How to get Married in Michigan
Michigan Marriage License + Permits
Marriage License
Here in the State of Michigan, it is fairly easy to obtain a marriage license. You do not have to be a resident of Michigan and the waiting period is about 3 days. Sometimes, you can even leave the County Clerk’s office the same day with your marriage license (not guaranteed). Non Residents of Michigan must apply within the County they plan to marry in. The marriage fee is $20 for residents and $30 for non-residents. Michigan Law requires two witnesses and everyone must be at least 18 years old to apply and witness.
Tips:
Both of you do not have to be present. As long as you have their birth certificate or passport with you and know their social security number, you will be able to obtain a Michigan Marriage License. Both parties will need a copy of their birth certificate and/or passport.
Keep in mind that you will need to make a payment for your Michigan Marriage License the day you apply.
All Michigan Marriage Licenses must be used within 33 days of issue.
Also See: State of Michigan Marriage License Requirements
Check out this map I created to help you locate where your County Clerk’s Office is:
Officiant Rules
Michigan requires you to have an officiant to solemnize the marriage. Some examples of who that can be are:
A district court judge
A federal judge
A mayor from the county you choose to marry in
A county clerk from another Michigan county
A minister of the gospel, cleric or religious practitioner authorized to perform marriages within the state.
Need a list of recognized Wedding Officiants?
All copies of your official marriage license should be mailed to:
Vital Records 3423 North Martin Luther King Boulevard P.O. Box 30195 Lansing, MI 48909
Ph: 517.335.8656
How to Change your Name in Michigan
If you need to change your last name, you can use an online marriage name change kit.
The Seasons in Michigan
Winter (December-March) Having a Michigan winter wedding is not for the faint at heart. In fact, most of my couples choose not to have a wedding in the colder months. These “off months” tend to have specials/deals at some venues. For the sake of portraits, keep in mind all the dead looking nature. I’ve also noticed its harder for you and your bridal party to be outside for portraits for a long duration.
Spring (March-June) Popular for all the blooming flowers, but April showers…bring May flowers. This tends to be the rainy season, so keep that in mind for outdoor weddings. Invest in tents and have a rain back up plan. Anything by lake water could bring in a colder breeze in May with possibilities of wind. It typically starts to warm up the end of May.
Summer (June-September) August tends to be the best month, specifically the first two weeks in August. Why? The intense heat of summer usually is subsiding some then, and the humidity lowers a little. Rainfall tends to be quick, sporadic and more often in the June and July months.
Fall (September-December) September can still call for intense heat, humidity, and tons of sweating, at least in the first two weeks. September is still a great time to get married though, especially with all the fall colors.
POPULAR MONTHS: June + September (BOOK FAST!!)
Michigan Wedding Dates to Avoid
Some things to consider to help your guests feel the most comfortable and able to find a place to stay locally would be to keep certain holidays and special event weekends in mind. Buys weekends and national holidays tend to inflate the costs of pretty much everything and I’m just here to help look out for you (and your wallet!)
Movement (Detroit's Electronic Music Festival), (usually Memorial Day Weekend)
Detroit Grand Prix (early June)
Common Ground Music Festival, Lansing (early July)
National Cherry Festival, Traverse City (early July)
Michigan State Fair, Detroit (early September)
Detroit Jazz Festival (early September)
Detroit Free Press Marathon (mid-October)
Michigan Travel Information
Top Tourist Attractions:
Soo Locks Boat Tours and Dinner Cruises (Northern Michigan)
Frederik Meijer Gardens + Sculpture Park (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Detroit Belle Isle ( Belle Isle Aquarium, Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, Belle Isle Boat House, and Sunset Point.)
Michigan Upper Peninsula Weddings
The Upper Peninsula is a forested region in Michigan bordering 3 of the Great Lakes and extending outward from Wisconsin. It’s connected to Michigan’s Lower Peninsula by the roughly 5-miles-long Mackinac Bridge, which spans the Straits of Mackinac. Sandwiched between the 2 peninsulas is Mackinac Island, a car-free vacation destination with the iconic 1887 Grand Hotel and the Victorian-era Fort Mackinac.
Michigan Elopement Locations
Check out this blog post for locations recommendations
