Marriage Records in the United States

A marriage record in the United States (or marriage certificate, as it can sometimes be called) is created whenever there is a legal union between two people. Marriage records in the United States are often actually three documents recorded on the same sheet of paper. The marriage application and the Certificate of Marriage all are part of the set of marriage records. Each state is in charge of creating its own marriage record form, so they may vary in appearance from state to state. However, most states have set aside a portion of the marriage record form to be completed by the official presiding over the marriage ceremony. Some marriage records also have a special section for those individuals who are making a name change with the marriage ceremony.

Typically, marriage records contain basic information such as the full name of the bride (including maiden name) and the full name of the groom, the location where the wedding ceremony is to take place, the signature and names of witnesses, the signature and name of the official who is presiding over the ceremony, and the date of the marriage ceremony. Older marriage records can contain photos of the bride and groom, as well as the age of the couple when married. Their parents’ names, addresses of where the bride and groom lived prior to the marriage, and information on the bride’s and groom’s previous marriages (if this is applicable) can also be found on some older marriage records.

Marriage records are part of a set of vital records, which record major milestones in an individual’s life. Birth records, death records and divorce records, as well as adoption records and civil unions can all be included in a vital records set. Marriage records are important to genealogists and historians because researchers can find links within their family tree or discover new branches to explore.