Getting married is usually an extremely happy time in a couple’s life.
Deciding to make things official and get married so you can live the rest of your life together is a major decision.
Sometimes, there are obstacles to getting married, and if your husband-to-be is currently incarcerated, you might wonder how much it costs to marry someone in jail if you don’t want to wait until he’s released.
The costs involved in marrying someone in jail will depend on many different variables, such as whether or not you will be hiring your own officiant as well as how much money you will spend on your hair, dress, etc.
You shouldn’t forget the cost of the marriage license itself, as this is essential in order for your marriage to be legal.
Here is an overview of the costs involved in marrying an inmate as well as some other useful information that can help you to make a definitive decision about marrying your sweetheart while he’s incarcerated.
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Do all jails allow inmates to marry?
Every jail or prison has different rules, and not all jails allow inmates to marry while incarcerated.
However, a good number of jails do allow inmates to marry because of the benefits.
It has been proven to be beneficial for inmates to have a major source of support. Inmates who are married usually have an increased chance of successfully reintegrating into society once they’re released.
If a woman marries her man while he’s incarcerated, can they consummate the marriage after the ceremony?
This will completely depend on the specific state that your fiancé is jailed in.
In the 1990s, there were more than 20 states that allowed conjugal visits, but now only four do: Connecticut, California, New York, and Washington State.
If your sweetheart isn’t in prison in one of these states, the chances of having conjugal visits are quite bleak.
How is an officiant chosen to perform the ceremony in jail?
Many jails require that their own clergy or chaplain perform weddings, but if you desire to hire your own, the jail might provide you with a list of acceptable choices.
If the jail allows, you might be able to choose your own officiant that isn’t on the jail’s list, but that is rare.
If you don’t want to stress yourself out further while trying to plan your jailhouse wedding, then you may want to just allow the jail-appointed chaplain to perform the ceremony.
How can a woman remain close to her new spouse while he finishes his sentence?
It can be sad and traumatic to marry your sweetheart only to return home alone on your wedding night, and it’s likely even more traumatic for your new spouse.
However, there are ways to remain close while your spouse finishes his sentence. You can send love letters to each other; you can send your spouse pictures and jail-approved gifts, and you can call and visit as often as possible.
You likely won’t be able to able to have any physical contact during visits, even though you’re married, which can be especially difficult.
Is a marriage valid if it’s not consummated?
This will totally depend on the state in which you and your spouse marry, as some states require that in order for a marriage to be valid it must be consummated within a certain period of time.
However, the fact that your spouse is incarcerated is certainly an extenuating circumstance, and as long as you consummate the marriage immediately upon your spouse’s release, you will likely have nothing to worry about.
How do you plan a wedding in a jail?
Your first step will be to contact the prison warden and obtain permission to marry, and once permission is granted you will need to set a day and time according to the prison’s schedule.
You will be solely responsible for obtaining the marriage license since your fiancé obviously can’t help, but the cost should be between $4 and $115, depending on the type of marriage license you opt for.
Once you have the marriage license, you will simply dress as nicely as possible, while taking the prison dress code into consideration, and marry your sweetheart on your special day.
Why would a woman marry someone while they’re in jail?
There are many reasons why a woman would want to marry someone while they’re in jail.
Good people sometimes make bad decisions, which could cause them to be jailed.
Just because a person made a bad decision that caused them to end up in jail doesn’t mean they’re not worthy of love or a supportive spouse that they can lean on after their release.
Can a woman marrying an inmate invite guests to their wedding?
Every warden creates their own set of rules, and many will sometimes make exceptions in certain situations.
So, while some wardens may not allow guests at the jail wedding, they may allow it in your situation if you are able to obtain special permission.
Even if you aren’t allowed to invite your own guests, you likely will not have to worry about witnesses, because there are often other prisoners available who wouldn’t mind attending the ceremony.
Is it best to wait until a partner is released from jail to marry?
