Neither you nor your partner may be married to another person when you apply for your license. If you are widowed or divorced, you must provide proof of your former spouse’s death or of your divorce. [1] X Research source You must be 18 years of age or older to get married in Georgia without parental consent. [2] X Research source Some counties allow persons as young as 16 to get married with parental consent. Georgia prohibits marriage between relatives closely related by blood, but does permit marriage between cousins. [3] X Research source Any person who is developmentally disabled may marry only if he or she is capable of understanding the idea of marriage. [4] X Research source For questions on specific laws in the county in which you will marry, contact a local clerk. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority offers a search engine at https://www. gsccca. org.
Fill out the application for a marriage license in Georgia, which you can pick up at the local clerk’s office. You will need ID in English to obtain a marriage license. Acceptable forms of ID are driver’s licenses, military IDs, passports, or birth certificates. Remember that your ID must also be valid. If your ID is not in English, you must have a notary type a certified translation of the documents. If you were previously married, you must present proof of your divorce or your former spouse’s death before the marriage license can be issued. Georgia abolished blood testing to obtain marriage licenses in 2003. [5] X Research source
Marriage license fees in Georgia vary by county. In general the marriage license fee is approximately $56. [6] X Research source You can take a six hour premarital education class to waive the marriage license fees. Premarital education classes are often available at local religious and community centers. Taking one of these classes may reduce the cost of your marriage license by $30. [7] X Research source Note that some areas only accept cash payment for marriage licenses.
For a complete list of probate courts in Georgia, consult the website http://www. usmarriagelaws. com/search/united_states/georgia/#counties. Some County Probate Courts have websites with information on specific laws in their county of jurisdiction. In the event that there is no website for your specific County Probate Court, you can call the number listed to verify information. If you are not a resident of Georgia, you will apply for your license in the county where your ceremony will happen. [8] X Research source If you and your fiancé(e) are from Georgia, you will apply for a license in the county in which you are a resident. If only one person is a Georgia resident, apply for a marriage license in that county of residence.
Both parties applying for a marriage license must appear at the County Probate Court. [9] X Research source If one party is cannot be present, he must submit a notarized Supplemental License application. Sign your application at the County Probate Court. [10] X Research source Georgia does not have a waiting period for marriage licenses. Once issued, a Georgia marriage license will never expire. [11] X Research source
Once you change your surname on the marriage license, there are no other forms you need to fill out. [13] X Research source
Knowing the location will also help you apply for your marriage license in a timely manner. Consider indoor and outdoor locations. Georgia has a pleasant climate and offers a wide variety of state parks and historic sites that can host your wedding. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has a list of state parks and historic sites that you can consider at http://gastateparks. org/weddings. You may also want to think about a destination wedding at one of Georgia’s many coastal islands such as Skidaway Island, Jekyll Island, or Sea Island. [14] X Research source
Your save the date card doesn’t have to be formal as the invitation. It should just let people know the date and location of your wedding. [16] X Research source If you have engagement photos or simply a picture of you and your fiancé(e) that you like, you can use this on the card. [17] X Research source Send save the date only to the people who you want to attend. Even if some people already know and have said they will come, make sure to send them save the date cards as well. [18] X Research source
The costs of hiring a wedding planner varies greatly according to how they bill, where they are located, and the types of services you want. A good rule of thumb is to estimate about 15% of your total wedding budget for a wedding planner. [20] X Research source Some wedding planners may have special deals with several venues that you like to help control the costs. [21] X Research source There are many ways to find a wedding planner in Georgia. You can ask friends, family, or colleagues for suggestions. You may also want to search for a wedding planner yourself. Generally, the easiest way is to search for a wedding planner is online. Some wedding related websites offer search engines for wedding planners by location that can help you find several different options. [22] X Research source You can also use local wedding magazines, blogs, and city guides to help you find a wedding planner in your location. [23] X Research source
Think about the type of ceremony you want. Do you want a religious ceremony in a church? Do you want something simple such as at the justice of the peace? Or maybe you want an outdoor ceremony at the beach. [24] X Research source Having a basic idea of what type of ceremony you want can help narrow down potential venues. [25] X Research source Consider how many guests you have. You’ll need to make sure that your venue can accommodate all of your guests comfortably and within local zoning and fire laws. [26] X Research source Figure out how much work you are willing or want to do with a location. For example, if you want to get married in a barn, it may require cleaning not only before but also after your ceremony. By contrast, a reception hall, which may not feel as intimate, may provide staff to do the “dirty work” for you. [27] X Research source There are many ways to find a venue in Georgia. You can ask friends, family, or colleagues for suggestions. You may also want to search for a wedding planner yourself. Generally, the easiest way is to search for a venue is online. Some wedding related websites offer search engines for wedding planners by location that can help you find several different options. [28] X Research source You can also use local wedding magazines, blogs, and city guides to help you find a venue in your location.
