Getting Married In Montana? Don’t Even Attend. Legally
Did you know in the state of Montana legally you don't even need to attend your own wedding? What a time to be alive.
It's totally true. In Montana, we have a "wedding by proxy" law, which basically states you can have a "stand-in" attend your wedding for you. I hate weddings (unless it's an open bar, dude), and even if some gal was loco enough to marry me, I probably wouldn't want to attend my own wedding. So what's the deal here you ask?
Well, there are a few reasons this law exists. One huge demographic that takes advantage of the proxy wedding is enlisted military personnel. Let's say you have a date planned for the summer, and then you get deployed. Well, even half a world away you can still follow through as long as you have someone stand in for you.
There are even "Double Proxy Marriages" where both parties tying the knot can have a stand-in. Imagine two complete strangers getting married on behalf of someone else. Bro, Twilite zone, am I right? Some rules are required for a double proxy marriage, however. First, at least one person has to be a Montana resident or enlisted in the Military. Both parties have to authorize a proxy stand-in, and someone must legally purchase the license.
Proxy marriages have turned into big business in Montana, especially around flathead lake where tourism is booming. According to theamm.org, in 2020 Flathead county did around 4,200 proxy marriages.
These marriages are totally legal and valid in every U.S state, except Iowa. (Hey, Iowa...wtf?)
Now would be the perfect time to text your 34-year-old cousin living in your basement to tell him he can totally marry his "online girlfriend" without even pausing his game. Who knows maybe he'll finally move out.