I never pictured myself getting married virtually. But here we are — and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My fiancé and I had been talking about marriage for a while, but with living in different states, planning a traditional wedding felt like more stress than joy. We weren’t even sure when we’d be in the same place long enough to make it official.
One night, while falling into an internet rabbit hole, I came across a post about virtual weddings. At first, I thought it was some kind of scam, but the online wedding more I looked into it, the more legit it seemed.
Turns out, in places like Utah, you can have a valid marriage completely online — no courthouse visit required. It's recognized in all 50 states.
We decided to go for it. Why wait?
Here’s what the process looked like for us:
- We scheduled a time with a licensed officiant through an online marriage service.
- We uploaded our IDs, completed a few online forms, and got our electronic marriage license within hours.
- On our wedding day, we dressed up from the waist up, sent the Zoom link to our closest friends and family, and said our vows live on camera.
In less than 20 minutes, we were husband and wife. We toasted over video chat, smiled at each other through the screen, and let it all sink in. It was real — even from hundreds of miles away.
Honestly? It was one of the most authentic experiences we could’ve asked for. No overpriced venue. No awkward seating charts. Just us, the copyright we meant, and a handful of people who love us cheering from their screens.
If you’re trying to simplify your wedding plans, I highly recommend looking into online marriage. It's an option more people should consider — especially if you're working with immigration timelines.
You don’t have to wait for a perfect moment or a perfect venue. You just need someone you love, a decent Wi-Fi signal, and a little bit of paperwork.
Marriage is evolving, and honestly? That’s kind of amazing.
Whether you're across the street or across the ocean, you can make it official — and make it yours.