Getting Married in Tennessee: Your Marriage License & Name Change

This blog post is the ultimate guide to getting your marriage license in Tennessee and how to change your name.

Here’s everything that you need to know about getting your marriage license in Tennessee.

Getting a Marriage License in Tennessee

You’re probably having so much fun planning on getting married in Tennessee, like finding the perfect wedding venue, but don’t forget an essential step in making it official: getting a marriage license.

We’ve included all the details below to make sure that getting your marriage license is stress-free.

All that fun paperwork for your Tennessee marriage license

To get started with all that paperwork for a marriage license in Tennessee, both partners must go into their county clerk’s office themselves.

Find out if it is one closest to where you live or work so no time will be wasted getting there.

Save time – do it online

You can complete the online marriage license Pre-Application before going to your County Clerk Office! It will automatically forward this application, and you’ll save yourself a lot of time once you get to the County Clerk office.

Get premarital counseling to save money on your marriage license.

A marriage license fee is required to get a Tennessee marriage license. But if you take a premarital preparation course with an approved professional within one year of when you marry and provide the county clerk with proof afterward, then they may give discounts off their marriage license fees.

Bring proof with you.

After completing the premarital preparation course, it’s best that both parties bring along a certificate showing completion to be given back at the time of application for a marriage license by the County Clerk’s Office.

Bring your ID.

You’ll need to provide one form of ID to the county clerk. A few different options include a valid driver’s license, passport or original certified birth certificate, and social security card.

Can you get married the same day you get your marriage license in Tennessee?

Yes! There’s no waiting period to receive your marriage license, and you can get hitched as soon as you’ve received it from the county clerk.

Speaking of, are you looking at wedding venues? You’ll want to check out Legacy Farms.

Couples love our:

– all-inclusive packages & pricing

– on-site catering

– multiple indoor and outdoor ceremony/reception locations

– overnight accommodations

– getting ready suites

– wedding planner & coordinator

– thousands of decor items

Back to the marriage licenses details! So yes, there is no waiting period. The only catch is that the Tennessee marriage license is valid for 30 days, so make sure everything aligns like clockwork before moving forward with the process of getting legally wed.

Do you need a witness to get married in Tennessee?

No witnesses are required, but if you’d like one witness to sign the marriage license, then there may be an extra fee per copy of your certificate.

Who can legally marry a couple in Tennessee?

How do you make sure to legally solemnize your marriage? Have an official at your ceremony!  The following officials can legally perform a wedding ceremony: Minister, Rabbi, and Priests.

Additionally, you can also have a Mayor or Judge (depending on location), County Clerk in Tennessee Governor’s Office Court Commissioner, or you could ask particular members of the legislature if necessary.

A quick note for religious couples

A minister can help you recite and exchange vows in a way that reflects the beliefs of both individuals involved.

The wedding couple must choose an officiant who shares their religious views or traditions if they have any specific requirements regarding how they want their nuptials conducted.

Be careful about ministers outside of your denomination.

For example, some couples might prefer someone ordained by another religion, such as Catholic, Jewish, etc. Be aware, however, that there are strict guidelines on ministers conducting weddings outside of their denomination, so be careful about choosing one from too far out of reach!

100% legit –

Congratulations! Your marriage license is valid, you made it through the ceremony, and now you’re finally married.

Once your officiant signs the certificate of marriage, they’ll file it with their county clerk’s office, so you’re 100% legit.

#newnamewhodis? – How to Change Your Name in Tennessee

Many people don’t realize that if you change your last name after getting married, the first step is to apply for a new Social Security number and card with your old and new names.

To do this, go into any US office or call up their 800 number (1-800-772-1213) and ask for an Application for a Social Security Card – Form SS -5. You can also obtain this form online.

Proof of identity

You’ll need copies of both certificates; one shows proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or citizenship papers from when registering in school, and a government issues photo identification

Having both on hand will make sure it matches the social security application form you’re submitting all these documents.

Next steps

Once you get your shiny new Social Security number and card, make sure to update the rest of your important documents and accounts with it!

You can also go ahead and apply for a driver’s license with the updated social security card and a copy of your Tennessee marriage license.

Here are the Tenneessee marriage rates and average wedding costs. 

You may be curious about the average costs of a Tennessee wedding. Please look at these numbers we compiled from The Knot Real Weddings Study to see what you can expect!

Overall expenses: 20,000 – 30,000

Event Planner: 1,500 – 2,000

Average cost per guest: 30-40

Venue: 11,000 – 15,000

Photographer: 2,000 – 3,000

Flowers & Decor: 2,000 – 2,500

Wedding Cake: 600 – 1,000

Wedding Gown: 1,000 – 1,500

Music/DJ: 500 – 1,000

Psssst…most of these costs are included at Legacy Farms!

As a bride-to-be, you may be tempted to book your venue and start tasting cakes before creating a wedding budget. But don’t make any unnecessary decisions until you’ve completed the perfect plan!

Our free tool can help calculate how much of your budget should go towards each category so that everything will fit into place beautifully without overspending on anything.

Are common law marriages recognized in Tennessee?

Tennessee is not a common law marriage state. It is against Tennessee law and is one of the few states that has does not recognize common law marriages.

Tennessee Marriage Stats

Tennessee is a popular state for weddings! Do you know what that means? More chances of being invited to another wedding! 8.4 per 1,000 people get married each year in Tennessee, which is higher than the national average.

Tennessee wedding couples can expect to spend around 18,000 – 50,000 on their big day without including engagement rings or honeymoons.

Planning a wedding sounds like the ultimate fairy tale, but with some time and patience, you can make your day as perfect as Cinderella’s. Here are our tips for picking out items that will let you plan an average Tennessee Wedding on any budget:

Find vendors in your area by searching online or asking friends who have recently had a big event. There’s no need to spend hours going through websites looking at every possible vendor when someone close might be able to give great recommendations!

Check prices of packages from various sites and ask about what they include (the more options offered usually means higher price). Be wary if there is nothing mentioned about services such as photography—you want quality photos, so don’t sign a contract without checking into it.

If you’d like to check our packages, please click here: https://legacyfarmstn.com/weddings/.