Big budget weddings are not for everyone. In fact, trends are shifting away from large, traditional weddings in favor of small, uncomplicated gatherings that celebrate the true meaning of marriage: the couple and their love story.
Eloping is one of the most popular ways to reinvent the concept of marriage and how we celebrate it, and the rising star is having an online wedding!
If you’re one of the guys or gals considering a virtual wedding, follow along. I’ll unpack all the details you need to plan the perfect online wedding.
As a wedding planner, I find that the biggest misconception about online weddings is the worry that they might not be legal. Rest easy, they are 100% legal and recognized in all 50 states and most countries.
Around the time of the pandemic, the state of Utah decided that the laws surrounding marriage were old school. Come on, we are deep into the digital age; we do just about everything online.
So, to modernize their marriage laws, they legalized online marriage, and consequently, many states followed suit.
The process is very straightforward; no computer geeks necessary. Three steps and pop the bubbly, you’re married. Here’s how it works:
Pick your virtual marriage company and log in to their online calendar. Pick the best day and time for your wedding.
Once your wedding is on the books, you will be automatically sent an application to fill out for your marriage license. Everyone must have a marriage license; it’s your legal stamp of approval to get married. (Sidebar: A good company will stay with this process the entire time to make sure the paperwork is in order and submitted correctly.)
On the day of your wedding, Zoom in or use any video platform to attend your wedding as your professional officiant guides you through your ceremony. Before you can say, “Let’s party,” your official wedding certificate will be delivered to you electronically as legal proof that you’re married!
You might think that an online wedding is stark and impersonal. Wrong again, the sky’s the limit for making your virtual wedding the perfect reflection of who you are as a couple.
Here are some of the ways I find couples make eloping personal:
There are so many ways to make your online wedding personal. Let your imagination soar; it’s your day to design any way you choose.
Virtual weddings can work for anyone wanting to step away from a traditional setting, but here are some instances where it can be a game-changer:
There are so many ways to make your online wedding personal. Let your imagination soar; it’s your day to design any way you choose.
What is it, and how does it work? An apostille is a method devised for countries to quickly and easily confirm the legitimacy of a legal document. In this case, your marriage certificate.
It authenticates the signatures and seal of a public official on a document. It makes it easy for other countries to recognize that you’re legally married.
When the document is apostilled, it is ready to be submitted to the embassy of the country where you want your marriage recognized, and you’re all set!
Online wedding companies make it easy to add it for an extra fee when you begin the paperwork for your marriage license; it’s just a simple upgrade.
Go for it — the process is simple, enjoyable, and uniquely personal, making your wedding stress-free and truly memorable.
