Can I Perform My Own Marriage

[bugman]

I Am A Minister In South Carolina, Can I Perform My Own Marriage, If I Have A Witness.

[cyjeff]

No.

You cannot sign a marriage certificate in two places.... the groom and the officiating officer.

Why would you want to do your own ceremony?

[panther10758]

If you can lawfully marry couples why is it your unaware of your own states laws regarding this?

[bugman]

Just To Say Our Own Words. Another Questions, Is The Marriage Legal At The Signing Of The Paperwork Or When It Is Return To The Judge Office, It Will Be Sign By A Legal Person (NOTARY) At The Marriage.

[bugman]

I Can Married But Never Have

[4eyedbuzzard]

I think the legal problem lies in administering one's own vows/oath. It would be akin to swearing oneself in. You can't be both a presiding official and a subject party at the same time. I don't know if there is actually a statute prohibiting it(as someone empowered to perform marriages you should know this), but it's so far from reasonable or customary practice that I think legitimate challenges can be made.

There is this neat little article (from 1879) though... http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstrac...B1668382669FDE

[cyjeff]

Agreed.

You can't give yourself an oath.

There is more to this story. Why would an ordained minister perform only one marriage ceremony, and that ceremony is upon himself? And then wonder the order when the ceremony becomes official.

There is something wacky here.

Given my high level detective skills, I am guessing that the OP's bride isn't legal to marry yet and they are trying to find a way around the system.

Just a thought, though.

[4eyedbuzzard]

They MUST have a marriage license: http://www.scstatehouse.net/code/t20c001.htm