Marriage Registers - Why You Would Need Them Someday

Marriage registers are different from marriage licenses because if the information has been included in the former, it is a guarantee that the marriage has actually taken place.

Marriage registers are one of three types of marriage records that you may come across when you say “I do”. Ideally, all marriage records should be completed at the time of the marriage, usually by someone who was present during the proceedings. A marriage license is the first step and the civil marriage record that contains the most information that could be helpful in genealogical research. This is provided when the couple obtains legal permission to be married.

Second are marriage registers. A marriage license is returned to the clerk for recordkeeping purposes after the wedding has taken place. The clerk is then responsible for inputting the information in marriage registers. Marriage registers or books contains the most vital of information regarding the marriage including the names of the spouses, the date and the place where the marriage took place and the name of the person who officiated the marriage proceedings.

After marriage registers, there is also a marriage certificate which is then provided to the couple for their recordkeeping purposes. Over time, marriage certificates have been the most difficult to locate since couples do not always keep them and the clerk may not always retain a copy of this as well. When marriage certificates are lost, then you have to turn to marriage registers.

Marriage Registers- Why You Need Them

The couple may obtain a marriage license but the wedding may still be cancelled. No marriages can be placed in wedding registers until the couple has been legally married but a marriage license can be given even without a wedding ceremony.

You may need a copy of your information from marriage registers when you lose your marriage certificate. It is the closest proof that you can obtain to determine that you are legally married as this may be required when applying to schools or companies. It may also be required when you request for a change of name on a passport or a bank account, especially for women who opt to no longer use their maiden names after they are married.

Marriage registers also become critical when you are trying to find out if someone has been married or not before. If you have been separated or divorced, you will need to produce a copy of the divorce certificate before you can be married again. If you suspect that someone may be lying to you about a previous marriage, you can double check in marriage registers if that person's name is there already.

Marriage registers are also public records that can be accessed by anyone, so it is a declaration of the union of husband and wife. You may also need copies from marriage registers when you need to apply for insurance together as a couple or certain kinds of immigration requirements in foreign countries when you are traveling together with your spouse or the rest of your family.

Learn more about marriage certificates by checking out the Marriage Records section of RecordsSiteReviews.