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With the number of mixed marriages taking place,
many couples are opting to have a civil ceremony
instead of a religious ceremony for their wedding.
This allows them to include special readings,
vows, symbols or wedding themes (whether religious
or not) that they may not be able to include in
a religious ceremony or location.
A civil ceremony contains no religious elements
(except for what the couple may add) and can be
performed in a judge's chambers, registrar's/lawyer's
office or a venue of your choice, depending on
the area in which you wish to get married in.
Different laws apply to different states and countries
and you can usually find out most of the information
from the local court house or City Hall in the
city where you wish to be married.
For a small fee, they should also be able to
supply you with a list of names, addresses and
phone numbers of
various officiants who can perform a civil ceremony.
It's a good idea to set up appointments and meet
with 3 or 4 different officiant's, as some won't
be available on your wedding date and some you
may not like. It is important that you feel comfortable
with the officiant who is performing the ceremony
and that you feel that he/she is interested in
you as a couple.
Some important questions to ask the officiant
are:
1. Are you available on this date and are you
willing to travel to the location? If you are
planning on having a private ceremony and a reception
later for family and friends, ask if the officiant
can provide a room or location in which to conduct
the ceremony.
2. How long have you been conducting civil ceremonies
and what is your fee?
3. Are you available for a rehearsal and when
are you available?
4. What is the standard ceremony that you use
and can we add our own vows, readings, etc. to
the ceremony? Do you have any sample ceremony
sheets that you could provide?
5. What is the procedure we need to follow in
order to obtain a marriage license?
The officiant should be able to advise you on
the procedure you will need to follow in order
to get your marriage license. Here are a few things
that are fairly standard in most areas. You will
each need to have the following documents:
* a birth certificate and/or passport for identification
(with a picture)
* a copy of your Marriage Certificate and the
Certificate of Divorce if either of you were previously
married
* any name change deeds if you had your name legally
changed
* a utility bill or some other type of document
that gives your current address
* some areas require that you also provide your
father and your mother's (maiden) names
* if you are under 18, you will most likely need
signed permission from a parent or guardian in
most places.
Some locals still require couples to have a blood
test before issuing a license. This is probably
a good idea regardless of whether it is required
or not. Remember, you're not just marrying one
person...
but every other person your mate may have slept
with.
Also keep in mind to budget for the various fees,
such as the officiant's fee (for the ceremony),
the registration fee and the marriage license
fee. These vary from location to location.
As with any marriage ceremony, you will need
to have two witnesses to sign the legal documents
once the ceremony is performed. If you are eloping,
often times the officiant can provide the two
witnesses from his/her staff.
All in all, a civil ceremony is much more flexible
in today's world. You both may incorporate aspects
of each of your religions if you wish, write your
own vows and have any type of wedding theme you
want, whereas a typical religious ceremony tends
to restrict much of this. Civil ceremonies also
tend to be a favorite with
the budget conscious couple, as they are usually
much cheaper in the long run. Whatever type of
ceremony you choose, the most important thing
to remember is do what makes you happy as a couple.
It's your wedding after all.
Rose Smith is the author of How to Create a Beautiful
Medieval Wedding and several other wedding ebooklets.
Visit Wedding Themes and More for great ideas
on theme weddings, favor ideas, budget tips, honeymoon
destinations, decorations and more.
http://www.wedthemes.com
by Rose Smith, Copyright 2003
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