How can people have a legal marriage without a wedding and minister?

In Colorado you can solemnize your own marriage -- you do not need an officiant other than yourself and your spouse. If you wish to solemnize your own marriage, you will be responsible for acquiring, completing and returning the license to marry to the appropriate county Office of the Clerk and Recorder. The ceremony that you and your spouse do to get married, however, will still be a ';wedding'; -- since that is what ';wedding'; means: getting married.





You do not need to be a resident of Colorado to get married in Colorado. Just plan a ';destination wedding'; in Colorado.How can people have a legal marriage without a wedding and minister?
You can't.





You don't need a ';minister'; ....you can have a judge or other ';wedding officiant'; do the ceremony, but in order for it to be LEGAL, you need to have an ';officiant'; that is a ';recognized legal officiant'; for your state. In most states that includes: ministers (priest/pastor/rabbi); judges; justice of the peace; mayors (in some states); court magistrates (in some states.)





You don't need a big blowout wedding, but, YES, the exchange of vows IS considered a wedding and the person ';legalizing'; the ceremony/marriage needs to be a legal officiant in your state.How can people have a legal marriage without a wedding and minister?
There is no such thing as a legal marriage without a wedding. The wedding is the ceremony (and the reception following). You don't have to have a minister but you need someone who is legally capable of performing the ceremony. Where are you located that there is no city hall or courthouse nearby? Some states allow notary publics to perform the ceremony. You can try http://mywedding.com , http://weddingwire.com or http://projectwedding.com and see if there is anyone in your state willing to travel to wherever you are. You may have to pay a bit extra but you can't possibly be the only person in your city/county who is looking for or has had a non-religious ceremony.
Are you asking about a civil ceremony at the court house? Or are you inquiring the validity of said marriage?





The point is, not everyone can afford to feed a neighborhood of people or even know a neighborhood of people to throw a wedding for.





Marriage isn't based on money; marriage is based on committment.
You can't.





You must have some sort of ceremony - it can be civil or religious - but you must have some sort of ceremony.





There are some states - such as Virginia - which don't require witnesses so it could be just the couple and the justice of the peace/judge. But there is no way to get married legally with only the 2 people who want to get married.
If you want the civil goverment to recognize a marriage, you must conform to civil government's requirements. This is what ';legal'; means.
All you need is a marriage license, an officiant and 2 witnesses.
Get a civil wedding at your town's courthouse
common law...check the laws in your state

bourjois