News

Get a Marriage License in Richland County SC

If you’re planning a wedding in the Columbia area, figuring out how to get a marriage license in Richland County SC is probably sitting near the top of your to-do list. Good news: it’s one of the easiest parts of the whole process. The county has moved almost everything online, so you can knock this out from your couch before you ever set foot in a courthouse. Here’s what actually happens, step by step.

How to Get a Marriage License in Richland County SC: Start Online

Richland County no longer has you filling out paperwork in person from scratch. Instead, both of you apply through the Probate Court’s online marriage license portal. You’ll each need a valid picture ID (a driver’s license, state ID, military ID, or passport all work) and a document showing your full Social Security number, like your Social Security card or a W-2. If either of you isn’t a U.S. citizen, you’ll need a valid passport and current visa instead. Once you’ve uploaded everything and submitted the application, you’re most of the way there.

Know what happens next

After the online application is in, you’ll still need to finish things up. South Carolina builds in a short buffer: state law requires a 24-hour waiting period between when your application is filed and when the license is actually issued. It’s not a big deal logistically, just something to plan around if you’re hoping to get married the same day you apply. If you’re on a tight timeline, applying a few days ahead of the ceremony takes all the stress out of it. Richland County mails the marriage license, so figure on about a week before you receive it. However, if you need it right away (after the 24 hour waiting period) you can call the probate court, ask them not to mail it, and go in person to pick it up.

The fee (and how to pay it)

The license itself runs $46. You can pay in cash, or with a credit or debit card, though card payments carry a small processing surcharge. It’s a modest cost for something that makes your marriage legally official, and it’s one of the few flat fees in the entire wedding process that isn’t going to surprise you.

Once you’ve got the license, get it signed properly

Here’s the part couples sometimes overlook: getting the license is only half the job. Someone legally authorized to officiate has to actually perform your ceremony and sign it, and then it needs to be returned to the county to be recorded. This is exactly where a wedding officiant Columbia SC couples trust can make things simple. At Marriage Notary, we handle marriage license signing Columbia SC couples need whether you’re planning a full ceremony or just need the paperwork made official. We’ve become something of a go-to for elopement officiant Columbia SC searches too, since so many couples want something small, meaningful, and low-stress rather than a big production.

If you’re picturing a quick wedding ceremony Columbia SC style (vows exchanged, license signed, done in twenty minutes) that’s basically our specialty. We call it a sign and go wedding Columbia SC couples can book with almost no notice, and it’s perfect for anyone who just wants the legal part handled well without a lot of fuss. We don’t stop at the county line either. Plenty of our couples come from Lexington, and we’re happy to work as a wedding officiant Lexington SC families ask for, along with folks in West Columbia, Cayce, and Irmo.

So once your license is in hand, don’t let it sit in a drawer waiting for the “big day” to fix everything. Head to marriagenotary.com and book your ceremony so the license actually gets signed, sealed, and filed the right way. We’ll handle the paperwork side of it. You just show up and get married.

How to Get Married in Columbia SC

If you’ve been wondering how to get married in Columbia SC, the good news is that it’s easier than most couples expect. Whether you’re planning a full ceremony or just want to make it official quickly and quietly, there’s a clear path from “we want to do this” to “it’s done.”

Start with your marriage license

Before any ceremony can happen, you’ll need a marriage license from the county where you plan to get married. In the Columbia area, that means visiting either the Richland County Probate Court or the Lexington County Probate Court, depending on which side of the Congaree River you’re on.

Both spouses must appear in person with a valid photo ID. You don’t need to be a South Carolina resident. Couples from out of state get married here all the time. The license has no expiration date and works anywhere in the state. There’s a 24 hour mandatory waiting period, so same-day ceremonies are not allowed.

Pick your officiant

South Carolina law requires your ceremony be performed by an ordained minister, a judge, or a notary public who is also a licensed wedding officiant. That last option has become the go-to for couples who want something personal without the courthouse atmosphere.

