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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Most couples will experience a heightened sense of nervousness and often don't know where to begin. To be eligible to marry in Massachusetts, both parties must be 18 years of age or older (or have a judge's permission to marry younger)- You must not be married to anyone else.
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WHAT INFORMATION WILL I NEED TO PROVIDE ON THE MARRIAGE LICENSE?Both you and your fiance will provide, name, date of birth, occupation, address of residence, number of previous marriages and how the last marriage ended (death or divorce), birthplace, the full name of parents, gender. HOW LONG IS MY MARRIAGE LICENSE GOOD FOR?Your marriage license is good for as long as you are still married but when you receive your marriage license you have sixty days to get married. When you get married you must have the officiate sign and turn in the marriage license.
ARE YOU A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE?No, I am a duly ordained minister, non-denominational. I am registered with the Secretary of States' office in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to legally officiate wedding ceremonies. Many city/town halls will ask you to provide your officiant's information when completing your intent for marriage. WHAT'S A GOOD TIMELINE FOR THE WHOLE WEDDING DAY?The wedding day timeline really depends on what kind of wedding you want. If you’re having a small, intimate affair at a local restaurant the timeline will look much different than if you’re having a traditional wedding for 300 guests. You can expect your ceremony to last 20-30 minutes.


WHERE IS MY MARRIAGE LICENSE RECOGNIZED? In Massachusetts, you are welcome to get married in any town or city you would prefer as long as you have a Massachusetts marriage license. HOW MUCH DOES THE LICENSE COST?The cost varies by town. On average the cost for the license is $40-$65. Some town offices do not accept check so to be on the safe side, bring cash. CAN I USE AN OUT-OF-STATE MARRIAGE LICENSE TO GET MARRIED IN MASSACHUSETTS?No, if you get a marriage license for Massachusetts you are legally only allowed to get married in Massachusetts. Vice versa, if you got a marriage license for California you would have to go by their laws and get married in California. Contact your Massachusetts City or Town Clerk.

WILL YOU HAVE SAMPLE READINGS WE CAN USE IN OUR CEREMONY?I have lots of samples! I have reading and poems and song suggestions. I have lots of ideas for interesting elements to add to your ceremony to personalize it. You can also check out these love poems.
SHOULD WE INVITE OUR OFFICIANT TO OUR WEDDING RECEPTION?It really depends on who you have as your officiant. If you work with a modern, professional wedding officiant, they will not expect to be invited to your wedding reception. HOW DO I APPLY FOR MY MARRIAGE LICENSE?Both you and your fiancé need to go to the office of the city or community clerk to apply.


WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED? Most of the time you need proof you are who you say are. Such as a photo I.D. birth certificate or passport. Also, you do not need a blood test anymore in Massachusetts
DO WE NEED WITNESSES?In Massachusetts, you are not required to have a witness. On the license, the officiant’s signature would be enough.
WHAT WILL I NEED ON THE DAY OF OUR CEREMONY?You will need to ensure that the marriage license is present and provided to the wedding officiant prior to the ceremony. If you plan to exchange rings you should make sure you have them or with a responsible person. Here are a few of my favorites that add special touches to your wedding day. WHERE CAN I GET CERTIFIED COPIES OF MY LICENSE?You can contact your local office of vital records and statistics for a certified copy of the marriage license.
IS THE PRE-MARITAL COURSE REQUIRED FOR YOU TO OFFICIATE OUR WEDDING? No, Although counselors, marriage and family therapists, educators, and some clergy members may have different approaches to preparing the couples they work with for marriage, the goal of these sessions remains the same: to help you and your partner have the conversations and build the skills you need before entering into a lifelong marriage commitment.
ARE YOU A WEDDING PLANNER?You and your fiance will need to go in-person to a town or city clerk's office and fill out the Notice of Intention of Marriage Form. You will have the opportunity at that time to indicate any name change after the ceremony. There is a 3-day waiting period before the form is returned or can be picked up. Under certain circumstances, you may also complete a Marriage Without Delay form under the Probate and Family Court Department.
WHAT'S A GOOD TIMELINE FOR A WEDDING CEREMONY? There is no one way to structure a wedding ceremony. In Massachusetts there are only three criteria that must be met in order for a wedding to be legal: 1) You must agree to marry your beloved, 2) Your wedding officiant must pronounce you married. Otherwise, the entire ceremony is completely up to you! We can have fun fitting all the parts together and be super creative in how we do it.