 You applied, waited, gathered the documents, and picked up your Oakland County marriage license. Now you are holding a very official-looking form and wondering: Are we married now? Who signs this? How soon can we get this done?
First, the important answer: the marriage license gives you permission to marry, but it does not make you married by itself. You still need the marriage to be solemnized by someone legally authorized to perform it, two witnesses must be present, and the license must be completed correctly. If what you want is a quick weekday wedding without a traditional ceremony, this part can be much easier than you think. Step 1: Check the Dates on Your License Do not set the license aside and forget about it. Michigan law says a marriage license is void unless the marriage takes place within 33 days after the application. Look at the dates printed on your paperwork and make sure you know the first day it may be used and the date it expires. If the expiration date is getting close, say that clearly when you contact an officiant. Short-notice appointments depend on availability, but having the exact deadline makes it much easier to help you quickly. For current county instructions, use the official Oakland County marriage license page. Step 2: Decide Whether You Want a Signing or a Ceremony This is the choice that makes everything else simple. Choose Sign & Go if you do not want a formal ceremony. You want the legal portion completed, the license signed correctly, and a quick, happy pronouncement that you are married. The appointment usually takes 10 to 15 minutes at my Holly office and costs $150 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Choose Sign & I Do if you want a short wedding ceremony. You can exchange vows and rings, invite up to about 12 guests, share your first kiss, and take photos afterward. Sign & I Do costs $275 and is offered Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Neither choice requires months of planning. The difference is simply whether you want the legal moment only or a small ceremony you can remember and celebrate. Step 3: Bring the Right People and Paperwork For your A Simple I Do appointment, plan to bring: Your valid, unaltered marriage license Keep it clean and do not fill in ceremony signatures ahead of time. I will guide everyone through the correct places to sign. Both people getting married You both need to be present for the marriage. Two witnesses over 18 Michigan requires at least two witnesses in addition to the person solemnizing the marriage. My appointments require two adult witnesses. If you truly cannot provide them, ask before booking; I can often arrange witnesses for an additional cost, but that must be confirmed in advance. Valid photo identification Bring your IDs so the information can be checked against the license. Step 4: Let Me Guide the Signing Marriage licenses are official records, and the little boxes can be confusing. You do not need to figure them out alone. At the appointment, I perform the required legal portion, tell each person where to sign, complete the officiant section, and make sure the paperwork is handled carefully. Before you leave, I will explain what happens next and how the completed license is returned according to the instructions for your county. Then comes the best part: you leave married. Step 5: Book Before Your Preferred Date Is Gone Weekday appointments are intentionally limited, and short-notice dates can fill. If your license is already in hand, inquire now rather than waiting until the week it expires. In your message, include your preferred date, one or two backup weekdays, the license expiration date, the city where you live, and whether you want Sign & Go or Sign & I Do. That gives me everything I need to check the calendar and help you move forward quickly. You already handled the county paperwork. Let’s make the rest the easiest part.
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 A Genesee County Courthouse Wedding Alternative for Couples Ready to Get MarriedMaybe you have already decided that a large wedding is not for you. Maybe you want to get married before a move, a new job, a baby, a home purchase, or a celebration you are planning for later. Or maybe you are simply done waiting and ready to be married.
