Thinking of Having a Court Marriage? We’ve Got the Procedure Covered!

Not a fan of swank at the conventional big fat Indian wedding? Or do you belong to two different communities, castes or even countries - that the usual route to marriage is rocky and laden with complications? Then, hallelujah, Court marriage is for you! One of the most common ways to get married in this country, court marriage or registered marriage are possible under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 between two parties from either the same religion or different. An ideal choice for those who do not prefer the long-duration rituals, ceremonies, and most importantly, going through with the wedding expenses, court marriage makes it all easy for the two parties to tie the knot with just a few formalities. Or, at WMG, we'll say, save up on that wedding and throw a big party instead. So well, in any case, court marriages are a different game altogether - let’s take a look at the pre-requisites and steps to go about it.

Notice of Intended Marriage

Image via Saumya and Chakra

The couple must give a notice of intended marriage to the Marriage Registrar of the district, where at least one of them has resided for at least 30 days prior to the notice. The notice should be in writing and signed by both parties, and should contain details such as name, age, occupation, address, and marital status. The notice is usually published for 30 days to allow for objections, if any.

Registered Marriage: The Documents

A range of documents are required to be submitted, should a couple wish to get married in court. So, before you go ahead with the application, make sure you both keep the following handy:

• 2 Passport size photographs each of the bride and groom
• Proof of address of both the bride and groom (Voter ID, AADHAAR Card, Pan Card, Passport, Bank Passbook-any of these documents will work). 
• Proof of birth of Bride and Groom (Birth certificates, Passport, Xth or XIIth marksheet, PAN Card-any of these documents will work. 
• If one party is a divorcee, they’ll need to submit a certified copy of the Decree of Divorce that they had submitted. 
• In case of foreign citizenship, the concerned party will have to submit a non-objection certificate from the concerned embassy and a valid Visa.)  

Affidavit

Image via Aarushi and Achal

The couple must also sign an affidavit stating that they are of legal age, are not related to each other within the prohibited degree of relationship, and are not married to anyone else.

Witnesses

Image via Masaba Gupta's Wedding

Two witnesses, who are of legal age and have valid identification, must be present at the time of registration of the marriage.

Registration

Image via @maanvigagroo

After the notice period is over and there are no objections, the Marriage Registrar will issue a certificate of marriage. The couple and their witnesses must sign the register in the presence of the Marriage Registrar, who will then issue the marriage certificate.

Fees

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The fees for court marriage registration varies from state to state. The couple must pay the required fees to the Marriage Registrar at the time of registration.

These steps will give you a general overview of the entire process of court marriages in India. The procedures may vary from state to state, so we recommend that you check with your local Marriage Registrar before going ahead with it.

And, that’s pretty much it! Hit us up in the comments section below if you have any doubts regarding the procedure.

*Updated by Riya Agarwala.

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