Kentucky Laws on Officiating Marriages
Your wedding location matters -- a lot. If you plan to marry in Kentucky, you should familiarize yourself with the state's marriage laws before you start planning your big day. Before you start worrying about which places will best suit your color scheme or offer the nicest photo opportunities, learn how to get a marriage license, who can officiate at your wedding and how to ensure your marriage is legally binding. This knowledge will help you get hitched without a hitch.
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Persons Who Can Officiate Marriages
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According to Kentucky law, marriages can be officiated by the following individuals: ministers of any religion, judges and justices of the Court of Justice and executive judges of county courts, retired and other former judges and justices except for those dismissed for cause, other justices of the peace or local commissioners authorized by the governor or by a county judge or executive. Kentucky law also allows marriages to be officiated by members of religious sects with no recognized clergy, as long as the marriage is officiated in the sect's normal place of worship and either the bride or groom is a member of that sect.
Persons Who Can Legally Marry
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The minimum age for marrying without parental consent in Kentucky is 18 for men and women. People who are at least 16 but under 18 may marry with the consent of parents or legal guardians. First cousins (children of siblings) may not marry legally, but second cousins (children of first cousins) may. Plural marriages, gay marriages and proxy marriages (ceremonies in which either the bride or groom is absent) are not permitted by Kentucky law.
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Conditions for Legally Binding Marriages
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All legally binding weddings in Kentucky must be witnessed by at least two individuals other than the bride, the groom and the officiant. Couples must obtain their marriage licenses in the bride's county of residence (if she is a Kentucky resident under 18). If the bride is over 18, a widow or not a resident of Kentucky, the license may be obtained in any county in the state. While both the bride and groom must be present when their marriage license is issued, only the bride's signature is required. Marriages must be carried out within 30 days of license issue. No blood tests or waiting period is required for a marriage license in Kentucky.
Exceptions to the Regulations
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Pregnant women under 16 may marry without parental consent, as may pregnant women between 16 and 18. For the pregnancy exemption to hold, however, the potential bride must be pregnant at the time of application for her marriage license. The provision does not hold if the baby has already been born. Kentucky does not legally recognize common-law marriages within the state, but does recognize those legalized in other states.
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References
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