Indeed, the self-uniting marriage is a weapon against the existence of religion in marriage altogether. I know this is a bit late, but thanks for the tip! I’m getting married on October 2nd, and we’re going the self-uniting route. Jane Cümo | 14-Nov-14 at 5:43 am | … We prepared the food ourselves, and I made the wedding cake. Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted. Live. Marriage License Fees: Marriage license fees in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vary from county to county. We are getting married in Mercer County, PA and want to have our aunt marry us. Under Pennsylvania marriage law, couples wishing to nix an officiant must obtain a self-uniting licenses, which varies from the traditional form only in wording, and perform their ceremony in front of at least two witnesses, who are required to sign the document. The day started out very chilly and windy. Wu Jianxiong on Unsplash. She is not ordained and is not a priest, rabbi, judge, justice, or minister. Secular humanism is an acceptable religious affiliation for obtaining a self-uniting marriage license. The couple may perform their self-uniting ceremony in any setting, with any number of guests, as long as there are two witnesses to the vows. Except for the format of the license, the requirements for a self-uniting license and a standard license are the same. We would love to get a self-uniting marriage license, and live in Pennsylvania where that (thanks to the long history of Quakers here) is no problem. Femme’s note: It took about a month to hear back from them, but a reader in Pennsylvania who ran into problems with her county clerk managed to get a self-uniting marriage license in Berks County with the help of the ACLU. Afterwards, you just file the paperwork to make it official. Self-uniting marriages require a self-uniting marriage license. Self-uniting marriage is an option in Pennsylvania, one that’s authorized by state law. We asked all three. The minister has to fill out the license an return it to the recorder in the county where the marriage is pursued. This post was published on 08/25/2014. UPDATE: A reader was recently issued a self-uniting marriage license in Philadelphia county. We provide virtual appointments to couples who seek a marriage license—couples can complete the entire process without having to leave their homes! Im marrying an Ecuadorian who is in her 4th year in the states on an F1 student visa. This is a rather new concept and has been untested but the concept is sound. Little would change until the Legislature amended the marriage law in 1953. Self-uniting marriage licenses are required for the marriage to be considered legally binding for those ceremonies without an official performing the ceremony. However, in 2007 a secular couple challenged this and the court ruled that they should be allowed a self-uniting license … Until recently, only Quakers were allowed to have self uniting marriages in PA since Quakers do not have ministers. This license is considered a special license. Quaker/ Self-Uniting License fee varies by county. Human Services and Care. We handle marriage licenses and records. Sincerely, Dimitry, Esq. Pennsylvania is one of the few states that offers couples the option of a self-uniting marriage license. Best, Amanda. Thanks! Login. It is legal in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Colorado. Updated Jan 14, 2019. Self-Uniting Marriage Licenses. Your wedding ceremony is your wedding ceremony, and the officiant you choose can make all the difference when personalizing it. So I will only talk about DC. Upon request, the Marriage License Bureau will inform the couples whether their marriage return has been filed and recorded. by Maggie Seaver. Is a self-uniting marriage license legal in PA when performed by someone who is NOT ordained? Effective July 8, 2020, a marriage license cannot be issued to an applicant under the age of 18. Any marriage solemnized under this statute is and will be valid as long as it was authorized by statute. I think that NorCider mentioned that they were married using a Quaker (self-uniting) license. Our Virtual Marriage Record Department is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and closed holidays. See also. Re: self-uniting marriages for same sex couples in Pennsylvania. The unique Pennsylvania license, which is a Quaker tradition, allows people … Self-uniting weddings are quick, often lasting less than half an hour; cheap, costing just $45 for the marriage license application; and simple. I know it’s legal in PA, but not in every state, so I’m confused if ICE would accept a marriage certificate that came from a ser-uniting/Quaker license. Hope that helps. 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