I never pictured myself getting married virtually. But life has a funny way of working out.

My future spouse and I had been talking about marriage for months, but with different time zones, planning a traditional wedding felt overwhelming. We weren’t even sure when we’d be read more in the same place long enough to make it official.

One night, while browsing forums, I came across a post about getting married online. At first, I thought it was some kind of scam, but the more I looked into it, the more legit it seemed.

Turns out, in places like Utah, you can get officially hitched completely online — no need to be in the same location. It's fully legal in the U.S..

We decided to go for it. Why wait?

Here’s what the process looked like for us:

• We secured a time with a licensed officiant through an approved platform.
• We uploaded our IDs, completed a few online forms, and got our virtual marriage license approved quickly.
• On our wedding day, we dressed up from the waist up, sent the Zoom link to our closest friends and family, and said our vows live on camera.

Before we knew it, we were husband and wife. We toasted over video chat, smiled at each other through the screen, and let it all sink in. It was emotional — even from hundreds of miles away.

Honestly? It was one of the most intimate 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 trying to simplify your wedding plans, I highly recommend looking into online marriage. It's easier than you’d think — 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.

Marriage is evolving, 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.