I never pictured myself getting married online. But sometimes things happen differently than expected.

My here partner and I had been talking about marriage for a while, but with travel limitations, planning a traditional wedding felt like more stress than joy. We weren’t even sure when we’d be in the same place long enough to make it official.

One night, while browsing forums, I came across a post about virtual weddings. At first, I thought it was a joke, but the more I looked into it, the more legit it seemed.

Turns out, in places like Utah, you can legally marry completely online — no courthouse visit required. It's recognized in all 50 states.

We decided to go for it. Why wait?

Here’s what the process looked like for us:

• We booked a time with a licensed officiant through an official virtual marriage site.
• We uploaded our IDs, completed a few online forms, and got our electronic marriage license without hassle.
• On our wedding day, we kept it casual but meaningful, sent the Zoom link to our closest loved ones, and said our vows live on camera.

By the end of the call, we were legally joined. We toasted over FaceTime, smiled at each other through the screen, and let it all sink in. It was real — even from hundreds of miles away.

Honestly? It was one of the most authentic experiences we could’ve asked for. No overpriced venue. No awkward seating charts. Just us, the copyright we meant, and a handful of people who love us cheering from their screens.

If you’re exploring wedding options, I highly recommend looking into online marriage. It's fully legitimate — especially if you're in the military.

You don’t have to wait for a perfect moment or a perfect venue. You just need someone you love, a decent Wi-Fi signal, and a little bit of paperwork.

Modern love looks different, and honestly? That’s kind of amazing.

Whether you're across the street or across the ocean, you can make it official — and make it yours.