How to Get Legally Married in South Dakota

Whether you’re looking for a chill, intimate wedding or a big ‘ole celebration, let’s talk about how to get legally married in South Dakota. We gotta thank our Mount Rushmore state for keeping this easy breezy, there’s only a few simple steps!

DO THE PAPERWORK

First up, get your marriage license from the Register of Deeds office in the county you live OR the county where you’ll get married. Find your exact office here! The steps you’ll follow are:

• Drop your info in the  Marriage License Application Worksheet.
• Pay $40. Note: Some offices accept only cash and traveler’s checks, so call ahead to make sure you come prepared with the right form of payment.
• Bring your I.D., either a driver’s license or a certified copy of a birth certificate. 
• While there is no waiting period to get your license, the marriage must take place within 20 days from the purchase of your license or the license becomes void.
• It’s always handy to grab one or two official copies of your certificate, you will need to provide it when changing your name and for other legal reasons. These are usually an additional cost, but that may depend on the Register of Deeds Office you visit, so bring extra cash.

FIND YOUR OFFICIANT

When choosing who will marry you, double check that he or she is legally authorized to officiate marriages in South Dakota. This could be a judge, a magistrate, or anyone authorized by a religious institution. If you haven’t found someone yet, I’m also ordained and can officiate a wedding from behind the camera. Photographer and officiant in one? *raises hand*

Aside from pronouncing you TOTALLY MARRIED, your officiant will need to return the license to the Register of Deeds within 10 days of the wedding. Make sure you touch base on that so that important paperwork doesn’t go astray.

CHANGING YOUR NAME?

If you decide to do a name swap, it’s super simple. HitchSwitch is a professional name change service that makes it all easy. If you’re going to DIY it, the first step is to get a new Social Security card with your new surname. After that, you can get your new driver’s license and passport. For detailed steps, start at the Social Security office and go from there!

Getting legally married in South Dakota is pretty simple when you get down to it. Aside from making sure you’re totally legit, you’ll need a photographer, too. Curious about how much photography costs? Pop over here for the full scoop.