Learn Where a Tennessee Marriage Certificate Is Filed

The modern day US state of Tennessee has a long history – the first people to have lived here were the Paleo-Indians who existed more than 12,000 years back. Since then, this has always been a favored place for thousands of other settlers.

In recent years however, since 2000, there has been a kind of population boom here. According to the census that was carried out in 2008, Tennessee now has 6,214,888 residents, and this is an increase of 9.5% since 2000. This makes the state the 14th fastest growing in the country and the 17th in terms of population in the US.

Though the marriage records and the records of other vital statistics have been maintained here for many years now, this recent surge in the population naturally means that the database has been increasing quite rapidly as of late. This is luckily not a problem though, as you can legally ask for the records that you want and the state and county authorities are also willing to provide you what you need.

Legal Implications Of Asking for Your Marriage Certificate In the State of Tennessee

According to the US laws, the state and the county authorities are legally bound to maintain and update these records, and are legally bound to share the information with you. This means there are no legal implications when you are requesting for the records.

Truthfully, the document that you will get is not something that is frightfully important for personal security or otherwise, so there is no reason why they should be kept from you. You will need to provide your reasons as to why the authorities should share this with you when making your request. This is not an unnatural demand since the information is of a private nature as it concerns the marriage of two individuals.

So if you can provide a valid reason, and also know where to forward your request and how to make the application, you will surely receive the TN marriage cetificate that you want.

Why You May Need a Copy of the Marriage Certificate

Marriage records are a great help in carrying out genealogy researches, which give you the clue to the past of your extended family. This can actually be the primary information source, particularly when you are trying to make your family tree. Perhaps you are trying to locate a long-lost great-grandfather, uncle or aunt. The marriage record can help you in Tennessee when you know that the person came here, settled down and got married.

Marriage records are also often wanted by all those who are getting married themselves and just want to check the background of the would-be spouse. Or, perhaps your child is getting married and as a parent you are concerned. Marriage certificates can always help you here.

Know What You Can Expect In Your Tennessee Marriage Certificate

On a marriage record, the least you can expect to find are the bride's and groom's full names, the date of the marriage, and the county where the marriage took place.

Many records will also include items of information such as the names and birthplaces of the bride's and groom's parents, the addresses of the bride and groom, evidence of previous marriages, and the names of the marriage witnesses and the person officiating at the ceremony.

Depending on individual choice, you may also find identification by religion and denomination.

How to Place an Effective Request for a Marriage Record

Do remember that your application needs to be brief and topical. It is always advisable not to make more than two requests in one letter. Otherwise, it may simply bounce back and forth between departments, causing avoidable delay.

You will also have to ensure that you are submitting all possible data about the marriage when you are sending your request. If a person goes by more than one name, mention all of them, including the nicknames and alternate spellings. Be accurate about the marriage date. If unsure, specify a time span for searching. Keep it narrow, though – the wider the search, the more it will cost you.

Never pay in advance, unless you know for sure how much the document/s will cost – but this is a difficult proposition in most cases. The fact is, pure guesswork could leave you out of pocket. Consider sending a signed blank check: with "Not to exceed $__.00" (the maximum likely amount) written preferably in red ink, under the check's "$____" line.

It is probably best that you write two letters. In the first letter you will need to state your requirements, provide all relevant information and ask about the charges payable. The second letter should carry your check.

Always remember to enclose a stamped and self-addressed envelope with your application.

For good measure, be gracious to the state or county office: it’s under-staffed, and genealogical research is not really part of their job!

Remember These Basic Details:

•    Your date of request
•    Husband’s full name (the last name in capital letters for double surety) and wife’s full maiden name (last name in capital letters)
•    The marriage date
•    Place of marriage (city or town, county, state)
•    Relationship to you
•    Purpose of the request
•    Your name, signature & address
•    Your driver's license number & state may be required in some counties

Where Do You Request Your Tennessee Marriage Record?

In the State of Tennessee, the statewide registration of all vital statistics began in 1914. It must however be conceded here that in the early years not all records were accurately recorded. This started to be done only from the 1920s onward.

That being said, it also needs to be mentioned here that in many cases the records were maintained even from earlier times (in most cases these records are not complete though). For example, in some counties, the recordkeeping goes as far back as 1778.

To request records from marriages occurring since 1945, you will need to send a request to:

Tennessee Vital Records
Central Services Bldg. 1st Floor
421 Fifth Ave. North
Nashville, TN 37247-0450

For all records dating prior to this, you will need to approach the clerk of the county where your event took place.

What Fees Must You Pay?

Yes, the state and the county authorities are legally obliged to send you a copy when you ask for your Tennessee marriage certificate, but there is a fee involved in this. When you place a request for a marriage that took place within the last 50 years, the fees involved are $15.00.

In case you need a copy from a marriage that took place earlier, you should be prepared to pay extra. They will charge this added amount because the authorities have to conduct a wider search.

Request Your Marriage Records Online

Are you aware of the fact that you can now apply for the marriage records that you need through the Internet? Now you may want to know why so many people are requesting marriage certificates through the Web. The main reason for this is convenience. When you are applying online, there is no need to write the letter and depend on the postal system to carry it to the office.

Applying through the Internet also saves you a lot of time. You can apply quickly, get the application processed quicker, and receive the reply with the marriage record faster. It is thus not surprising that so many people are now using the Internet to place their requests.