If the planning of your wedding is causing you a lot of stress or if it is costing you an excessive amount of money, eloping may seem like an excellent idea to you at this point in time. You might make a hasty resolution earlier than pausing to think about whether or not it’s all in good faith, whether or not it’s as a consequence of pressure from your loved ones, monetary issues, or a want to get married to the one who has been the love of your life from the second you met them. It is permissible to run away together, but there are a few things you should keep in mind before doing so.
Confirm that you are not breaking any laws where you currently reside.
Make sure you have your marriage certificate in hand before you embark on your trip. There is nothing that would be worse than upsetting your family and friends by eloping only to find out that your marriage might not count for anything in your new location because marriage laws differ from place to place both within the United States and internationally.
It is highly likely that you will need a witness as well as an officiant; therefore, you should research the relevant laws in your area. According to Rocket Lawyer, the rules governing witnesses, in particular, vary significantly from one state to the next. Check right away not only with your state but also with your county about who is required to witness your union and what they need to do to substantiate it. This information can be found by contacting both of these entities simultaneously. Additionally, keep in mind whether or not there is a mandatory waiting period before you can obtain your marriage license. Have you ever wondered why simply eloped in Las Vegas is such a common practice? There is no waiting period necessary between submitting an application for a license and receiving it as a result of the laws that govern that jurisdiction. You might even be able to pre-register on the internet and pick up your license by presenting identification at the location of your choice. It’s not like that everywhere, so you should schedule your elopement packages for after you’ve got everything figured out, not before. Don’t do it the other way around.
Check that everything is in order from a legal standpoint at your destination as well.
The number of people who can serve as an officiant is relatively high; however, this is contingent not only on legalities but also on restrictions. It is important to assume forward and decide somebody who can carry out that responsibility on-site with you wherever you’re headed. For example, if you need a close friend to be ordained or a ship captain to do the deed, it is important to assume forward and decide somebody.
Consider the fact that in the state of California, for instance, any individual who performs the ceremony of marriage is required by law to fill out the marriage license and submit it to the county recorder for registration within ten days of the event. Because the laws of each state are different, it is important that in addition to working out the particulars of getting your license in the state in which you will be living, you also make sure that there is somebody available to marry you in the state to which you are moving.
In addition, the residency requirements that must be met in order to legally wed in a particular nation can vary greatly from one another from country to country. It’s possible that having a “wedding” ceremony in another country could be beneficial, but you’ll need to decide if it’s worthwhile to go through with it if the union won’t be recognized legally back home. (And it’s possible that it is—you’ll just have to take care of all the legal business at home.)