Buck Field Inn

When researching free marriage or wedding records for family history purposes, most people look for licenses but may not know of or think of another source of information, the marriage register. When the marriage ceremony was complete, a clerk would often record the license in a book called a register. This would usually include the bride and groom’s names, the person who performed the marriage, and the date and place of marriage. There may be more information available on a license but the important thing to remember is that a license is not proof of a marriage since many couples applied for a license but didn’t follow through. The register record was made only on completion of the ceremony.