Let's make all these months of exciting, exhausting, frustrating, fulfilling, dramatic, laborious, precious planning OFFICIAL and get you a marriage license! The State of Texas recently increased their fee, so I had to rewrite some of the info that I put in my BEAUTIFUL BLESSED UNIONS' BRIDES notebooks! Thought I might as well include some of it in here for a bride that may not want to read the boring version provided by the State of Texas/License/Records/Blah, blah, blah Department. In a fun nutshell, this is what you and your hot groom need to know/have to get officially hitched....
For ONE!!! If you are wanting to marry your cousin/brother/sister, then you are out of luck! That ain't legal and it just ain't right! Glad we got that out of the way....
Onto the boring stuff (that part about marrying someone you're related to always cracks me up!)....
~Both you and your groom must go TOGETHER to get your license! The groom hasn't really been involved in any of the planning (besides his cake and bow tie), so why start now, State of Texas?! I'm teasing!!!! sort of....
~Your license is valid for 30 days, so get this out of the way FAST!!! You don't want to fit in a time to go to the courthouse the week of your wedding. As soon as you hit the one month countdown, make a
lunchdate with your groom and head to the Records Department.
~Now get this- especially for those of you who live out of state and are having your wedding here- there is a 72 hour waiting period. Keep this in mind when making flight reservations! This means you want to have your license by the Wednesday (if you're having a Saturday wedding) before your wedding.
~Bring your driver's license and as silly as it sounds (AS I am writing this, by the way, my driver's license is expired!), MAKE SURE YOUR LICENSE IS NOT EXPIRED!!!
~Besides the budget that you already blew, it ONLY costs $71 to get married! BRING CASH! Visa won't work- for once in the planning!
~Your marriage license is valid anywhere in Texas. So say that you live in Austin, but you are having a fabulous Dallas wedding, you can still get your license in Austin.
~The State of Texas no longer requires a blood test, so no worries there. Personally, I don't think a blood test is a bad idea, but that's just me!
~Did I mention that if you're not 18 you must bring mommy or daddy with you? I don't think your wedding coordinator counts???
On the Wedding Weekend....
~Bring the license to the rehearsal- if you have one of those crazy best men who is only interested in getting to the party, then don't make him responsible! If his head IS in the game, then put him in charge of connecting with your officiant. If not, pass this duty onto your Maid of Honor.
~After the wedding, your officiant should mail the license off for you. Then the official one comes in the mail.
~Some couples have someone make a copy of their license if they are traveling internationally. Kind of a pain for the one who has to hunt down a copy machine but can be helpful.
Now! Where to go (or who to call if you don't consider me to be a valid source! Whatever!) to get this special piece of paper!
Downtown Dallas at the Records Building,
509 Main Street, Suite 120
214-653-6077 or 214-653-6078
In East Dallas at the East Dallas Government Center,
3443 St. Francis Ave.
North Dallas Government Center,
10056 Marsh Lane, Suite 137, Dallas,
214-904-3032
Justice of the Peace,
7201 S. Polk, Dallas,
(972) 228-0280
Justice of the Peace,
1411 W.
Beltline Road, Richardson,
(972) 231-1439
Justice of the Peace,
Beckley Courthouse
410 S.
Beckley Avenue, Dallas,
(214) 943-6980
Collin County
Collin County Administration Building
2300
Bloomdale Rd., Suite 2104
McKinney, Texas 75071
Collin County Clerk's Office - Plano
900 E. Park, Suite 140
Plano, Texas 75074
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You and your fiance are one step closer to making this official! It TRULY is a special time and special step (despite my sarcasm above)- ENJOY IT! Keep your head in the game and take the time to think about what you are doing and what you are asking your dearest friends to sign. This is what it's all about! Thanks for reading!
~
emilyI have to brag on one of my brilliant brides (her husband is a West Point grad, so I guess he's pretty smart too!)... Rather than have a registry book, Stacy and Bill ordered a Marriage Certificate and had their guests sign that at the reception- what a great keepsake, as well as something for your wall in your new home! The guests really enjoyed being able to do that!
Here is a great source for the
blown up document, as well as a photo from Stacy and Bill's gorgeous reception at
The Belo Mansion in Downtown Dallas. Thank you
Joseph Mark Photography for not leaving an event undocumented!
DISCLAIMER!!! If I have noted something incorrectly and your marriage ends up not being legal, please don't come after me :) If you want the SERIOUS version, I GUESS you can reference,
http://www.dallascounty.org/department/countyclerk/marriage-license.html
