Marriages can also be performed in the recognized manner of any religious denomination that does not use officiants, or in the recognized manner of any federally or state-recognized Native American tribe.

Prenuptial agreements are legal and enforceable as long as all legal requirements are met. Prenuptial agreements can be used to determine property and inheritance rights and to change or eliminate the right to spousal support if the marriage ends.

To be valid, the prenuptial agreement must be in writing and signed by both parties before the marriage. Religious organisations or individual ministers do not have to marry same sex couples.

Local authorities in England and Wales may approve premises other than Register Offices where civil marriages may take place. Applications for approval must be made by the owner or trustee of the building, not the couple. The premises must be regularly open to members of the public, so private homes are unlikely to be approved, since they are not normally open to the public.

Stately homes, hotels and civic buildings are likely to be thought suitable. Approval will not be given for open air venues, such as moonlit beaches or golf courses. Generally, the premises will need to be permanent built structures, although it may be possible for approval to be given to a permanently moored, publicly open boat.

Hot air balloons or aeroplanes will not be approved. If you want to get married in local authority approved premises you should obtain a list of premises from the local town hall. UK website at www. You and your partner must give notice of marriage in your local Register Office, whether or not you wish to marry in that district.

The Superintendent Registrar then issues authority for the marriage and you can marry in any Register Office or local authority approved premises in any district. In England and Wales, 28 days notice must be given to the Register Office before the marriage can take place.

You have to get married within 12 months of giving notice. Both partners must be resident for seven days in England or Wales before notice is given.

A notice must state where the marriage is to take place. There is a fee for giving notice. If one of the partners has been issued with a gender recognition certificate and was previously the civil partner of the person who they wish to marry, there is no requirement for the 28 day notice period.

In this case, notice of the marriage and the marriage itself can happen on the same day. In the period between the notice of intention to marry and the ceremony, anyone with strong grounds for objecting to the marriage can do so.

Making a false statement is a criminal offence. You and your partner will be asked for certain information when giving notice of your intention to marry.

If you or your partner are not citizens of a European Economic Area country, you'll also have to submit evidence of your immigration status when you give notice to marry. Uncertified photocopies are not accepted.

A certified copy of a decree absolute may be obtained from the court which decided the divorce. This can take about a week. A variety of documents can be used as evidence of the information required, but a passport or travel document is usually sufficient.

You can also use your birth certificate if you were born before 1 January You should contact the register office where you're getting married for more specific advice on what they will accept. You can check which type of documents you need to bring with you on GOV. People from overseas may be asked to show their passports. There is no legal requirement to show a passport before getting married and instead, they can produce a birth certificate accompanied by a certified translation if necessary , an affidavit or other personal identity document.

The type of visa you need depends on where you and your partner are from and how long you want to stay in the UK. The rules might change after Brexit, you can check if you need a visa on GOV.

This will let you come to the UK for up to six months to get married. If you are subject to immigration control, you can only give notice at a Designated Register Office in England and Wales. Everyone wishing to marry in a Register Office must provide proof of their nationality. If the registrar believes that a person is entering or has entered into a marriage for immigration purposes, the registrar has a duty to report this to the Home Office.

The registrar must provide the Home Office with certain information, including the marital status and nationality of the person. The Home Office may wish to carry out investigations to ensure that the proposed marriage is not a 'sham'. It may extend the notice period to 70 days in order to carry out these investigations.

If you don't comply with the investigations you may not be allowed to marry. You also risk being prosecuted and, if you are the person subject to immigration control, you will gain no advantage from the marriage and could be removed from the UK. The marriage ceremony in the local Register Office or local authority approved premises will take approximately minutes. The Superintendent Registrar will make a short statement about marriage; you can ask the registrar beforehand to indicate what form of words will be used.

It is not possible to use religious words or hymns in the civil ceremony. However, the ceremony may include readings, songs or music that contain reference to a god as long as they are in an 'essentially non-religious context'. Each partner is required to repeat a standard set of vows.

These may not be changed, but may be added to, as long as the additions are not religious. Rings are not required but can be exchanged if the couple wishes to. You should plan to file at least one week before your wedding to make sure everything works out.

Once you know when you're getting married, you can plan your visit to the county clerk. The easiest place to go for your marriage license is the county clerk's office. You can even try to make an appointment beforehand so that you don't have to wait too long. You and your significant other must both be present at the time of the marriage license application. Here's everything else you need to be prepared for during your visit to the county clerk:.

You can hyphenate your maiden name with your partner's last name. Another common option is to replace your middle name with your maiden name. Now that you have your marriage license , it's time to gather up some signatures. While the requirements for signing a marriage license vary from state to state, most require signatures from the following people:.

Naturally, the couple must be present when it's time to sign the marriage license post-ceremony. It's better to get this taken care of early on before the party gets going and the drinks start flowing. This is one wedding detail you do not want to forget. Whoever legally performed your ceremony, whether it was a judge, a religious leader, or a friend ordained for the day , must also sign the license.

There will be a line for them to sign their name, as well as specify their title or ordination. But note: There are a few states Colorado, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia, and parts of Pennsylvania where you can self-unite or self-solemnize your marriage, which means that not only does the officiant not need to sign your marriage license, you don't have to have one in the first place. These could be your parents, your maid of honor and best man, or any other friends you nominate for the honor.