In very rare circumstances it is possible for a couple to contact a marriage officer and be legally married on the same day. However they must expect to pay extra for a quick wedding.
Recently someone phoned Wordways Ceremonies at 08.00 on a Saturday morning. She said they needed a wedding officiant to conduct a full wedding, with readings, exchange of rings and vows…… at 11.00 that morning! And it was in someone’s home 45 minutes’ drive away! That would certainly be a quick wedding.
She said they had been looking for an officiant for three weeks and they were desperate.
Vanessa said she could do a ceremony, but she would not have the time to prepare the forms and register for a legal wedding. They would have to do that at a later date. Vanessa stated what her fee would be. The young lady, who was phoning on behalf of the bride, who happened to be her mother, said she would consult the couple. She WhatsApped back to say that her mother only had half the fee.
She also couldn’t talk to Vanessa because she had to deal with the décor team who had just arrived….
Las Vegas Style Wedding
In Las Vegas there are many chapels that offer a streamlined marriage process, with minimal paperwork and no waiting period. Can you have a Vegas style wedding in South Africa?
Here a marriage celebrant needs information about the two people who wish to marry and their two witnesses. She or he needs to fill in forms and the marriage register with that information. Then they must all four bring along a certified copy of their I Ds. If the couple want to be married out of community of property, they must bring an original letter from a lawyer stating that they have an Ante Nuptial Contract.
So if you can send the marriage officer (MO) the information beforehand so that the forms can be completed, and if you have all the documents to hand, you could have a quick wedding. You could get married in a couple of hours’ time, providing the MO does not have prior appointments.
However, a wedding ceremony should be so much more than a formality. You are standing before those who are important to you and you are publically declaring your love for each other, as well as your commitment to stay together for the rest of your lives.
It would be much better to ensure that you find the right celebrant in good time. The MO can then create a unique ceremony, which tells your love story and which celebrates your commitment to each other in your inimitable style.
There is an old saying: Marry in haste, repent at leisure. Contact Vanessa of Wordways Ceremonies in good time to prevent this from happening!