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Remember when the Champagnes accidentally went to the jail for their marriage license? Well if they’d been marrying in Grand Forks, they’d have been in the right place.
When I was writing my Bee Budgets post, I decided to call the Grand Forks County Courthouse to ask about any fees for having a ceremony there. I looked up the marriage license information online and called the “For More Information” number.
The gal on the line told me that the courthouse “doesn’t marry people. You marry at the jail.”
Okay… wow.
[source]
I resisted the urge to hang up and cry, and wrote down the number for the jail.
The gal on the other hand was all business. She told me that Grand Forks only does weddings on Mondays at 10 AM. If two people want to get married the same Monday, the second couple can show up and wait, and if the first ceremony takes less than 15 minutes the second couple may also marry that day. Otherwise, that second couple has to wait until the next Monday at 10. Our wedding date, which my parents are flying in to attend, is not a Monday.
It hadn’t even occurred to me that the county seat of a city of 50,000 (but a regional/local population of around 100,000) would only do one day a week, one wedding a week. Wow. She said there are no exceptions.
Okay. So I guess Grand Forks is out. I’ve made a list of every county seat within reasonable driving distance, though. I guess it’s time to make some calls and visits. I am trying to be hopeful, even though Grand Forks was the largest of all of the cities on the list.
On the plus side, my parents haven’t booked their tickets yet. So if we must change our date, then we can. I really like our date and don’t want to change it, but if we must, we can without losing any money. I don’t know if our photographer could shoot us on a different date (nor do I know how much we’ll have to pay her to travel to us since she is local to Grand Forks), but we will cross those bridges when we come to them. We WILL get married! Of this I am sure.
Have you experienced any major snafus with your ceremony location? How did you resolve or overcome them?
Um, have you thought about contacting a magistrate? In many states they can marry people at any time or place as long as they have gotten the appropriate license. Have you fully checked into your state laws?
I’m not exactly sure what the deal is here in New Jersey with courthouse weddings, but, as a wedding officiant, I did a lot of quick weddings in backyards and even in the conference room of my apartment complex for couples who wanted to have a courthouse wedding, but didn’t want to get on the wait list to actually get married in the court [Especially those who needed to get married for insurance or legal reasons, and needed it done ASAP!]. I think you’re probably looking into it early enough that you can avoid that kind of issue, AND get on a wait list, if there is one. But good luck! It’s not something that is often thought about, I think, but is something that I know a lot of people end up having issues with…
Wedding Poodle - that was exactly what I was thinking! I’m getting married by a District Judge. I know in PA, there is a whole list of people who can legally marry you, and it doesn’t need to be in any specific location.
P.S. I think Weddingbee should start a petition to inform Grand Forks how a$$ backwards their courthouse/wedding procedures are 
Oh no! Well, at least you have some time. Good luck!
@Wedding Poodle, Gilneas, pvaulter718: it was something we considered, but the issue is that we WANT to be married at the courthouse. I don’t think it’s an issue of a wait-list here anyway - it’s an issue of lack of interest. (I think the mindset is: Why offer civil weddings all the time if no one wants them?)
Venues seem to always be complicated no matter what! I’m so sorry it’s such a pain! On the other hand, maybe you can find an even more adorable courthouse to marry in! Hang in there!
We had to change our rehearsal dinner venue. The one we wanted suddenly became unavailable!! But I’m hoping we’ll like the new one just as much. It is SO stressful changing plans like that, I hope it all works out for you!
Whew thank gorsh you called this far ahead of time! This seems utterly bizarre to me… Good luck on your new venue hunt! There are some spectacular city halls here in Nor. Cal, I’m sure you’ll find something with a stunning backdrop!
Papoose is actually quite well known in the hip hop world. I soooo hope that they weren’t really registered for firearms. LoL!
Hang in there, Mary Jane. Everything happens for a reason. There must be some wonderous venue out there for you that you just haven’t come across yet.
Whoa. I hope you find something that will work perfectly for your needs!
Try calling around to some local judges. (Do you know anyone who works w/ the court or the judges?) When I worked as a law clerk our judges would marry people (friends or friends of friends) for nada during free times and in the (usually lovely) court rooms.
Good luck to you guys, but seriously, you could even call judges and see if someone has a soft heart for weddings. Be nice to the secretaries, they’re the way in! Good luck!
I’m so sorry Miss MJ! Maybe you could call up individual judges, magistrates, and justices of the peace to see if they would be willing to marry you in chambers. I just looked it up and there is a cute federal courthouse in Grand Forks. I worked for a federal judge who would marry people at their request.
Why is that picture needed to tell your story? Nothing personal, it was the same question I had when Ms. Champagne used the Kobe Bryant picture to tell her story. I just don’t see that the pictures add anything in either case.
The Jail?!? That is so nuts to me! Miss MJ, I’m so sorry 
I hope it wall works out and you find an ever better location
For some reason I didn’t realize you were in North Dakota until today! I’m from ND! My parents got married at the court house in Fessenden but I looked it up and it’s a really long drive from Grand Forks (156 miles! so about 2 hours and 45 mins ). But it’s a pretty court house. I wish I knew the area better but I haven’t been in years and my Grandparents live in the tiniest town so it’s a long drive to everywhere so we don’t get to go to many cool places.
Good luck though and I hope you find somewhere fantastic!
Funny pic. Um yeah, ew-don’t get married @ the jail even though it’d be a hoot of a story later. You’ll find something, & you’re right-you’ll get married no matter what!
Wow… I think you take the cake for the most bizarre wrench thrown into your plans! So happy you called and discovered this now! Good luck!
ditto marilyn. The use of these photos makes me uncomfortable. I love wedding bee, and don’t like repeatedly seeing negative images of African Americans (even in ironic jest).
could you get married in MN? What about crookston?
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Mrs. Mary Jane, Grand Forks, ND Age and Occupation: 26, Instructional Designer Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lead Programmer Engagement Date: February 28, 2009 Wedding Date: September 2009 Venue: City Hall About Me: I'm a career woman on the surface and a homemaker at heart. I love fast cars and high heels, and my favorite food is cake. Mr. Mary Jane and I are both full-time employees and students, and we just bought our first house. We love to curl up on the couch with buttery popcorn, Sour Patch Kids, and the latest Netflix arrival -- whenever we can get a break from everyday life.
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