Hi, my fiance and i are getting married in august this year. We are both catholic so we are having a traditional catholic ceremony. I was told that we are suppose to get a marriage license before hand. Do you know if the civil weddings in california just means you go sign a paper and submit it in the court or is there a way we can have a more formal civil wedding where the actual judge will read off the "I now pronounce you husband and wife" lines? I don't want to just go sign some paper and be done with it. If you know how this can be done, please let me know. THanks! I live in southern california, if that helps. Thanks again!
2007-03-19 06:34:27 · 5 answers · asked by MRS.S 2 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
Hi, I got married in a beautiful catholic ceremony and the priest was able to do the civil marriege right then and there. He didnt add anything to the ceremony or change it or anything like that. we got the marriage license about a week before our wedding and after the ceremony our maid of honor and best man signed the paper that Father John needed and he sent it off. We didnt have to do anything else special. He did it all.
My sister got married by civil about 5 months before her catholic wedding and the judge went to the house and did the whole ceremony thing there. Which honestly I didnt think was appropriate because they had a whole party thing and people brought gifts. well then for their actual wedding (they didnt live together until the catholic wedding) people felt obligated to bring them another gift and thats when all the discussions came about. some people didnt even go to her wedding.
2007-03-19 06:55:06 · answer #1 · answered by MariChelita 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are having a traditional catholic ceremony than why do you need a judge to pronounce you husband and wife? Your priest will do that for you. Usually you go and apply for your marriage license at the County (fill out a form, show your ID's, hand over the money), you then take said prepared license to your priest and he and your witnesses sign it after the wedding. Then either you or your priest sends the marriage license back to the county. You are then sent the official marriage license in the mail, which you use for changing your name and stuff. You sign your name at your ceremony. If you have a judge do it, and a priest do it, then you will in effect be having two weddings, which is not necessary.
2007-03-19 13:43:40 · answer #2 · answered by ValentineP 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're misunderstanding what "civil" entails. Civil means that it's non-religious ceremony.
Just like everyone above has mentioned getting a marriage license doesn't mean you're legally married yet. Your priest makes it official the day of the wedding. The license is just something you hold onto and present to the Priest the day of the wedding to make official.
Go to your county clerk to apply. All you do is take an oath that your application is truthful. You're by no means married after-wards. Your licenses is valid for 90 days prior to the ceremony.
2007-03-19 14:39:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm so confused.
If you are having a Catholic wedding what do you need a civil one for?
You apply for the marriage license about a week before your married, then the priest or deacon signs it after the real wedding. You don't need to have a civil service. You better call the town you live in to find out when you need to apply for & pick up the marriage license.
2007-03-19 13:41:35 · answer #4 · answered by ee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in so cal too. You do have to get a marriage license, but when you guys go to get it...it does not mean you are married yet. You have to get the signature of a judge or officiant along with a witness. Depending on the county that you are in...look it up online. I live in San DIego, so I would go to the San Diego County Recorder's Office website and click on marriage. It's very simple and they answer all questions. Congrats!
2007-03-19 13:40:37 · answer #5 · answered by blondie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