How to Get Married in South Carolina

Southern hospitality still reigns supreme in Southern Carolina. This state was the first to secede from the Union and continues to be a bastion of tradition. It is also one of the most strikingly beautiful states on the East Coast. From its playful beaches stretching to its verdant mountains, there are plenty of beautiful places to get married in South Carolina:

Things You'll Need

• Marriage license
• Identification

Instructions

1. Set a date for the wedding. Decide on the weather you envision for your wedding, then choose your date accordingly. South Carolina offers world-class wedding and reception centers as well as breathtaking locales for outdoor weddings, whether at the beach or in amountain forest (see Resources below).

2. Make a guest list. Begin with family and close friends and then expand the list as your budget allows.

3. Choose a place. As soon as your fiancé and you have agreed upon a location for your wedding, reserve it.

4. Choose the bridal parties. This can be a point of some contention, and the tradition used to be to appoint siblings. Now, however, that tradition has been mostly abandoned in lieu of simply selecting anyone the bride and groom see fit.

5. Apply for your marriage license. South Carolina marriage licenses do not expire, so as soon as you know you're getting married, take your driver's license and birth certificate to the county clerk's office to get one (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• The cost of marriage licenses in South Carolina vary depending on which county you intend to be licensed and married in. Call ahead to the county clerk's office to find out exactly how much they are.

• Marriage to cousins is legal in the state of South Carolina.

• Common law marriages are legal in the state of South Carolina.

• Same-sex marriages or unions are not legal in the state of South Carolina. The partners in a marriage must include one individual who was born a male and one who was born a female.