Returning the marriage license

Doesn't the officiant mail it and then you apply for the certificate a few weeks afterwards?

I'm in Canada though, so it may be different here. I would talk with your officiant/priest.

Personally, I would return it in person but typically the officiant will handle that.

It depends on your sate and county. Ours let us return it to the court house since I was moving out of state that week. As long as the officiant signed it, the County Clerk didn't care who turned it in. Our officiant usually turns it in himself. The county clerk said once they receive it, allow 24 hours for processing. That however is for a less populated state. Our license was only valid for 30 days.

Ask your Officiant what the procedure for them and your county is.

Odd. I live in Virginia I expect that our officiant will return it to the courthouse. Copies will be available to us when we return from our honeymoon.

Typically the officiant will return it for you. I don't even let my couples return it unless they are from other countries getting married in NYC, where it's quite common and preferable to having them wait for weeks.

From what I was able to find online, in Arkansas the couple is responsible for the license rather than the officiant. I think it is more typical that the officiant handles the paperwork, so this has me a bit confused.

Typically you are responsible for getting the license. Then once the ceremony is over your offiiant files the paperwork and mails it back. You shouldn't have to do anything else other than get the actual license.

You get it; we file it.