Is there any rule oa availability for court marriage before social marriage?

Question

I am living in Inida and my fiance living in USA, now we deicided to get marry in the upcoming month of june dated 20th 2007. But we are not interested to go for social marriagial ceremony. I heard that before court marriage social marriage is must important proof to be submit in the court. My dad said he is supposed to print out invitation cards for reception party. Now my problem and the question is :Is there any rule made for court marriage without doing social marriage? I mean to say without social marriage we decide to go for court marriage directly. It's best and lagal way to get marry. so I asked you and the next question is, If there is no way then is it possible to submit only invitation card as a proof ? Please guide me, am suffering from a big problem, without solving this i am unable to take further step for my marriage. please guide me.. please.

Answer 1

I hope you both are Indians! Any how Court marriage as you call it is solemnized under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 all such marriages can take place between any two Indian citizens as well one Indian citizen with a foreigner irrespective of their religion, caste or creed, and you can say this is the secular form of marriage available in our country. Such a marriage is solemnized before the marriage officer/registrar usually D.C. deputy commissioner of the area (Sub registrar/SDM is the marriage officer/registrar only in case the already solemnized marriage under any other Act has to be registered) where both or any of the parties to such a marriage reside. Cost of such a marriage is merely Rs90/- or as the rate prevalent in your area. Now how you proceed? Both the parties to the marriage file a joint application before the marriage officer along with individual affidavit attested by notary public specifying the age(boy 21yrs &girl 18yrs), place of residence, marital status(unmarried or divorcee as the case maybe), mental status(not idiot or not with unfit mind), not related to each other. Along with this you have to give proof of age , proof of residence, & the application of such a marriage should be witnessed by 3 independent adult persons, affix one photograph of each of the parties & all the 3 witnesses. You have made such an application to the marriage officer in person along with all the 3 witnesses. On receiving such an application the marriage officer issues a month notice regarding the intended marriage & get such a notice affixed on the notice board out side his office, a copy of such notice is sent to the marriage officer under whose jurisdiction the other party lives, also a copy is to the individual parties address. After expiry of the period of notice a date is fixed on which all the persons parties to the marriage & 3 witnesses appear again before the marriage officer who declare them married & issue a certificate to this regard , such a certificate is sufficient proof of your marriage not only in India but any where in the world. Incase of any objections raised the marriage officer will settle these objections. Now what can be objections that can be raised? These can ONLY BE REGARDING THE CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR SUCH MARIAGE & NOTHING ELSE. What are the conditions? As I stated above i.e. Age, martial status, mental status, prohibited relationship (related to each other by blood). But in your case I don’t thing any of these conditions are been contravened it will not affect your marriage prospects. This is the brief procedure I have told you here, incase you want any clarification you can ask.

Answer 2

Depends on where the marriage is to take place. In the US, you don't need to have separate civil and religious marriage ceremonies -- it's one stop shopping. Some other responder will probably know about the rules in India.