In some situations, it may not be best to wait until an incarcerated partner is released from jail in order to marry.
First of all, there may be a pregnancy, and the parents may want the child to be born into a marriage.
Another reason to get married while a partner is still incarcerated is to improve the incarcerated person’s chances of being paroled soon, because if the parole board sees that the inmate has the support of a spouse, then they may be more likely to approve the parole.
Can a prison wedding be romantic?
It would be truly difficult to have a romantic wedding in a prison, but if you and your partner love each other very much and you are both good at using your imaginations, you can “pretend” that you’re getting married at a beautiful, romantic location.
It shouldn’t matter where you get married, but how you feel about each other and how seriously you’re taking your vows.
Even if you’re unable to invite the guests that you would like to attend the wedding, it can still be a beautiful experience just knowing that you’ve married your sweetheart.
Will a couple marrying in jail be forced to have other inmates at their wedding?
This completely depends on the specific rules of the jail your partner is in.
If your partner has a good rapport with the warden, then the warden will be more likely to allow you to have a private room without prospective hardcore inmates attending your wedding.
Of course, your spouse-to-be may be friends with certain inmates and desire them to attend the ceremony, so just make sure you talk about who you want to be there ahead of time.
Can a woman and her new husband have a wedding cake at their prison wedding?
You might be pushing it if you expect to have a wedding cake at your prison wedding.
While the warden may be happy to accommodate your wedding, any outside foods and drinks are considered contraband, so you would definitely have to obtain special permission in advance to have a wedding cake.
However, you never know if the warden is feeling especially friendly, because they could approve the request.
What can a woman wear to her wedding if she’s marrying her man at the jail?
The woman will have to adhere to the jail’s guidelines when choosing a wedding dress.
She will have to ensure that the dress she chooses is appropriate and does not show cleavage, has sleeves, and isn’t too tight or short.
Choosing a dress in advance and obtaining approval from the warden before the big day is also a good idea, as you will know exactly what is approved.
Can an inmate wear special clothing at his or her wedding?
In most cases, an inmate will have to get married in their regular jail gear.
While it’s certainly not considered wedding attire, the two of you should, again, use your imaginations and imagine that he is wearing an attractive suit and tie.
If you want to receive special permission from the warden for something, then you may not want to ask them to make multiple exceptions, as they are likely not going to approve everything.
What are some benefits of getting married in a jail?
While most people can only think of the negative aspects of getting married in the jail where their soon-to-be spouse is incarcerated, there are some positive aspects you can focus on.
Despite the fact that a jail certainly isn’t a glamorous place to get married, at least it’s a free venue.
Another benefit of getting married in a jail is that you’re showing that you love your fiancé unconditionally as you declare your love for him or her in front of everyone in attendance.
Do some inmates really find wives through pen pal programs?
While many inmates ultimately end up marrying a woman that they knew prior to being incarcerated, there are special dating apps for inmates looking to date and eventually marry.
There are many women who, for whatever reason, are drawn to men who are behind bars. This is why such apps exist to bring prisoners and the women who love them together.
Are same-sex marriages allowed in all jails?
Unfortunately, same-sex marriages aren’t legal in many states, so if you happen to live in a state in which it isn’t legal, then there’s no way for same-sex couples to get married in or outside prison.
If, on the other hand, you live in a state where same-sex marriages are legal, you need to check with the jail officials to determine if they would be willing to perform a same-sex marriage.
Some wardens choose to deny same-sex couples the opportunity to marry while in jail and many will simply have to wait until they’re released.
If you are planning to marry your incarcerated fiancé when they’re still in jail, you likely won’t have many associated costs.
Of course, you will be responsible for applying for and paying the slight cost of the marriage license, but aside from that, everything else like flowers, your own chaplain, elaborate clothing, decorations, etc. is purely optional, if it’s even going to be approved by the jail.
Regardless of how much or how little you end up paying for your wedding, hopefully, your ceremony will be as nice as it can possibly be, regardless of where it is.
