Aren’t you glad you live in a small, relatively centralized county like Sacramento? Well, you should be. Obtaining marriage licenses is crazy easy. There’s a helpful website full of FAQ answers and during normal business hours a live and helpful person actually answers the listed phone number.

Walk-ins are allowed, but appointments are encouraged. We made an appointment during their first slot - at 8am - and were in and out in about half an hour. Bride and groom must be present, at least 18 years old, and have photo ID. That’s about it. There is an online application form the site asks you to fill out, but it didn’t seem mandatory once we were there.

Actually, the only criticism we have about the system is this online form. You enter your info, diligently check it for mistakes, and it prints out, nicely filled. You’d think perhaps that info gets zapped over to the clerk’s office for easy import into the actual license document. Not so. Best we could tell, someone then re-enters the info.

Accordingly an important word of warning: Check Their Work. Twice. Then once more after that. And again after they fix the mistakes you found on previous readings. My name is frequently mangled, but in this case, they badly butchered my groom’s name and the word “England” - didn’t even know that was possible. Of course, in our rush to correct the litany of typos on his section, I noted only that they had not forgotten the oft forgot “a” that turns my name from “Christina” into what it is.

But what I didn’t notice was the missing “i” before the not-forgotten “a.” So we had to go back and file an amendment after the wedding to get it corrected. Not the end of the world, but an unnecessary extra hassle.

Out of all wedding chores - getting the license is the easiest part. Grab your fiance(e) and your IDs (and your checkbook or cash - no credit or debit cards accepted) and head on down to 600 8th Street. You’ll be in and out in no time - allowing for typos, of course.

For other county services, keep reading . . .

Yes, you can have your civil ceremony there on-site as well for a very modest fee. They even have a little room decorated with a lattice archway and some pink tulle or flowers or something (we only peaked in that room). On both our visits (to get the license and to return it to be registered and corrected), there were groups obviously there to get hitched as well as get the license. It’s one stop shopping, county-style.

And, of course, on nice option for those who don’t want (or can’t yet have) a religious ceremony but also would rather avoid employing an unknown justice of the peace or internet obtained “officiate,” - go get someone deputized. Yes, for yet another modest fee, basically anyone can be sworn in by a county official to serve as a Deputy Commission of Civil Marriages - good for one day, one ceremony only. Presto! Instant authority vested in he or she by the State of California. It’s magic! Nearly every county has this available (I performed the duties for friends of mine married in Marin County several years ago). The option gives you free reign to design whatever ceremony you’d like (more flowery, less flowery) - the only limitation explicitly placed on Deputies: no God stuff. At all. Period. They issue that admonishment pretty clearly.

So there you go. The nuts and bolts on the actual marriage part.

For more:
Day One: The Series
Day Two: The Dress
Day Three: The Photographer
Day Four: The Music
Day Five: The Cake
Day Six: The Flowers
Day Seven: The Legal Stuff
Day Eight: Random Other Stuff