Topic: Weddings and Marriage Customs
How does United States mark Weddings and Marriage Customs?
Everyday topic
The United States has no national marriage law: licences and marriage records are handled by each state's vital records office, and the requirements, fees, waiting periods and the licence's own expiry all differ by state, most expiring somewhere between thirty days and a year. So 'how to get married' is a state question in the United States, not a national one. Religious, courthouse, outdoor and venue weddings all coexist, and couples decide for themselves how much religion, family and personal style to combine. The officiant may be clergy, a judge, or a friend who obtained the authority for the occasion, with the rules differing by state.
What is this topic?
The legal doorway to marriage differs by place. Taiwan requires household-registration entry for the marriage to take effect; Japan forms the marriage when the marriage notification is accepted; Brazil centres civil registration; Indonesia commonly layers religious ceremony and state registration; India offers personal-law routes alongside the Special Marriage Act; mainland China sets the minimum age at 22 for men and 20 for women; and US marriage licences are handled by the states. A ceremony, banquet, and legal registration may happen on different days. This guide separates legal marriage from the wedding celebration before comparing family and local customs.
Sources and dates
Dates follow local time zones, calendars, and official notices. Check the source when a date is estimated or locally variable.