Can't get a marriage license for the state of our wedding!

I'm not that familiar with the law, but if you are all CA people with CA ID, then can't you just sign your CA license no problem?

How is it not possible? In NY it takes 24 hours to process a marriage license. I'm assuming you are not flying in on the day of your wedding. For a NY wedding you only need the following:

Birth Certificate

Baptismal record

Naturalization record

Census record

And one of the following identity related documents:

Driver's license

Passport

Employment picture ID

Immigration record

Depends on your states laws, honestly. We live in NC but were married in VA. We obtained the marriage license from the county in which we got married in using our NC state ID's along with the cash to pay the fees.

Most states don't care where you're coming from... they just want your ID and the fee and your marriage license will be honored in any state.

I'm with @Koch Bride. I'm really not sure why it's not possible for you to get a license in New York. Do you have your birth certificate and a driver's license or passport? You can get your license in New York in advance--it's good for 60 days--so if you can't be in New York to get it more than 24 hours before your wedding, you're not shit outta luck.

I know you're frustrated and stressed, but I'm not sure this is as complicated as you think.

I think she might be saying her officiant isn't licensed in New York. If that's the case, then you need to get someone who can legally marry you -- in NY.

The licenses have to be filed in the state in which you were married in order for the marriage to be legal. You won't get around it so and since you have time, it's probably best to figure it out and save yourself even bigger headaches down the line.

I would find a NY officiant and have your CA friend do a special reading, or blessing during your ceremony. Better to have your ceremony be legal!

Well if u cant do it in new york then just get married offically in CA before u leave for new york and then have the wedding yall is planning to still have. U just will be married a few days before u have it in new york. I dont know what else to say about this. If your friend not allowed to marry yall in new york and u dont want to get anyone else to do it. Im sure yall should have the paper work yall need to get a license there in new york. If not try to get it before yall leave. If yall have to leave for new york earlier to get the license then do that. I mean u really didnt say why yall cant get the license in new york. So do it the other way then. Good luck

Just have them sign the dang CA license, ya'll are making this a bigger deal than it really has to be. When you file the paperwork just say you got married in California.

Make sure you come back and tell us how it all went because I just don't see this going smoothly, and I'm curious.

For those people asking why we can't get a NY license, the county of the relative's house requires forms that we don't have, and it would take too long to get them. For example, my mother lost my birth certificate, he has no idea where his is, and we don't have any census forms. The only form of photo ID that I Have is a passport (I don't have a driver's license either). I specifically mentioned a NY license wasn't an option.

@Dlovesd we actually have someone in NY who would do it, the problem is that we cannot obtain a NY license.

@koch bride

We don't have the majority of those documents. He has a driver's license and passport, and I have a passport and that's literally all we have. Our parents both lost our birth certificates and we don't have any of the other documents.

Why don't you get a CA driver's license or state ID? I don't understand why that won't suffice in NY to get a marriage license. What other documentation do they want? You are not being very clear here….

Why can't you get new birth certificates?

Is signing it illegally in another state worth you marriage possibly being deemed invalid by The state? It wouldnt be to me. Court house it before you go, or Pay The the extra $50 or so to expedite you replacement birth certificate. I dont know why you would Play with something so important!

Okay, update:

So I guess I need a birth certificate and some form of photo ID (passport should work) to get married in NY. I didn't realize it was that easy to obtain a new birth certificate, so I may try that. But the whole waiting period thing (24 hr?) is freaking me out. Do they give you the license immediately but it just doesn't become valid until 24 hrs? Or is it that you have to sign up for a license, then return 24 hrs later to pick it up? Because I'm getting into NY like 1-2 day before my wedding and that feels like it's cutting it a little tight.

ETA: I should add that apparently my specific county in NY requires not only a passport, but a separate photo ID *and* birth certificate *and* SS card (I have that one luckily). Ugh. Why is this so more difficult in NY? lol

@Miss S

it seems like my specific state needs a drivers' license (I can't drive- do you think they'd accept a state ID, which I could get?) a passport (I have this) a SS card and your ORIGINAL birth certificate (which my mom lost).

From what I understand, you get the license immediately, but you can't get married within 24 hours of it being issued. Someone from NY or who's been married in NY can weigh in; MA has a different waiting period. I'm reasonably sure you can get it 2 days before your wedding and then you'll be all set. You can also make a trip to NY the month before your wedding; the license will be valid for 60 days.

I hear you on the birth certificate front. I had to get a new copy several years ago (I forget why, honestly), and I panicked because I live in a different state. However, it was very easy, and I didn't have to go to my birth state. Even if you weren't in your current pickle regarding marriage licenses, I'd recommend getting 1-2 new copies, just for your records.

I have no idea what would happen if you lied about where you were married on your marriage license. Not suggesting you lie, but I am curious about the repercussions. Either way, I wouldn't risk it.

You will get the license right away but you can't get married for 24 hours. The license is good for a certain amount of days (can't remember).