Signing The Marriage License?

[Whitewater]

Does anybody know when you actually sign your marriage license? The first time I got married, we just grabbed our best man and maid and did it quietly as people were leaving the chapel, with our minister.

Is there protocol for this? When are you supposed to sign it? After the ceremony? Before the ceremony? During the ceremony?

I haven't got the first clue about this and there's not a ton of info online.

Help?


Whitewater

[mj512]

We signed ours after people left after the ceremony and before the reception, right as we were about to start the after ceremony pictures (since we didn't see each other before the wedding)

[Mrs.Goff]

We planned to include the signing as part of the ceremony. Imagine my surprise when our ceremony was over and it didn't happen.:bbeek: As soon as we reached our post ceremony spot, I asked what the H*L* happened?!? When do we sign the license?!? DH said we don't. WHAT?:bbeek: He said it's already signed. I was so confused. After we had time to sit and talk about the day. I learned that no one signed our license. The officiant explained that we signed when we got the license and he filled in our BM and MOHs names. We have pictures of the officiant, BM and MOH pretending to sign. I LOL every time I look at those pictures.:)

I know this isn't the way most people handle it. I think most people gather after the ceremony and sign. But I don't know if there's a actual rule or not. I think it's something you have to talk to your officiant about.

[Heywie]

I know some people include this in their ceremonies, but we didn't. Our license was signed by us and only needed the witness signature so our officiant (DH's uncle) just grabbed the BM and MOH before they left the reception and had them sign. No big ordeal for us!

[mitch]

In the UK it is signed after the "I Now Pronounce You Man And Wife" bit.

Groom signs first, then the Bride then the Two Witnesses. It is always done in Fountain Pen, never a Biro. And the Licence we actually sign is in a bound book which stays with the Registry Office. We then get a copy of that. (Which we had to get again after the Honeymoon because they spelt one of DH's Middle Names wrong). :whyme:

It is after the Registry is signed that Photos can be taken. None are allowed during the ceremony for moral reasons. Then everyone files outside.

[FFC]

We signed immediately after the ceremony right before pictures (I think it was before - either before or after).

[WebLady]

We signed our after the ceremony, but we did it all simple at home anyway.

I have seen other weddings where they do it before and others take a minute to do it after the ceremony just before the head to the reception, and still others that make a point to do it at the reception and take pictures.

[f77g4]

Every wedding I've been to it has always been signed during the ceremony.

[FutureKelley]

We totally forgot to have our pastor sign ours! We ended up having to mail it to him, lol. Thankfully in our state you do not need a witness to sign, so it wasn't a big deal.

[gwenshack]

We signed it in the marriage license bureau's office when we picked it up. Our witnesses and officiant signed a separate document later, at some point, but I'm not sure when.

That may, however, just be how they do it in Nevada.

Every wedding I've been in before they had the witnesses and the couple come over and sign immediately following the ceremony, before pictures were taken.

[Chubear]

we are signing ours after the man and wife kiss the bride bit, its ion our programs and "our" song will be playing while it happens.