A wedding officiant in Columbia SC can come to you. A park, your backyard, a hotel suite, a parking lot if that’s where the moment is. Location is mostly up to you. If you’re after a quick wedding ceremony in Columbia SC with no fanfare, that flexibility is probably what you’re looking for.

What the ceremony actually requires

South Carolina doesn’t mandate specific words. Your officiant needs to solemnize the marriage — there’s a clear declaration of intent, the license gets signed, and you’re married.

Witnesses are not legally required in South Carolina, which surprises a lot of people. If you’re considering eloping in Columbia SC or want a sign and go wedding in Columbia SC, you and your partner can show up alone and it’s perfectly valid.

After the ceremony

Your officiant signs the marriage license and gives you one copy which will be your original certificate of marriage. The other two copies are returned to the county probate court, and you can get a certified copy of your marriage certificate in about a week if you need one (you don’t have to order one). 

Book your ceremony

If you’re ready to make it official, Marriage Notary and Wedding Officiant serves couples throughout Columbia, Lexington, West Columbia, Cayce, Irmo, and the surrounding Midlands. Schedule your ceremony by giving us a call at 803-446-3405. Or fill out the contact form on our website, marriagenotary.com/contact/.

What is an Apostille and Why Do You Need One?

An apostille is an international certification that makes documents legal and valid for use in foreign countries. Think of it as a “super notarization” recognized by all countries that signed the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961.

The apostille is a square-shaped stamp or certificate that validates the authenticity of the document’s origin. It confirms that the person who signed the document held the proper authority to do so.

Common documents requiring apostilles include:
– Birth, death, and marriage certificates
– Academic diplomas and transcripts
– Corporate documents
– Power of attorney forms
– Court documents

To obtain an apostille in most countries, you’ll need:
1. The original document or certified copy
2. Proper notarization (if required)
3. Submission to your country’s designated apostille authority

The process typically takes 2-7 business days and costs vary by country and document type. Not all countries accept apostilles – only those party to the Hague Convention. For non-member countries, different authentication procedures apply.

Remember: documents must be issued in the same country where you’re requesting the apostille. A US birth certificate must get a US Apostille, not a French one, even if it’s being used in France.

To obtain an Apostille in South Carolina for a South Carolina document, contact the Secretary of State.

Many brides wish to change their last name after getting married. We have a blog post about changing your name after getting married here. The first step is to change the name on your social security number, but many people do not know where the Social Security offices are located. Here is a list of the cities where there is a SS office in SC.

One suggestion. If you are close to Columbia, but have the time, visit a different office. The SS office in Columbia is the worst! Here is a recent opinion letter about how bad the Columbia office can be.

Social Security Offices in SC

Columbia
Sumter
Orangeburg
Rock Hill
Florence
Aiken
Clinton
Greenwood
Greenville
Spartanburg
Bennettsville
Charleston
Beaufort
Myrtle Beach
Anderson
Walterboro
Georgetown

Have performed large weddings here but didn’t realize they allowed small weddings for no fee. Gardens are open to the public 10 a.m. –  4 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday | 1 – 4 p.m. Sunday. Sometimes the gardens are closed for special events so you need to call and confirm for your wedding day.  Call +18032527742 I performed a small elopement here today and it was very nice. Beautiful arches and two gazebos for bad weather.

Many couples are now choosing to include an Anniversary Box in their wedding ceremony.

The box can be opened on a chosen anniversary date, or upon some other event. Some couples choose to open it on the occasion of their first fight!

Each couple writes a letter about the other to include in the box, including such thoughts as to why they chose to marry this person, remembrances of their first date, how they met, etc. In addition to the letters, you can also include wine, or champagne, or some other significant item.

Here is a sample script to include in the wedding ceremony;

Anniversary Box Ceremony

_____ and _____ have chosen as a couple to perform an Anniversary Box ceremony.

This box contains a love letter from each to the other. The letters describe the good qualities they find in one another, the reasons they fell in love, and their reasons for choosing to marry. The letters are sealed in individual envelopes and they have not seen what the other has written. You have created your very own “romantic” time capsule to be opened on your ____ wedding anniversary.

