Getting Married in Waco? Plan Around the 72-Hour Waiting Period

The marriage license comes from the McLennan County Clerk, the same office that keeps the county's deeds, liens, birth and death records, and, in a nice Texas touch, its cattle brands. Both people generally need to appear together with a valid photo ID, and the license is good across all of Texas, not just McLennan County, so where you say your vows doesn't have to match where you got the paperwork.

The detail that catches couples off guard is the 72-hour rule: Texas law makes you wait three full days after the license is issued before the ceremony, and the license expires if you don't use it within 90 days. Active-duty military and couples who complete a state-approved premarital education course can get that waiting period waived, which helps if your timeline is tight.

Need a certified copy years later — for a name change, a passport, Social Security? That's the same County Clerk's office, and you can usually request it by mail rather than driving downtown.