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Weddings
Weddings

The Legal Bindings Of The Wedding Law

There is a different wedding law for different nationalities and religions. In fact, wedding laws even differ within the different states of a country. When you are planning for your wedding, you should enquire about the prevailing laws related to weddings in your region of inhabitation and your particular jurisdiction. Several features in a wedding may be common across different communities, but many can be specific to certain sects. With a synopsis of the rulings of the law, you can be better prepared with all the legalities of the matter.

Some Requirements That You May Have To Meet

In most cases, only a man and a woman can get married to each other. A majority of jurisdictions do not allow same sex marriages. Also, you cannot have more than one spouse, in most cases. There are some features that are compulsory in some laws and optional in others. You will need to decide upon the optional clauses that you want to follow. Some of the requirements of the wedding law are mentioned here.

  • A blood test is mandatory in many jurisdictions. This is to screen any sexually transmitted diseases that either person may have. You may not get a marriage license if either of you suffer from any such disease.
  • You may also have to attend pre-marital counseling sessions before you get married, so that you are aware of all the possible issues of married life. This is one facet of the wedding law that everyone should follow.
  • Prenuptial agreements are becoming the order of the day now, as far as weddings are concerned. Most couples prefer to make out an agreement so that there are fewer problems in their married life. It chalks out various agreements in terms of responsibilities of both spouses and also settlement amount, in case the marriage ends.
  • The wedding law requires the bride to assume the surname of her husband. This wedding name change may or may not be followed by everyone. In fact, many brides nowadays prefer to stick to their maiden name for various reasons.
  • You have to apply for a marriage license a few weeks prior to your wedding date.
  • You need to get a Certificate of Marriage, which is to be signed by three witnesses and made out by the person who performs your wedding. This could be a priest or a marriage officer, appointed by the state.

You also have an option of cohabitation agreements, where you can live together without getting married for a period of time. This gives you a chance to see how compatible you are with each other.

As the wedding law differs from case to case, you will have to check out what is required in your particular jurisdiction. It is very important to follow the legal issues regarding marriages, so as to avoid the hassles later on.