If I use a Wedding Officiant, can the officiant go and pick up our Marriage License?  

This question comes up often, and legally the answer is "NO".  Both parties who intend to marry must be present at the County Clerk's office to file the application for and be issued a marriage license.  

Additionally, both of you will need to present a valid authentic legal photo identification card containing photograph, full legal name, date of birth, date of issue, and date of expiration (Examples: passport, driver's license, military I.D. naturalization certificate, resident alien card). If your legal picture I.D. card does not contain your full legal name you must also present a certified copy of birth certificate or social security card, showing your full legal name.

Note: Original identity documents in a foreign language must be translated into English by a Court certified translator or American Translators Association (ATA) certified translator and must be presented along with the translation.

If you have been married previously or in a State Registered Domestic Partnership, please check with your local County Clerk website for additional information/documents that are/may be required.

How does a Civil Marriage Ceremony differ from a traditional one?  Most civil ceremonies do not include Christian traditions like communion or Jewish traditions like the seven blessings.  In California, civil ceremonies may be performed by:

• Priests, ministers, rabbis, and authorized persons of any religious denomination
• Commissioners of civil marriages
• Legislators or constitutional officers of this state, while holding office
• Members of Congress who represent a district within this state, while holding office
• County supervisors, while holding office
• Mayors of a city elected in accordance with Government Code §34900 et seq., while holding office
• Judges (except State Bar court judges, judges from other state court systems, judges pro tem, and Federal Administrative Law Judges)

Note: Ships’ captains have no authority to solemnize California marriages unless they fall into one of the categories listed above.

The components of a civil ceremony include the same basic structure as a religious one: 

• procession
• call to order/opening remarks
• vows
• ring exchange 
• pronouncement ("I now pronounce you husband and wife")
• kiss
• closing remarks
• recession
  

Depending on your officiant, other elements may be included.  If you are a couple that would prefer to include some cultural religious traditions, you may want to consider an interfaith ceremony instead.