Getting Your Marriage License

While attire, venue, and attendees to your wedding can be broad and almost limitless one thing that remains constant and that I am most frequently asked about is how to obtain the marriage license.
That is a very good question. Not only how but when to obtain the marriage license.

The state of Missouri will allow you to purchase your license at any county's Recorder of Deeds office and it is valid anywhere within the state of Missouri. Keep in mind that a Missouri marriage license is valid for only thirty days from the date you apply. If you do not use the license within 30 days you must return it to the recorder's office where you purchased it. If you are still wishing to get married then you will have to re-purchase the license. Counties may vary in cost and method of payment. For that information, I have included a link to the right under the heading "Marriage License Information". While you are applying it would be a good idea to go ahead and purchase the certified copy of your marriage license. Whether you will change your last name or not you will need the certified copy as proof you are married. But you do have the option to purchase it at a later date if you so choose.

The state of Illinois is a little more strict in that you must purchase your marriage license at the Recorder of Deeds in the county in which you will be getting married. For instance, if you are planning on getting married in Jersey county you must purchase your marriage license in Jersey county. Information on Illinois Recorder of Deeds offices is in the same link to the right.

I suggest to my couples not to wait until the week of the wedding to purchase the license. That week is usually so hectic. Waiting until the last minute can create an unnecessary stressor on an already tight schedule. Why not go ahead and purchase your license two weeks before your date. Be sure to keep it in a safe location and do not forget to have it with you on the day of your wedding. I will always ask you for the license before the start of the ceremony and I will have with me during the entire ceremony.

If you have questions that I did not address or are in need of further clarification feel free to contact me and allow me to assist you in this sometimes overwhelming and yet essential part of your ceremony.

For information obtaining your license in the county/city you will be getting married.
Marriage License Information 

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Importance of Marriage

EXCERPT FROM TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE
~ By Mitch Albom ~

“Still,” Morrie said, “there are a few rules I know to be true about love and marriage: If you don’t respect the other person, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don’t know how to compromise, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you can’t talk openly about what goes on between you, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. And if you don’t have a common set of values in life, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. Your values must be alike.

“And the biggest one of those values, Mitch?”

Yes?

“Your belief in the importance of your marriage.”

He sniffed, then closed his eyes for a moment.

“Personally,” he sighed, his eyes still closed, “I think marriage is a very important thing to do, and you’re missing a lot if you don’t try it.”

He ended the subject by quoting a poem he believed in like a prayer: “Love each other or perish.”

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The 499 piece puzzle.

Periodically my family and I like to put together jigsaw puzzles. We like the managable 500 piece puzzles the best. Our cat Flower likes to help us too. But only after we've left the puzzle unattended.

One day when the puzzle was on the cusp of completeness we noticed that our 500 piece puzzle was now only 499 pieces. The search began. We looked on the floor all around the table where we had been putting the puzzle together. Not there. We lifted up the mat we were assembling the puzzle on. Not there. We looked inside the puzzle box. Nope. We were all but ready to just take it apart when someone noticed Flower batting a small object about the kitchen floor. If you guessed it was the missing piece, you either know our Flower or you have a cat yourself. We snapped up the piece with much enthusiasm and tapped it into the proper place and sat back and gazed upon our completed picture with satisfaction.

Later as I sat reflecting upon that scenario it occured to me that finding ones soulmate is like putting together a puzzle.

In my case, my life was once like that crazy, jumbled, jigsaw puzzle that I worked decades to piece together. I had everything I wanted and needed and in it's appropriate place; when I noticed - something was missing. I really had to search for that missing piece but once I finally found it; snapped it into place, I realized I had found completeness.

How relatable this scenario is to many people. Life is good. It  has direction. It has momentum. But when we pause in review of all we have and where we are in relation to our life's goals we may find our 500 piece puzzle is really only 499 pieces! Is this where you find currently yourself? If you have already found your mising piece and are thinking of getting married, I would love the opportunity to speak with you. I want to hear your story. Perhaps we could incorporate certain aspects into the ceremony that mirror the uniqueness of the two of you. Give me a call and let's talk!

