Rhiannon Hendricks
There are several ways to find out your wedding date. Marriage records are generally open to the public and can be found by searching online or by checking with the local courthouse. You can also try searching through church records, newspaper archives, or genealogy sites. If you're looking for a recent marriage date, it may be published in the local paper or online in the month after the wedding. Alternatively, you can request the information from the state or county level, as marriage records are typically recorded and maintained at the county level.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Online methods | Use a search engine, visit a specialist website, check online indexes and digital images, check repositories such as archives and libraries, obtain a certificate from the government agency |
| County methods | Go to the county records office, request marriage records, look for church records |
| Newspaper methods | Go to the local newspaper website, visit the local library |
What You'll Learn
Check marriage certificates and other vital records
If you're trying to find your wedding date, there are several ways to go about it. Marriage dates are a matter of public record, so you can try searching online public records. If the wedding was recent, there's a chance the date was published in the local paper or announced online. If the wedding took place in the US, you can contact the vital records office in the state where the marriage occurred. They will tell you the cost, what information you need to supply, and if you can get a copy online, by mail, or in person.
If you can't access the information online, you may need to visit the county records office or courthouse in person. Marriage licenses, which show the date of marriage, are given by the county clerk, and a search can be conducted at the County Recorder's office. You will need to provide as much information as you can about the marriage in question, including the names of the couple, the place of marriage, and approximate date of the wedding. You may be asked to pay a fee for the search.
If the wedding occurred before the 20th century, you may need to check church records, which in some cases go back to the 1600s. To find these records, you will need to know where the person lived, as well as the denomination of the church they attended. Church records are generally kept in churches and their archives, at historical and genealogical societies, and in libraries.
If you are looking for the date of a wedding that took place outside of the US, you can contact the embassy or consulate of the country where the marriage took place.
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Search online databases and genealogy sites
There are a number of online databases and genealogy sites that can help you find your wedding date. These include:
Free UK Genealogy
Free UK Genealogy provides free online access to family history records. The website has three projects: FreeBMD, FreeCEN, and FreeREG. FreeBMD provides access to birth, marriage, and death records. FreeCEN offers a free online database of the 19th-century UK census returns, while FreeREG houses registers of baptisms, marriages, and burials of the Church of England and other organisations.
Ancestry
Ancestry has a collection of marriage records, including indexes that link to images of actual marriage records, as well as indexes that contain information to help you request the record. The website also has some religious marriage records among its collections.
FamilySearch Wiki
This website provides information on how to find United States marriage records. It suggests checking online indexes and digital images, as well as repositories such as archives and libraries. It also recommends checking church records, especially for marriages that occurred before the 20th century when civil registration of marriages began in the US.
IrishGenealogy.ie
This website allows users to search a wide range of record sources, including civil and church records, to find their Irish ancestry. The website includes birth register records from 1864 to 1923, marriage register records from 1845 to 1948, and death register records from 1871 to 1973.
Online Agencies
There are many online agencies that can search through marriage records for you. These agencies often charge a fee, but some may offer free trials. To find these agencies, you can search for "marriage record checks" or "background checks" in a search engine. Before choosing an agency, be sure to research their reputation and read feedback from previous customers.
County Websites
If you know the state and county where the marriage took place, you can check their websites for online marriage indexes or databases. In the US, marriage records are usually held at the county level, and some counties provide online access to their records.
In addition to these online resources, you can also try searching for marriage records in local newspapers, library archives, or through genealogy societies.
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Consult local newspapers and announcements
If you're looking to find your wedding date, one way to do so is by consulting local newspapers and announcements. This method can be particularly useful if you're searching for a date that isn't recent, as marriage dates are public records and are often published in local newspapers and online in the month following the wedding.
To begin your search, it's helpful to know the location of the marriage. This will allow you to identify any newspapers that may have published the date. You can then visit the website of the local newspaper and search for the names in the announcements or public records section. Some larger local or state newspapers may have an online archive service, but you may have to pay a fee to access this.
If the local newspaper doesn't have thorough online records, you may need to visit the local library to access archive copies of the paper. You can usually find these archives in good public libraries, often free of charge.
