Blog / How a Military Couple Can Now Get Married Online

How a Military Couple Can Now Get Married Online

By LoveLife | Posted September 30, 2023

Long-distance relationships are so common in the military that many military couples have offered advice on how to make it work. One of the most important pieces of advice is to set shared goals and talk about your dreams for the future.

What if your biggest shared goal is to get married but your partner has a hectic deployment or training schedule? What if you won't get the opportunity to build your life in the same place for several months or even years?

The good news is that now, you don't have to wait until you're physically together to get married. Online marriages are a great solution for military couples dealing with the long-distance lifestyle.

How does this work and what can you expect? Read on to find out.

Where Is Online Marriage Legal?

In the age of the pandemic, Zoom weddings became a big hit, allowing friends and family to safely join their loved ones while they tied the knot. However, the typical Zoom wedding presupposed that both parties (and often their officiant) were physically together, even if their guests were far away.

Not all states have made 100% online weddings a possibility, which is why we've created LoveLife. Only a handful of states in the US have legalized online weddings. Utah has some of the most inclusive online wedding laws, allowing non-residents to work with Utah officiants to start a legally recognized union from afar-even when the couple in question isn't in the same place at the time of the wedding.

Do I Need a Marriage License From My State?

Many couples find the process of getting married out of state (whether in person or over the internet) a tad confusing. Do you apply for your marriage license in your own state or in the state in which you're getting married?

Each state has specific laws about applying for marriage licenses, but one thing is true in all 50 states. You must get your marriage license from the state (and often the county) in which you're getting married. If you're working with LoveLife to plan an online marriage, that entails getting your marriage license from Utah County.

How to Get a Marriage License Virtually

The good news is that you and your partner are not required to travel all the way to Utah County to get your marriage license in person. Instead, you can apply online, receive your license via email, and provide digital signatures.

To apply, you will need valid identification, which can include a military ID. Unlike other states, Utah has no required waiting period once you receive your marriage license. In other words, as soon as it's signed and issued, you may get married.

Do We Need to Be Together for Our Online Marriage?

If you've gotten this far, you probably already know the answer to this one! However, it's important that we make this clear, especially when one or both of you are active duty and have to travel often.

If you're partnering with LoveLife for a Utah wedding, you do not have to be with your partner on the day of your wedding. In fact, you don't have to be in the same country. If one of you is deployed overseas, you can still get married online.

On the day of your online wedding, you must both be available and tuned in to the ceremony online. Before setting a date, make sure that you both have access to the internet with a strong enough signal to use video chat technology.

Military couple getting married online with family and friends on video call

Invite Friends and Family

Having emotional support can make the strain of a long-distance relationship easier. Plus, military life involves frequent moving, and it's important to keep loved ones close even when you're far apart.

Make sure to invite friends and family to join your online wedding, which they can also do from the comfort of their homes. This is a great way to start this next chapter of your shared lives surrounded by love and support.

Military couple getting married in front of an airplane

Don't Skip the Pomp and Circumstance

There are tons of traditions and customs that come with the typical military wedding. Some of them, like departing the chapel through an arch of sabers, aren't quite possible to recreate online. However, there are a few customs that can still work in an online setting.

For example, the active duty partner can wear their dress uniform for the ceremony. You can ask that all active-duty guests do the same. You can display American flags in the background and select patriotic songs for key moments in your ceremony.

Military couple sharing intimate vows during an at-home online wedding

Consider Writing Personal Vows

Getting married online speaks to the unique challenges military couples face. Joining the military entails committing to your branch no matter what. This includes disruptions to your life like deployments, relocations, and more.

Personal vows give you and your partner the chance to acknowledge these challenges and how you will overcome them. This is a great way to show your commitment and your appreciation for your soon-to-be spouse.

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