This adorable cat acts as a witness and signs her parents’ marriage certificate in Colorado. Let’s take a closer look and find out how your furry friend can play an active part in your wedding-pawty!
Your wedding day is one of the most special days in your life, filled with love, joy, and cherished memories. Our pets hold a significant place in our hearts and families, so it’s only natural for them to be a part of our wedding celebrations. In fact, for me personally, my pet ranks way higher on my guest list than some family members.
Thanks to a new self-solemnizing marriage law, our pets can now play a much more significant role than just being ring bearers or flower girls! This self-solemnizing marriage law allows couples to get married without a third-party officiant or witness.
Join us as we take a closer look at the cutest witness ever, Momo the cat, and walk you through the steps if you’d also like to involve your four-legged bestie at your wedding!
Key Points
- Colorado (and many other states) has a self-solemnizing marriage law that allows pets to act as witnesses in wedding ceremonies.
- Momo, the cat, acts as witness at her parents’ wedding and signs their marriage certificate with her paw-print.
- Couples can involve their furry family members as witnesses to personalize their special day.
- Steps to make your pet a witness include getting a marriage license, checking local regulations, and choosing a pet-friendly location.
- Couples can use their pet’s pawprint or nose-print as a signature on the marriage license.
- The trend of involving pets as witnesses has gained popularity and viral attention. Usually, cats and dogs are the most common animals that act as witnesses.
How Come It’s Legal?
Pets often form part of wedding parties in many different ways. They typically act as ring bearers, flower-girls, or feature in engagement photo shoots. However, this can be taken to a whole new level – your cat or dog (or any other pet for that matter) can now act as a witness at your wedding.
In Colorado, along with several other states, couples have the advantage of being able to involve their pets in their wedding ceremony. They can include them in their wedding paw-ty by having them act as witnesses, thanks to a self-solemnizing marriage law. This law allows couples to get married without having a third-party officiant or witness. The marriage is still legal and recognized throughout the United States.
The absence of a required witness signature on the marriage license provides couples with the freedom to involve their furry family members on their special day. Your dog, for instance, can act as a witness at your elopement or wedding. By having their furry family member participate, couples can add a touch of personalization to their special day.
Steps To Take If You Want to Put a Ring On It
To make your marriage official with your pet as a witness, the process is relatively straightforward. Here’s all the steps you need to take to have a purr-fect wedding:
#1 Get a Marriage License
Firstly, you will need to apply for a marriage license. You can obtain one from your local county clerk’s office for a small fee of $30. Once you have the license, you must ensure that you complete it accurately completed and return it to the clerk’s office within 35 days.
#2 Double-check the Rules of Your Municipality
The self-solemnizing marriage law applies statewide. However, it is important to note that different municipalities within Colorado may have their own specific regulations or requirements. Therefore, it is really important to double-check with your county clerk’s office when applying for the marriage license to ensure compliance with any additional local rules.
#3 Choose a Pet-Friendly Location
Although this might seem like an obvious point, it might be forgotten about in the crazy whirlwind of all the other wedding preparations. If you get hitched at home, like the couple featured in the video, this of course won’t be a problem. But, if you’re tying the knot in a national park or another outside space, make sure to check whether it’s pet-friendly or not! Nothing will cast a shadow over your wedding-joy like the guest of honor (and your best friend) being kicked out of the venue.
#4 Bring an Ink Pad
Unless you have a highly-trained pet that has mastered the art of writing you cannot forget to bring an inkpad. The most common way that couples get their four-legged best friend to “sign” is by putting their pawprint on the marriage license. You could even use their nose-print (although this might not be as appreciated by the pet in question.) On the same note, bringing a kleenex might be advisable to avoid any pawprint making it onto the white wedding dress.
A Tail and Two Hearts: Cat Acts As Witness at Wedding In Colorado
A TikToker’s wedding took the internet by storm as they found a unique way to make their union official with the help of their cat. The viral video, posted by Manda Moeck Terry, showcased the couple dressed in wedding attire, holding their feline friend.
In the video, the couple applies ink to their cat’s paw and gently presses it against a piece of paper on the table. The video then zooms in on the marriage license, displaying the cat’s adorable paw print signature at the bottom. A caption declared the cat to be the “pawwfect witness,” followed by the hashtag #wedding-pawty (the pun-possibilities are endless and almost as cute as this trend.)
Terry explained in the caption that they decided to have their cat, named Momo, as the witness because they had misplaced the original wedding certificate paperwork. The video quickly went viral, accumulating over 4.2 million views and 3,900 comments from people fascinated by the concept and the endearing ceremony. Some viewers are even joking about getting divorced and remarrying in Colorado (or any other state where pet-witnesses are legal) with their own cat as a witness.
Is It Just Cats and Dogs?
While dogs and cats are the most common choices, other animals can also play this special role.
For example, if you have a well-trained parrot, it could be perched nearby, adding a unique touch to the ceremony. A loyal horse could stand as a majestic witness, symbolizing strength and grace. Some couples have even opted for more unconventional choices, such as a pet rabbit, a friendly goat, or a charismatic guinea pig.
Ultimately, the choice of animal witness depends on a bunch of different factors. You must consider your personal preferences, the temperament of the animal, and its ability to handle the environment and crowds.
Where Is It Legal?
Unfortunately, not all states allow your pet to act as a witness at your wedding. Also, as previously stated, although it’s legal in these states, some municipalities have different rules and regulations.
States Where Pets Can Act as Witness
Your pet can act as a witness in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
States Where Pets Can Officiate
Your pet can officiate your wedding in the following states: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C.
Cat Acts As Witness: Wrapping Up
Your wedding is already one of the most special days of your life. Thanks to the new self-solemnizing marriage law, it can become even more extraordinary by involving your beloved pet as a witness. After all, dogs are man’s best friend, so it only makes sense for them to be your best man too!
Manda Moeck Terry’s viral TikTok video has opened people’s eyes to this delightful new way of including pets in the wedding party. The video showcased the couple’s cat which acts as a witness and uses her pawprint as a signature on the marriage license.
While dogs and cats are popular choices, other animals can also play this special role, depending on their temperament and suitability. Either way, celebrating your union with the presence of your faithful companion will make your wedding day even more memorable and full of love!
Thank you for reading this article about a cat that acts as a witness at her parents’ wedding! If you enjoyed this read, you should also take a look at these posts:
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