Newspapers typically include a lot of information about the families and accomplishments of the couple. A standard newspaper wedding announcement may include:
- The full names of the bride and groom
- Where the bride and groom attended college
- Where the bride and groom work, or their occupational field
- Full names of both sets of parents
- Grandparent names for the bride and groom
- Hometown of all parties mentioned
- The current town of residence for all parties mentioned
- Where the wedding took place
Some modern newspapers also welcome creativity and storytelling in their announcements, particularly if there is something unique or amusing about the couple's story. For example, many wedding announcements printed in The New York Times include details about how the couple met. If the announcement is made after the wedding, there may also be details about the ceremony itself, such as a description of the dress or the wedding location.
It's important to note that not all marriages are announced in newspapers, and this practice is becoming less common. Additionally, some newspapers may charge a fee for publishing wedding announcements, so it's a good idea to check the submission requirements and any associated costs before sending in your announcement.
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Look into church records
If you are looking for your own wedding date, you may be able to find it by searching through personal records, such as obituaries, oral histories, county histories, and tombstones. These may mention a church affiliation. If you are looking for the date of a marriage that took place in the US before the 20th century, you may need to check church records, which in some cases go back to the 1600s.
In general, finding US church records involves a two-step process: first, identify the right church, and then find its records. However, this may involve a few additional steps.
Step 1: Identify the Church
Identifying the church in which the marriage took place is key to locating any surviving record of it. Look carefully through other records you already have about the couple. These types of records include obituaries, oral histories, county histories, and tombstones. Do they mention a church affiliation?
If they don't mention a specific church, perhaps one of these records can give you a clue. For example, if the husband's obituary mentions his religious affiliation, you can look at city directories, histories, or maps from that time period to identify nearby churches of that denomination. Keep in mind that before the age of the automobile, people couldn’t travel far to attend church.
If you have the civil marriage record, look at the name of the officiator. Do you see a title hinting that this was a minister, such as “Rev” (short for Reverend)? If you see the initials “J.P.”, this stands for Justice of the Peace, a civil office.
Step 2: Find the Church Records
Once you’ve identified the church, it’s time to search for congregational records that may document the marriage. Your strategy may vary depending on the denomination, the time, and the place.
Find out whether the church still exists by googling the church name and location or using an online congregational locator tool. If the church still exists, you’ll likely find a website, Facebook page, or other contact information. Reach out to their office and ask about their old records.
If you can’t find the church online, it may have closed, merged with another church, or been renamed. You might turn to regional church offices or archives, such as those of a Catholic diocese or Methodist conference, to see whether they can tell you anything about that church or its records.
Church records are generally kept in churches and their archives, at historical and genealogical societies, and in libraries. If the church doesn’t hold the archives, the headquarters of the denomination may do.
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Contact government agencies
If you are searching for a recent marriage date, there is no national index of marriage certificates or licenses, so you must request this information at the state or county level. Marriage records are generally open to the public and can be accessed by conducting searches using details such as the names of the couple, the location of the union, or the specific date.
In the US, the state has sole responsibility for making laws and regulations regarding the recording of a marriage, and these vary from state to state. Most marriages are recorded at the county level, and many counties forward marriage records to state agencies.
If you are unsure about how to look up marriage records, you can contact the National Center for Health Statistics, the primary agency responsible for keeping most vital records.
You can also obtain marriage records through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC may provide information on marriages that occurred abroad, and can be contacted at the following address:
> Department of State Passport Vital Records Section 44132 Mercure Cir. P.O. Box 1213 Sterling, VA 20166-1213
In the UK, marriage records are one of the most accessible record types. The easiest way to locate marriage records is online, through a private database. The UK Government website has a section dedicated to researching marriages, births, divorces, and other civil records. Alternatively, you can visit the National Archives, which maintain copies of almost every public record processed by the United Kingdom, either in paper form, microfiche, or digital format.
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Frequently asked questions
If you're struggling to remember your wedding date, there are a few ways to find it. You could try searching online public records using details like your name and location, checking with your local courthouse, or looking into church records if your wedding was in a church.
If you don't know the location of your wedding, try searching using other details like your name, your spouse's name, or the approximate year of your wedding. You could also try contacting your local courthouse or vital records office for assistance.
Yes, there are a few free options for finding your wedding date. You can check public records online, at your local courthouse, or through genealogy sites. You can also try searching church records if your wedding was in a church.
