Online, virtual or proxy marriage?

Start with what actually happens

The name alone does not tell the whole story

People use “online wedding” and “virtual marriage” in different ways. One service may mean a live legal ceremony. Someone else may mean streaming a celebration for relatives. A proxy marriage may involve a person standing in for a partner, while immigration rules can use the term more broadly.

Rather than relying on the label, ask how the license, participation, officiant and filing work. You should be able to understand what you will do before, during and after the ceremony.

Physical location matters more than the video platform

Using Zoom does not, by itself, make a wedding legal. A valid process also needs the appropriate license, an authorized officiant, required witnesses, the partners’ participation and the completed filing.

Your circumstances can also affect what happens after the wedding. A receiving country, immigration agency or other office may evaluate a remote marriage under its own rules.

If U.S. immigration is part of your plans

For U.S. spousal immigration purposes, partners who were not physically together at the ceremony generally must consummate the marriage afterward. Both attending live by video does not remove that requirement. Get advice about your particular application before choosing a ceremony or filing date.

If you need documents for another country

Find out which documents the receiving office wants. An apostille authenticates a document, but it does not guarantee recognition of the marriage. The ceremony type and your circumstances can still matter.