I never pictured myself getting married through a screen. But sometimes things happen differently than expected.

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

One night, while scrolling Reddit, I came across a post about legal Zoom ceremonies. 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 have a valid marriage completely online — no courthouse visit required. 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 scheduled a time with a licensed officiant through an online marriage service.
• We uploaded our IDs, completed a few online forms, and got our virtual 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.

Before we knew it, we were husband and wife. We toasted over Zoom, smiled at each other through the screen, and let it all sink in. It was beautiful — 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 looking for a way to get married without the drama, I highly recommend looking into online marriage. It's an option emergency wedding more people should consider — especially if you're working with immigration timelines.

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.