#LOVE #RELATIONSHIP #MARRIAGE 

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Love Wins Wedding Officiant  (314) 378-8280

'Tis The Season

Eight years ago on Christmas Day I gave my, now wife, her engagement ring. This is our ninth Christmas together and we couldn't be happier.

According to statistics, more couples get engaged during the holiday season than any other time of the year! Should you find that particular extra something under your tree: Congratulations!  Give me a call. I would love to hear your proposal story and add you to my schedule for upcoming weddings.


On behalf of myself and my wife Sharon and our two daughters, we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

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Dinosaurs and the Traditional Marriage Ceremony.

Confused how the two are even remotely related? It seems they shouldn't even be in the same sentence and yet there is a connection.
Thousands of years ago dinosaurs roamed the earth. They pretty much ruled the earth. But when was the last time you saw a dinosaur? In the flesh. Live. Breathing. Um...you haven't. Nobody alive has. As life began to change and circumstances began to shift the dinosaurs died off. Scientist believe there are some very distant relatives of the dinosaur walking the earth today but that is only because they evolved and adapted with the changing climate and conditions. The dinosaurs that could not or would not adapt have vanished.
And that relates to traditional marriage ceremony, how?
In today's society very little is left of what we have come to think of as traditional marriage ceremony. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Change is a naturally occurring phenomenon in our world and lives. Without change, we wouldn't grow in any aspect of our lives, physically, mentally or emotionally. While change is difficult for many, it can be a positive reflection of growth.
Because marriage ceremonies have evolved over the years and particularly since 2015 with SCOTUS recognizing marriage equality in the LGBT community couples have great latitude and freedom as they plan their weddings. You truly can have the wedding of your dreams. Not much is left of traditional marriage ceremony. Even so, it has not vanished. It too has learned to evolve and to keep pace with the times so as to not become extinct.
It is exciting that a couple looking to marry can come to me with their ideas for a perfect wedding and know that I am not there to judge their choices or wishes but to work closely alongside them to achieve what will be for them "The Event of the Season".  For I truly subscribe to the thought that it's not about me..it's about YOU, the couple. Just as it should be.
Even though I am going to be 55 years old in a few days I like to think I'm adapting and not becoming a dinosaur.





#LOVE #RELATIONSHIP #MARRIAGE #WEDDING #STLWEDDING

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Love Wins Wedding Officiant    (314) 378-8280

Clock Ceremony

In this video I describe the unique Clock Ceremony my wife and I have created.

The clock is personalized with your names and date of your wedding along with a silohette.  

These are a few examples:

During the Ceremony we will be assembling the clock together.

I will be explaining how the hour hand, minute hand, and the second hand 

relates to your life now and in the future together as a couple.

Give me a call today to include the Clock Ceremony 

in your upcoming wedding.

(314) 378-8280

#LOVE #RELATIONSHIP #MARRIAGE #WEDDING #WEDDINGIDEAS

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Love Wins Wedding Officiant  (314) 378-8280

Love is a Gift.

I am reminded daily that love is a gift. What IS a gift? A gift is something of value given to you by someone because they hold you in high esteem. You did nothing to earn the gift. If you are given the gift of love understand that the giver holds you in high esteem. Never treat this gift like an ordinary object.






#LOVE #RELATIONSHIP #MARRIAGE 

Love Wins Wedding Officiant Website

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Love Wins Wedding Officiant  (314) 378-8280

Dec 19, 2018

Congratulations to Miguel and Chanel.  They were married today at the Old St. Ferdinand Shrine in Florissant.

Call me today.  Diana 314-378-8280

#LOVE #RELATIONSHIP #MARRIAGE #WEDDING

Love Wins Wedding Officiant Website

Love Wins Wedding Officiant Facebook Page

Love Wins Wedding Officiant  (314) 378-8280