Who May Officiant A Wedding?
A marriage may be officiated by a judge of a court of record, by a retired judge of a court of record (for free), by certain county clerks, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, or by any individual in good standing with, and granted the authority to solemnize weddings by, his or her religious denomination, Indian Nation or Tribe or Native Group. The wedding officiant normally is responsible for filing the marriage certificate with the appropriate county clerk.

Who May Marry?
The Bride and Groom each must be at least 18 years old. Special rules apply if either the Bride or Groom is under 18 years, or if the Bride either is pregnant or has already had a child and the Groom is the father.

How Do You Apply?
Couples must apply for the marriage license together. Application fees start as low as $15, but many counties charge more, so please check before arriving at the County Clerk’s office for the application. There is no blood or medical examination required in Illinois. The Bride and Groom each must present current or valid photo Identification, such as a driver’s license or state-issued photo identification card. If either the Bride or Groom lacks this, please see the special instructions for the county where you will be married.

When May You Be Married?
There is a one-day waiting period after submission of the application for the marriage license, before its issuance. The marriage license is effective only in the county where it was issued, one day after the date of issuance. It is valid for 60 days.

What is on the Marriage License?
Once issued, the marriage license will include the name, sex, occupation, address, social security number, date and place of birth of the Bride and Groom; the name, date, place and court in which any previous marriage was dissolved or declared invalid, or the date and place of death of any former spouse of either the Bride or Groom; the name and address of the parents or guardian of the Bride or Groom, if either are underage; and whether the Bride and Groom are related to each other and, if so, their relationship.

What Must You Do with the Marriage License?
The couple must take the marriage license to the wedding ceremony. The wedding officiant completes the license after the wedding and submits it to the appropriate county clerk within 10 days of the wedding ceremony.  Upon receipt of the signed marriage license, the county clerk registers the marriage. 

Who May Not Be Married?
The Act lists various types of marriages that are prohibited, including those where one party has not yet dissolved the previous wedding, or where the Bride and Groom who are closely related. At this time, marriages between individuals of the same sex are unlawful in the State of Illinois. Couples residing in other states may get married in Illinois, provided that the marriage would not be prohibited in the state where they reside. Similarly, couples residing in Illinois who seek to get married in another state because the marriage would be prohibited here, cannot do so; the marriage still would be null and void.

More Questions?
The Illinois Department of Public Health has a helpful website listing many “Frequently Asked Questions”.  Below are links to most of the County Clerk's offices in Northern Illinois:

Boone County
Cook County
DeKalb County
DuPage County
Kane County
Kendall County
LaSalle County
Lee County
McHenry County
Ogle County
Will County
Winnebago County

Click here to inquire about Jeff Petersen's availability for your wedding ceremony!