What do couples do if they are too poor to afford the traditional marriage ceremony?

The traditional cake/minister/big party marriage, I imagine must be out of reach for poor couples. These people are not any less valid than their richer counterparts, but I don't know how they would be able to legally obtain the status of ';married.'; How (or if) does the state accept and process their union?





I am not in this situation, but I am curious.What do couples do if they are too poor to afford the traditional marriage ceremony?
You can legally obtain the status of ';married'; without the big celebration. Honestly, all you need is a marriage license to be considered married. The cake, ceremony, etc. are all extra unnecessary things. There are big ways to save, like having an outdoor wedding, making your own food, and having a small family get-together.What do couples do if they are too poor to afford the traditional marriage ceremony?
actually the wedding has EVERYTHING to do with the state... the state issues the license... and the officiant has to be able to perform the ceremony in that state.





My Parents (my dad a WW-II USGI) were married before a judge in the courthouse down the hall from where they got the license...





ask at the courthouse where you get the license if there's a judge who can ';perform the ceremony'; there.
They can go to City Hall or get married in a church by a minister as long as they have 2 witnesses. When my husband and I got married, we were only 20 and didn't have a lot of money......we got married in our friend's backyard by the pool by a minister with 50 people present and it was a gorgeous wedding. My sister got married in our family home. The minister/civil celebrant signs the marriage certificate and that makes is just as legal as the couple who spent $70,000 on a flash wedding!





Edit: to Chelseal.........It may be different where you live but in most places, a marriage license does NOT consider you married. It is the document which allows marriage to take place. When you fill out an application to go to University, that doesn't mean you have a Degree!
The process of getting legally married isn't expensive at all. Its the dress, tux, flowers, rings, photographer, location, food, etc. etc. etc. that can add up but it can also be done very reasonably.





A couple can simply go to the courthouse, buy the marriage license for a few bucks and get married for practically nothing. There are tons of ways to have very nice weddings without spending a fortune.
You can't be serious any court house has a judge right there that can marry people. Just make an appointment and it's all legal and everything go figure. My wife and I did it 34 yrs ago and still counting .So it can work better than the traditional wedding and we didn't waste all that money just to be divorced within one or two yrs.
They seem to get married and have families without all the huge expense of a big wedding. I would suggest that maybe a small affair in a rented room such as a church basement or school auditorium would make do for such an affair. There are all kinds of little places where people would have a small budget affair. As far as legal goes, going to a justice of the peace is about as legal as it gets.
the wedding ceremony has nothing to do with the state. Couples can go get married at any time by standing in line and signing a paper with a witness. the wedding ceremony you're thinking about has to do with the church, no ';legal'; anything there.
people are able to get married at either a city hall or a courthouse.


im not so sure which one it is...


but it doesnt have the high costs of a traditional ceremony.
They get whatever kind of ceremony they can afford. A lot of times in the court. It is just as valid of a wedding and marriage.
They go to the court house and only pay like 50 bucks and its over!