Seven Reasons to Get Legally Married Before Your Wedding Day

Trying to plan the perfect day for your wedding can be a challenge. If you want to alleviate some stress before the big day, consider getting legally married before your wedding day. For example, getting the paperwork done ahead of time could save you time and give you ease.  Some couples today even choose to have a civil ceremony just between the two of them and then hold a bigger gathering later on with friends and family. This tactic is gaining popularity for those who want to be more prepared and less pressured during their big day.

Below are seven reasons that you may want to get legally married before your wedding day.

You're having a destination wedding

If you plan to have a destination wedding or a ceremony with a tight schedule, having the legal paperwork taken care of ahead of time can give you more flexibility in planning the details of your ceremony. Getting married before your big day could also be beneficial in terms of legalities. There may be some rules and regulations different from that of your hometown so researching the differences could become time consuming and be a hassle. If you choose to get the paperwork of the marriage taken care of before the wedding day, it can give you more time and ability to enjoy the full nuptial festivities instead of filling out paperwork.

Ease the stress of the big day

By obtaining a marriage license ahead of time, you can avoid the last-minute rush and potential delays that can add stress to your wedding day. Knowing that the legal aspects of your marriage are already taken care of can give you peace of mind and allow you to focus on enjoying the big day.

Also, there could be potential cost savings getting hitched ahead of time. Depending on where you live, obtaining a marriage license ahead of time may be less expensive than obtaining one on the day of your wedding. While not applicable for everyone, some couples may find that obtaining a marriage license and having a quick, informal ceremony at a courthouse or city hall is more budget-friendly than a traditional function. Opting for a legal marriage allows you to focus on what truly matters to them without overspending on an elaborate celebration. This way, you are able to focus on the celebration and reduce the pressure of coordinating both simultaneously.

Financial planning opportunities

Legal marriage is associated with various financial advantages, such as joint bank accounts, tax benefits, inheritance rights, and access to spousal Social Security benefits. By getting legally married prior to the celebration, couples have the opportunity to begin planning and consolidating their finances earlier. Also, by becoming legally married before your wedding day, your spouse can be added to your health insurance plan, providing them access to your coverage if they do not have one of their own or if your plan is more comprehensive.

Deciding to tie the knot sooner can also give your spouse the ability to make important decisions. Marriage grants couples the authority to make vital decisions on behalf of one another, in matters concerning medical emergencies, property transactions, or estate planning. By getting legally married before the ceremony, spouses gain access to these rights and protections sooner.

Facilitate visa and immigration processes

For couples that include a foreign partner, obtaining a marriage certificate before the wedding day can help to expedite the visa and immigration process. Legal marriage plays a significant role in demonstrating a bona fide relationship to immigration authorities, granting the foreign spouse a more secure legal status in the country. If one partner is not a citizen of the country where the ceremony is taking place, getting legally married before the wedding can help with immigration issues and simplify the process of obtaining a visa. 

As each relationship is unique, so too are the subjects for each duo to start spousal visas. Boundless is a good platform to inquire about specific questions you may have pertaining to your personal conditions.  By inquiring professionals on the steps to take for visas, you are able to get information to get your queries taken care of.

Lower your anxiety

Nuptials can already have a lot of pressures, thinking about how to make sure everything will run smoothly.  Some people may feel less anxiety if they are already legally married before the wedding because they feel that the commitment has already been made, and the wedding ceremony is more of a celebration than a nerve-wracking event.

Your wedding got postponed

Because of the ramifications of COVID-19, couples weren't able to celebrate their union in person with their friends and loved ones. Since a lot of ceremonies were postponed, partners had to get creative and use services like Courtly, an online marriage service to help them get married. This option has gained popularity as the pair can virtually get married anywhere around the world without leaving the comfort of their own homes.  Guests can be invited to attend the ceremony via Zoom and celebrate along with the newlyweds.  

Because so many weddings were delayed, people found that if they have a service like Courtly or having a civil ceremony at a courthouse and celebrating with their loved ones later became a less stressful option than traditional matrimony.  Another option that is available for the pair is to elope.  It involves less planning than a traditional weddings but can still be special for the duo.

You can opt to keep it a secret 

If you and your spouse to be are more secretive and don't want to tell your friends and family about your plans until after, then getting married in a courthouse or using an online platform could be your ticket.  Some pairs want to keep their nuptials private and eventually tell their loved ones after they have tied the knot.  Services offered by Courtly can even assist you in providing two witnesses for your ceremony, so nobody you know has to know until you're both ready to tell them.  When you are ready to reveal yourselves as newlyweds, you can also pretend like the celebration was the actual wedding when all along you were married already. This way, the real ceremony could just be shared between the couple and give them a more intimate memory but still include their loved ones if they choose. Some newlyweds even skip out on the ceremony all together and just have a civil wedding.

Final Thoughts

When you get legally married, you gain legal protections that may not be available to unmarried couples. Newlyweds find that it's better to get married ahead of time because the pressures and legalities are already taken care of.  The wedding becomes more of a celebration of their union instead of the first step towards joining their lives together. Some people find that getting married before the wedding day not only takes stress away but also helps strengthen the bond within each other because they are taking strides to build a life with each other, together.