Whatever brought you here, you do not have to plan a traditional wedding—and you do not have to rely on a courthouse ceremony—to make your marriage official. I help couples from Fenton, Grand Blanc, Flint, Davison, Burton, Flushing, Linden, and surrounding Genesee County communities have simple weekday weddings that are legal, welcoming, and easy to book. Start With Your Genesee County Marriage License Genesee County lets couples begin the marriage license application online, which starts the three-day waiting period. The county currently lists a $20 application fee for Michigan residents. If both applicants live outside Michigan, an additional $10 fee applies and the ceremony must take place in Genesee County. Michigan residents apply in the county where either applicant lives, and the license can be used anywhere in Michigan. The county’s current instructions say the application must be submitted within 30 days of the ceremony, the blank license must be present at the ceremony, and each applicant must have a separate witness who is at least 18 years old. Requirements can change, so use the Genesee County Clerk’s page to confirm the current documents, payment methods, waiting period, pickup process, and expiration date before your appointment. Once the blank marriage license is in your hands, the hard part is over. Now you only need to decide what kind of wedding moment you want. Want the Fastest Option? Choose Sign & Go Sign & Go is my quickest, simplest service. It is designed for couples who do not want a formal ceremony and mainly need an experienced officiant to perform the legal portion and complete the marriage license correctly. You will meet me at my Holly office, which is an easy drive for many Fenton-area couples. Bring your partner, your valid marriage license, photo identification, and two witnesses over 18. I will guide everyone through the signatures and pronounce you married. The appointment usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. Sign & Go is $150, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Other appointment times may include an additional fee. It is private, low-pressure, and wonderfully uncomplicated. Want Vows and a Few Guests? Choose Sign & I Do Some couples want to skip the courthouse but still want to look at each other, say “I do,” exchange rings, and have a first-kiss photo. That is exactly what Sign & I Do is for. This short wedding ceremony can include up to about 12 guests and is often held at a small venue or local outdoor location. Fenton and the surrounding area have lovely options for couples who want a little scenery without renting a traditional wedding venue. You reserve the location when required, and I bring the ceremony and calm guidance. Sign & I Do is $275 and is available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Plan on about 15 to 30 minutes from arrival through celebration and photos. Your Wedding Can Be Simple and Still Feel Special There is nothing wrong with wanting a practical wedding. There is also nothing wrong with wanting that practical choice to feel kind, joyful, and personal. Your courthouse alternative can be a 10-minute signing followed by lunch in Fenton. It can be a short ceremony in a park with your children or parents. It can be just the two of you, your witnesses, and one very happy officiant. The goal is not to create more planning. The goal is to help you become married in a way that feels comfortable and true to you. Ready to Book Your Genesee County Weekday Wedding? If you have your license—or know the date you will receive it--send me an inquiry today. Tell me your preferred weekday, your city, and whether you want a simple license signing or a short ceremony. I will let you know what is available and help you choose the easiest next step. Where all love is celebrated. Your Michigan Elopement, Your Way: Stress-Free Weddings with A Simple I Do
Couples choose the location, Nichole makes it effortless! Imagine saying “I do” somewhere meaningful to you—a park, a lakeshore, or a hidden local gem—without the stress of a big wedding. With Nichole Bertucci of A Simple I Do, your Michigan elopement is completely personal, intimate, and stress-free. Why Couples Love Eloping in MichiganMichigan offers endless beautiful elopement spots—serene lakeshores, lush forests, charming small-town streets, and cozy private studios. Couples love eloping here because it’s flexible, intimate, and centered on their love story, not seating charts or décor.  Looking for a Courthouse Wedding in Oakland County? Here’s a Simpler Weekday AlternativeIf you have been searching “courthouse wedding near me,” you probably are not looking for a year of planning, a ballroom, or a giant guest list. You want to get legally married, keep the process affordable, and find someone who can help you make it happen soon.
Here is the good news: an Oakland County courthouse is not your only option. With a valid Michigan marriage license, an authorized wedding officiant, and two witnesses, you can have a legal weekday wedding somewhere that feels warmer and more personal than a government office. It can be as simple as signing your license and being pronounced married, or it can include a short ceremony with vows, rings, a first kiss, and a few people you love. Looking for a Courthouse Wedding in Michigan? There's a More Personal Way to Say "I Do"If you've been searching for a courthouse wedding in Michigan. Chances are you're looking for something simple.
Maybe a big wedding just isn't your style. Maybe you're tired of planning and ready to be married. Or maybe you just want to start this next chapter together without all the stress, expense, and expectations that often come with a traditional wedding. If that's you, you're in the right place.  Why More Michigan Couples Are Choosing Small WeddingsLast fall, a couple got married in a friend's backyard in Traverse City. Twenty-two guests, a potluck dinner, string lights strung between two maple trees. No head table, no seating chart, no timeline printed on cardstock. Just the people who mattered most, standing close enough to hear every word of the vows.
That kind of wedding used to be the exception. Now it's becoming the plan. |
Author: NICHOLENichole Bertucci is a Southeast Michigan wedding officiant specializing in weekday marriage-license signings, courthouse alternatives and meaningful small ceremonies. She has helped Michigan couples get married since 2007. Categories
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Nichole Bertucci, Wedding Officiant in Michigan providing Justice of the Peace weddings in southeast Michigan.
Oakland County; Auburn Hills, Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Clarkston, Clawson, Commerce Township, Davisburg, Farmington, Ferndale, Franklin, Highland, Holly, Keego Harbor, Lake Orion, Leonard, Milford, Oakland, Ortonville, Oxford, Pontiac, Rochester, Royal Oak, Troy, Union Lake, Walled Lake, Waterford, West Bloomfield, White Lake AND Genesee County; Atlas, Burton, Davison, Fenton, Flint, Flushing, Gaines, Genesee, Goodrich, Grand Blanc, Linden - and more!
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