There are a couple very important things you’ll need to ensure you’re actually married on your wedding day. You can either skim the article below or watch our YouTube video, but no matter what, make sure you’ve taken care of the following tasks.
Book Your Officiant Early
Officiants can book up whether it’s a church or wedding at a hotel or another type of venue. Make sure you’ve reached out right away and have booked your person in advance.
If you are looking for a very specific person to officiate your wedding, then you may want to check their schedule before even booking your wedding venue.
Asking a friend? Make sure you give them plenty of time to get ordained online as each state has different requirements and practice their ceremony.
Keep in mind if you’re hosting a destination wedding, your ceremony may just be for show depending on the destination and you’ll want to make sure you make everything official in your home city and state. Research your destination’s requirements as well as those of the city and state you reside in.
Pick-up Your Wedding License
Remember to pick-up and bring your wedding license to your wedding!
Research what is required for your city and state ahead of time online.
- Can you make an appointment in advance?
- How long is your license valid for before your wedding day?
- Do you want a private or public license?
- Does your license have to be issued in the city you’re being married in?
- Do you both have to show up? And what paperwork are you required to bring with you?
- Post Wedding
Do you need witnesses?
Marriage Certificate
- Who will be responsible for mailing the license back for certification? Will it be your officiant?
- How soon does it need to be mailed back after the wedding?
- If you as the couple are mailing it – where are you storing it during the rest of your wedding? You’ll want to have established a safe space for it.
Collecting Valuables After the Ceremony
Do you have some family heirlooms or meaningful pieces that are part of your wedding ceremony? These items can be easily forgotten, lost or overlooked is someone isn’t assigned to put them out and collect them after the ceremony.
If you have a wedding planner, they should handle this. If not, make sure to assign a trusted family member, friend or venue coordinator to collect these items and store them in a safe place.