Couples getting married in Ohio hear a lot of confident advice that is completely wrong. Some officiants stretch the truth so they can sell you extra services. Others just do not know the law and aren’t professional enough to learn it. Either way, couples end up paying for things they never needed, or worse, they walk away thinking they are married and their ceremony wasn’t legal in the eyes of the law.
I have seen it firsthand. If you read through the 200 reviews we have on Google, you will see more than a few couples came to us after someone else ruined their wedding.
One couple contacted me after their beautiful wedding ceremony in Central Ohio. The woman they hired advertised herself as a professional officiant. So the couple had music, photos, family, the whole thing. They had a full ceremony that they thought was legal and found out later that the woman really didn’t know the law and that their ceremony wasn’t legal
The couple ended up having to start over and apply for a new license. Then they hired me and drove to Cincinnati to make sure their marriage was legal the second time. Unfortunately because they had to start over, their legal wedding date will always be different than the anniversary of their ceremony.
That situation is rare, but it should never happen. It happens because people trust someone who sounds confident instead of someone who knows the statute.
The fix is simple. Read the law.
Ohio Revised Code Section 3101: Marriages.
Is a ceremony required?
No. Ohio law does not require a ceremony. There is no rule that says you need vows, music, or a formal event. The law cares about a valid license and a qualified officiant. That is it. When someone tells you a ceremony is legally required, they are either trying to upsell you or repeating something they saw in a movie and don’t really know how to be a good wedding officiant.
Our “Sign N Go” services exist and are legal because the law allows them.
Do we have to say vows or anything out loud?
No. Ohio law does not require a couple to say anything out loud. No scripted vows. No “I do.” No magic words. If someone insists there are specific phrases required, they are making things up. The statute does not back them up.
Are witnesses required?
No. Ohio law does not require witnesses. Many of the couples that use our elopement service, have their ceremony in private with no one else present. Some counties print a line for witnesses on decorative copies, which looks official and confuses people. It has no legal weight and the form that is returned to the courthouse has no spaces for witnesses.
Does the officiant have to be registered?
Yes. This is where it actually matters. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3101.08, a marriage can be performed by an ordained or licensed minister who is registered to solemnize marriages in Ohio. Not a friend or family member who got ordained online years ago but never filed with the state.
How long is the marriage license valid?
Sixty days from the date the license is issued.
After the officiant completes the ceremony or signing, the clock resets and the officiant has thirty days to return the license to the probate court. It can be mailed. Ohio Revised Code Section 3101.13
In another post we will discuss how you can tell your wedding officiant is a true professional. Until then, just make it easy on yourself and hire us.
