Frequently asked questions about your romantic wedding in Connecticut.

No. In Connecticut there are a limited number of people who can legally marry people.

Justices of the Peace who are appointed in Connecticut, such as I am.

Ordained or licensed members of the clergy, belonging to this state or any other state.

Judges and retired judges.

Family support magistrates, family support referees, and state referees.

Thank you for asking this question!

As a Connecticut Justice of the Peace, I am legally authorized to officiate at wedding ceremonies and elopements.

You are welcome to ask to see my Justice of the Peace identification! I will not be offended!

Outside of Connecticut I do not marry people at all.

No. In Connecticut a Notary Public cannot legally marry people.

The exception is a person who is also a Justice of the Peace, such as I am, as well as being a Notary Public.

In some states, such as Maine and Florida, Notaries Public are allowed to legally marry people, but not in Connecticut.

Thank you for asking this question!

No! You do not need rings to be legally married!

You can see a Wikipedia Article about traditional wedding rings and modern alternatives.

One alternative to a wedding ring exchange is a handfasting.

On the other hand (quite literally) you may decide to give or receive only one ring. The Wikipedia Article mentions some alternatives to traditional wedding rings or you may use the Contact Us Page for more suggestions.

Thank you for asking! Your local Social Security Office should be the first place that you go with a Certified Copy of your Marriage License. This Social Security Administration Page can help you get started. Please use the Contact Us Page to ask for an extensive list of places to change your name! There is never a charge!

Because I am not an attorney, I am not permitted to give anyone legal advice. The best that I can legally offer you is a list of suggestions. Please contact an attorney licensed to practice law where you live if you need legal advice.

You will get your marriage license in the town where you will have your wedding.

In most cases, you will apply for your marriage license at the Town Clerk’s Office at Town Hall in the town where you want to have your ceremony. In the case of Hartford and other major Connecticut cities, you would get your license at the Office of Vital Statistics in City Hall. Please be aware that you probably will have to make an appointment to apply for your marriage license.

Connecticut no longer requires blood tests for marriage licenses.

There is no waiting period between when you receive your marriage license and when you can have your wedding. You can get married on the same day you get your license if you time it well!

Please note that Town Clerks’ Offices are not open on weekends.

You must have your wedding ceremony within 65 days of receiving your license. (Note The 65-day expiration time may have been temporarily lengthened due to the COVID-19 Pandemic! Please check with the Town Clerk’s Office where you get your marriage license.) If you do not have a wedding ceremony within the limited number of days, your marriage license becomes invalid; you will have to apply for a new marriage license.

The minimum age in Connecticut to get married without your parent’s permission is 18. There may be exceptions in specific cases.

Each of you will need photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, when you apply for your marriage license.

You will each have to provide some basic information on your marriage license application, such as your full name, place and date of birth, current mailing address, years of education, mother’s and father’s names and places of birth. (Not knowing specific information about a parent will not prevent you from getting your marriage license.)

You each will state on your marriage license application the number of this marriage (1 if this is your first marriage, 2 if the second, etc.). If one or both of you has been married before, you will not need proof that you are divorced or that your former spouse has died.

Each of you will take an oath that the information that you have provided on your application is true.

In nearly all cases, you can apply for your marriage license and receive it the same day. If the Town Clerk’s Office is not busy, you could receive your license within approximately a half-hour of walking in.

You both must go in person to apply for your marriage license; nobody else can apply on your behalf. Also, both of you must personally sign your marriage license when it is ready.

The cost of a Connecticut marriage license is now $50.00.

A certified copy of your marriage license is your proof that you are legally married.

After you have had your wedding and I have returned your marriage license to the place that issued it, you may get a certified copy. (The only kind of copy that town halls will make is a certified copy.)

If you want to elope in Connecticut, you can get your marriage license, get married, and get your certified copy on the same day (if you time things correctly).

You may have to fill out a form to get your certified copy. In most places in Connecticut, only a member of the married couple can obtain a certified copy of a marriage license. Please be sure that the Town Clerk or her assistant has put your Social Security Numbers on your marriage license before making your Certified Copy or Copies! This is a requirement for your local Social Security Office!

Connecticut has set $20.00 as the fee for a certified copy of a marriage license.

Yes! You are honoring all of your guests by inviting them to share in the joy of your wedding day!

“Honored Guests” are parents, grandparents, siblings, and other people who are part of your family and / or have known you for all or most of your life.

For example, I had an honorary “Aunt Hazel” who was as close as a sister to my mother and treated me as her fond nephew.

If a sibling is one of your attendants, then they have a title, too. “Attendant” is the generic title for a member of your wedding party.

An attendant is one of the people in your wedding party who is not getting married at your wedding.

Attendants can be Maids of Honor (single women), Matrons of Honor (married women), Bridesmaids, Best Men, Groomsmen, Flower Bearers (formerly called “Flower Girls” because they were mostly very young ladies), and “Ring Bearers”. (Yes, there is still a lot of sexism in the world of weddings! We can’t seem to get along without “Bride” and “Groom”.) In two weddings that I have officiated, one of the couple's grandmothers was the “Flower Girl”!

Yes! It is an honor to have been professionally trained in public speaking.

The Dale Carnegie course in Public Speaking was a pleasure. Anthony Forsaglia was a great instructor, and I hope that I make him proud!

Speaking in front of 200+ wedding guests does not make me nervous; it energizes me.

Having taught C Programming at the college level was a wonderful experience and priceless practice.