I never pictured myself getting married virtually. But sometimes things happen differently than expected.

My significant other and I had been talking about marriage for some time, but with travel limitations, planning a traditional wedding felt like check here more stress than joy. We weren’t even sure when we’d be in the same place long enough to make it official.

One night, while reading wedding blogs, 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 legally marry completely online — even if you're in different countries. It's recognized in all 50 states.

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 approved quickly.
• On our wedding day, we wore something nice for the webcam, sent the Zoom link to our closest friends and family, and said our vows live on camera.

Before we knew it, we were officially married. We toasted over FaceTime, 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 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 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.

No matter the distance, you can make it official — and make it yours.