Planning your wedding should be exciting and fun—you don't want any unpleasant surprises. So, you should be careful to check (and double check) every detail before you make any concrete decisions. Before doing anything, though, you need to find out about the marriage regulations in the State of Iowa. Knowing these ahead of time can help you in your wedding planning.
Fortunately, it is actually rather simple to get a marriage license in Iowa. Neither you nor your intended spouse needs to be a state resident. Here is all that you will need to bring to get the license:
Applicants who are minors (age 16 or 17) will need to have parental consent before being allowed to apply for a marriage license.
Marriage licenses in the State of Iowa are valid for a period of six months. The cost varies from county to county; however, it is typically around $30.
There is a waiting period for getting married in Iowa. The waiting period is for three days—three business days, that is. Many people find this to be bothersome; however, if you are aware of this condition ahead of time you can plan for it and it will not be a problem.
A common law marriage is one in which a man and woman live together as if they are man and wife; however, they have never actually gone through a wedding ceremony and do not have a marriage license. The couple presents themselves as a married couple in all aspects. Many states do not recognize this type of marriage as lawful; but, the state of Iowa does—even for the purposes of filing income taxes, property tax exemptions, and other legalities.
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