Top 5 Marriage Records Search Tips

Many marriage record searches fail because many are not fully aware of what information they need to provide or how to tweak their search to get optimum results. Find out how you can make better searches for marriage records starting today.

Marriage records search engines abound on the Internet. Although some require you to pay for the services they offer, many allow you to browse their databases absolutely free of charge. You only need pay if you want to get a copy of the marriage record.

Marriage Records Search Tips

• Narrow your marriage records search to only what you need. Depending on your purpose (e.g., to take out a loan, to find a person, etc.) you need to search for any of the three main types of marriage record: license, certificate, or register. A marriage license authorizes couple to marry, a certificate is evidence that a marriage took place, and a register is a record that the license was returned completed to the county or state clerk’s office.
   
• Get as much preliminary information online as you can. If you are looking for marriage records other than your own, you should check out any of the free online websites before you contact any government office. Many of these websites are so specialized that they may be all you will need, especially if you just want to verify that a marriage took place for your own personal reasons.

• Know where to look. Depending on the date and location where the marriage took place, the records you need may have been filed at the state vital records office or the county clerk’s office. Before the late 1800s, marriages were usually recorded only at county level and, in some cases, evidence may only be found in church or library records (e.g., marriage banns or announcements in local newspapers).

• Allow for varied access depending on the state where records were filed. Some states (e.g., California) allow the bride and groom to file confidential marriage records, which are not included in the index. Such confidential records are not open to the public, only to either spouse or via court order.

• Know that a marriage license is not proof that a marriage took place. Some couples apply for a marriage license but do not go through with the actual ceremony. In your marriage records search, check the register. Only when the license is returned and recorded in the marriage register, or when a marriage certificate is issued, does it mean the marriage really took place.

So are you ready to start your search? Go to RecordsSiteReviews and find the marriage record you are looking for!