HOW TO GET YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE AND BE LEGALLY MARRIED IN SAN LUIS OBIPSO COUNTY IN 3 EASY STEPS

First comes first when planning your SLO wedding- how do you actually get a marriage license in San Luis Obispo? You’ve been drooling over wedding venues and getting your wedding vendors picked out for your upcoming celebration, but you also need to handle the paperwork. Here are the steps to getting married in San Luis Obispo every couple needs to know.

STEP 1. WHERE TO GET YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE IN SLO

Engaged couple’s planning to get married in San Luis Obispo need to visit the San Luis Obispo County Clerks Recorders Office as the very first step. First off fill out this MARRIAGE LICENSE FORM to apply for your marriage license from the San Luis Obispo County Clerks Recorder’s Office.

Then you can make an appointment and head on down to the San Luis Obispo Courthouse (the Clerk’s office is inside). You will both need to be present at the actual office (in person) to collect your marriage license. The address is 1055 Monterey St, San Luis Obispo. Don’t forget to pay for your parking!

On a side note: should you want to elope in San Luis Obispo and have a Courthouse Wedding, our SLO Courthouse is really pretty and you can have one of their ordained ministers at the courthouse marry you. I love elopements and would love to be there to photograph your courthouse wedding! I also love doing engagement sessions in Downtown San Luis Obispo- you may want to take a look around while your down there and consider wether you would want to take your engagement photos there- it’s a really cute area for a date night inspired engagement shoot.

STEP 2: DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY

You can take your marriage license and get married at the wedding venue of your choosing- San Luis Obispo is full of beautiful wedding venues! Your wedding will need to be officiated by an ordained minister. You can have a priest, rabbi, pastor, or even a friend of family member marry you if they wish- they can get ordained easily through the Universal Life Church. San Luis Obispo County accept’s this-one more perk of getting married here.

Once you have your wedding ceremony you will sign your marriage license with your officiant and at least one witness. (Most couple’s chose to have two people witness it). Make sure you keep your signatures within the lines or they won’t accept it and follow all the directions carefully.

STEP 3: MAIL YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE BACK TO THE CLERKS OFFICE

You must mail or hand deliver your marriage license back to the clerks office within 30 days of it being signed. Once it’s sent back and is processed your marriage is officially legal- but you’re not quite done just yet!

BONUS TIP: HOW TO CHANGE YOUR NAME IN SAN LUIS OBISPO

Many couples like to change their name once they are married- if that’s your decision, then it’s good to know your name is legally changed once you send your marriage license back to the SLO County Recorder’s Office and they process your paperwork. However there are still a few more steps to follow.

Fill out this application and email it back to the SLO Recorder’s office and then head on back to pick up your copy. The head to the social security office to change your name with the Social Security Administration. There is yet another application to fill out, as well as presenting some legal documents, in order to have your name changed.

Once you have your new Social Security card, head to the DMV and fill out YET another application. Take a new photo, get your new card with your new name, and presto. You’re finally done. Phew!

Congratulations on your new status as a married couple and I hope this info made it a little easier for you planning your San Luis Obispo wedding day!

Patricia and Michael were married in South Slo County at the quaint and sweet historic San Ramon Chapel. If you are looking for a picturesque wedding chapel for your nuptials, it doesn’t get more fairytale than this.