Your ceremony may help set the type of officiant you select. For example, if you choose a religious ceremony, you will likely want your officiant to reflect your beliefs. [30] X Research source If you are not having a religious ceremony, you could have a judge, justice of the peace, or friend who is an ordained minister officiate your ceremony. [31] X Research source Any person who is a licensed or ordained minister, clergyman, or pastor of a recognized religion may perform a wedding ceremony in Georgia. [32] X Research source
Think about the type of reception you want and style of your wedding. Do you prefer something formal with a band? Or maybe you want something romantic or hip with a DJ? Knowing the atmosphere you want to create at your reception will help you more effectively locate and book your venue. [34] X Research source Depending on where your ceremony is, you may want you reception to be at the same place. Some locations, such as hotels, will offer package deals for hosting a ceremony and reception, especially if you’ve chosen a destination wedding. Make sure your venue can accommodate all of your guests comfortably and within local zoning and fire laws. [35] X Research source Find out if the venue is full service, which may help decrease stress and how much you have to arrange, including a caterer. [36] X Research source There are many ways to find a reception venue in Georgia. You can ask friends, family, or colleagues for suggestions. You may also want to search for a wedding planner yourself. One of the easiest ways is to search for a reception venue is online. Some wedding related websites offer search engines for wedding planners by location that can help you find several different options. [37] X Research source You can also use local wedding magazines, blogs, and city guides to help you find a venue in your location.
If you’ve hired a wedding planner, she can help you find the right caterer and may have special arrangements with specific caterers. Your reception venue may include the cost of food and service in its price. Often, booking the reception venue with an on-site caterer can spare you time and stress. [39] X Research source You’ll want to ask potential caterers lots of questions including if they specialize in any types of food and whether they provide tables, chairs, linens and utensils. [40] X Research source Schedule a tasting to ensure that the food meets your standards. [41] X Research source There are many ways to find a licensed caterer in Georgia. You can ask friends, family, or colleagues for suggestions. You may also want to search for a caterer yourself. You can look online or consult wedding magazines, blogs, and city guides to help you find the right caterer. [42] X Research source
You can get many different types of cakes from simple sheet cakes to more elaborate tiered designs. The benefit of having a tiered design is that you can have different flavors to reflect the different tastes of you and your guests. [44] X Research source
Depending on if you cake designer is in the same city as your wedding, arrange for shipping of the cake on your wedding day. [46] X Research source There are many ways to find a wedding cake designer in Georgia. You can ask friends, family, or colleagues for suggestions. You may also want to search for a caterer yourself. You can look online or consult wedding magazines, blogs, and city guides to help you find the right caterer. [47] X Research source
Send the formal wedding invitations six to eight weeks before your wedding. If you’re having a destination wedding in Georgia, consider sending them three months or more in advance to give your guests time to schedule vacation and travel. [48] X Research source Make sure to include a deadline for RSVPs of two to three weeks so that your respective venues can have a final head count and accommodate for it. [49] X Research source If your guests aren’t from Georgia, you may want to include a list of local hotels, inns, or B&Bs where your guests can stay.
