Officiate Wedding Ourselves?

[AEP062488 2]

Good day all,

 

In an effort save money and expedite things, where I live it is legal to officiate your own (I don't know if this is everywhere and I just don't know about it, though). The process is apply for a wedding license, check a box to say that we're going to officiate our own wedding, and then I as the US citizen would also sign as the officiant of our wedding. 

 

While all that is legal, if I submit a certified copy of the marriage certificate with my own signature when filing AOS, will this look like a scam and get rejected? Does anyone have their own experience with this? 

 

Thanks!  

[TM92 527]

15 minutes ago, AmatoNeilK said:

In an effort save money and expedite things, where I live it is legal to officiate your own (I don't know if this is everywhere and I just don't know about it, though).

Found an important note, http://lovethisdayevents.com/2014/04/09/colorado-marriage-license-how-to-get-one/:

Quote

Note: Couples choosing to self solemnize should be aware that only Colorado and one or two other states recognize a self-solemnized ceremony. This does not necessarily mean the marriage is not valid in other states; however, insurance companies or other entities may require a certified copy of the marriage certificate.

[AEP062488 2]

2 minutes ago, TM92 said:

Found an important note, http://lovethisdayevents.com/2014/04/09/colorado-marriage-license-how-to-get-one/:

 

Hmmm. I would return to the marriage bureau and have them certify it. As in, it would still be certified by the clerk or whomever but my name and signature would the officiant's. 

[TM92 527]

33 minutes ago, AmatoNeilK said:

While all that is legal, if I submit a certified copy of the marriage certificate with my own signature when filing AOS, will this look like a scam and get rejected? Does anyone have their own experience with this?

Also found this old thread:

 

[RLA 323]

3 hours ago, AmatoNeilK said:

The process is apply for a wedding license, check a box to say that we're going to officiate our own wedding, and then I as the US citizen would also sign as the officiant of our wedding. 

 

While all that is legal, if I submit a certified copy of the marriage certificate with my own signature when filing AOS, will this look like a scam and get rejected?

While I don’t know the particular procedures of your state, typically the marriage certificate doesn’t say who officiated the wedding so it won’t matter.  That is, if marriage certificate and marriage license are two different documents in your state, which seems to be the standard. 

 

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/marriage-requirements-licenses-ceremonies-faq.html#answer-1740463

 

Usually it goes like this:  You & your fiancée go to the courthouse to get your marriage license.  You perform the ceremony and have the license signed by your officiant, or in your case, by yourself.  Then you get the signed marriage license back to the courthouse where the clerk checks that everything is in order and then officially records your marriage which means that it’s now on file in that courthouse forever, and officially recognized by that state.  Once your marriage is recorded you can request a marriage certificate (or rather an official copy) from that courthouse, which is the paper you submit to USCIS.  You do not typically submit the marriage license!