I recommend that you keep the box in a place of honor prominently displayed in your home as a constant reminder of your commitment to each other.

_____ and _____ should you ever find your marriage enduring insurmountable hardships, you are to as a couple, open this box, then separate and read the letters you wrote to one another when you were united as a couple in marriage. By reading these love letters you will reflect upon the reasons you fell in love and chose to marry each other here today.

The hope is, however, that you will never have a reason to open this box. And if this is the case, you are to open this box to share and enjoy on your 5th year wedding anniversary!

_____ and _____, you may now seal the box

What is a vow renewal? Vow renewals are ceremonies where a couple renews the vows they made to each other when they were first married. Many couples like to hold vow renewal ceremonies on a particular anniversary, like a 10th, 20th, or 50th wedding anniversary, but there is no requirement that take place on a particular date. It is entirely up to the couple.

You can hold a vow renewal ceremony for many different reasons. Because of the Covid 19 pandemic many couples today are having to postpone their planned for big wedding. A vow renewal ceremony at a later date when the pandemic is over would be a perfect way to celebrate ones marriage.

Remember that a vow renewal ceremony is not a legal ceremony. It is symbolic. You are already legally married. Because of that, there are no requirements that you have a legally appointed wedding officiant present. However, if you are not already legally married (with a valid, recorded marriage license) then a vow renewal ceremony does not make you legally married.

Look here for some sample vow renewal ceremonies, numbers 11 and 12.

Weddings are ceremonies that have a lot of tradition incorporated into them. Many couples choose to use as part of their wedding ceremony something that is peculiar to their culture. One such example of a cultural ceremony is the “Wedding Lasso Rosary”, popular in the Spanish and Hispanic communities. If you’re looking for a unique ritual to incorporate into your upcoming wedding ceremony, the Unity lasso ceremony may just be what you’ve been searching for.

Sample Lasso Ceremony

_________ and _________ have chosen to incorporate the Lasso ritual into their wedding ceremony today. The Lasso is a wedding ritual in which the couple are bound together with a ceremonial rosary. Lassoing is a declaration of intent, where the bride and groom clearly state that they are marrying of their own free will.

_________ and _________ since your lives have crossed in this life, you have formed eternal and sacred bonds. As you enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real the ideals that to you, give meaning to this ceremony and to the institution of marriage.

With full awareness, know that within this Lasso you are not only declaring your intent to be bound together before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to God.

The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union and will cross the years and lives of each soul’s growth.

_________ and _________, I ask you to hold hands and look into each others eyes.

Will you honor and respect one another, and seek to never break that honor?

Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?

Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?

Will you share each other’s laughter, and look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?

Bride & Groom: We will.

(Officiant drapes the Lasso in the form of an “8” around the shoulders of the Bride and Groom.)

_________ and _________ , as you are bound together now, so too your lives and spirits are joined in a union of everlasting love and trust. Above you are the stars and below you is the earth. Like the stars your love should be a constant source of light, and like the earth, a firm foundation from which to grow.

(Officiant offers a prayer, removes the Lasso before the Bride and Groom rise, then presents the Lasso to the Groom who will later give it to the Bride.)

God’s Knot-Cord of Three Strands

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Ecclesiastes 4:12

The Cord of Three Strands symbolizes the joining of one man and one woman by God into a marriage relationship. Marriage takes three; you, your soon to be spouse, and God. It was God who taught us to love. By keeping Him at the center of your marriage, His love will continue to bind you together as one throughout your marriage.

Usually there is a reading while the strands are woven together. A sample reading …

Today, [name of groom] and [name of bride] have chosen to braid three strands together into a single cord. Each strand has a significant meaning. The gold strand represents God and His majesty. The purple strand represents the groom and his life. The white strand represents the bride and her life. In braiding these three strands together, [name of groom] and [name of bride] have demonstrated that their marriage is more than a joining of two lives together. It is a unity with God as well. They have chosen to allow God to be at the center of their marriage, woven into every aspect of it. As Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reads,“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”