Making Your Marriage Legit: The Marriage License

Obtaining your marriage license isn't necessarily the funnest thing to think about when you're planning your backyard wedding, but it is an administrative task that needs to be dealt with at some point before the ceremony. That is, if you're planning on having your marriage legally recognized, you know, which is kind of the point.

The licensing process varies from place to place. For example, in Baltimore, Maryland, you can obtain a license on weekdays from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, although it looks like you can also receive the license by mail. After that, you need to wait at least 48 hours, and no longer than six months to get married. And it's only valid if you're getting married in Baltimore County (although you don't necessarily need to be living in Baltimore County). The fee for the marriage license, as of August, 2011, is $35.