What happens with the marriage license after the wedding?

Once the two of you, your two witnesses and your officiant, me, have signed the license, you will keep one copy for your records, as a keepsake copy, and I will submit the other copy to the correct county clerk’s office. 

I’ll take it home and record the information for my records, then schedule an email reminding you to order your certified copies, then I will hand deliver it to the post office. If it is headed to Wayne or Genesee counties, it will go Certified Mail, and I’ll text you a photo of the receipt for tracking purposes. 

Now, over the years, some of the staff at the clerks’ offices have told my clients that it’s ok for them to turn in their own marriage license, but legally, it’s something that your officiant does have to do. We have to record the information and submit it. We are responsible for it. Like fine and jailtime responsible. 

So, I always smile and say, I got this. Let me handle it. Plus, it’s one less thing for you to have to worry about.

Now, what happens if a marriage license is never turned in, or lost? Well let me tell you I am so glad that this has never happened to me. Knocking on wood that it never does. 

When you go to order your certified copies, you will know if something is wrong. This is also a great reason to keep that extra “keepsake” copy. If the court is not showing any record, call them. Maybe they are behind on processing, maybe the mail lost your envelope. If this happens, they might, maybe, accept the keepsake copy, or they may totally re-issue the license. It will be exactly the same as the old license, we just all have to get together and re-sign it. 

I will always tell you in your reminder email when I mailed your license and from what post office.