From the proposal to married life,every checkpoint of marrying in the US.

Foreigners and non-residents can marry in the US too. Each state's law sets the waiting period and how long a license is valid; the county sets the fee, booking and ID requirements, so start with the official site of the county where the ceremony will be.

WhoThe County Clerk or Recorder (in a few places, the city, town or state)

You both go to the county together with original photo ID. Many counties won't see you without an appointment, and if either of you is divorced, bring the divorce decree. The name you'll use after marriage goes on this same application.

WhoThe County Clerk (in New York City, the Office of the City Clerk)

Your officiant has to qualify under that state's law. Friends or relatives can get ordained online, but some counties require the officiant to register with them first. The number of witnesses varies by state: a California public license needs at least one and allows up to two, and in Colorado the two of you can solemnize your own marriage.

WhoA friend or relative, clergy, a judge, or the county's civil ceremony officiant

What the law needs is a qualified officiant, the required witnesses present, and the license returned to the county afterwards. The venue can be a courthouse, city hall, a church or your own backyard; parks and beaches need a separate permit.

WhoThe county's civil ceremony, or a venue you choose yourselves

After the ceremony, the officiant returns the license to the county within the deadline: 10 days in California, 5 days in New York State. You're not married until it's recorded, so call or check online to confirm.

WhoThe officiant returns it; the County Recorder records it

What agencies accept is a certified copy issued by the county, with a raised seal or watermark; photocopies are refused. You'll need it for the name change, the green card and registering in Taiwan, so order 3 to 5 copies at once.

WhoThe County Recorder or Clerk that issued it; in some states, also the state vital records office

To use it in Taiwan, the certificate is authenticated by the TECO office that covers the issuing state; to use it in mainland China, get an apostille from the Secretary of State. TECO doesn't translate, so you prepare the Chinese translation yourselves.

WhoTaipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO; 13 offices, by issuing state); the Secretary of State

The engagement ring, the engagement shoot, the engagement party and the bachelor and bachelorette parties are the first round of spending. Order wedding rings 3 to 4 months before the wedding, and allow another 4 to 6 weeks for custom work or engraving.

WhoJewelers, an engagement photographer

12 to 18 months out, set the date, budget and guest count, then book the three that go fastest: the venue, the photographer and hair and makeup. Peak season is May to October and Saturdays, so start even earlier for those.

WhoThe two of you, plus a wedding planner or a day-of coordinator

Before signing, check the total, the service charge, the cancellation and postponement terms, and any insurance the venue requires. If you paid the deposit by credit card and the vendor disappears, you can dispute the charge with your card issuer within 60 days of when that statement was sent.

WhoThe venue coordinator (who works for the venue, not for you)

The photographer, videographer, hair and makeup, florist, music and catering each get their own contract. Once you give catering the final head count, you can usually add but not subtract, so keep the number conservative.

WhoPhotographer, videographer, hair & makeup, florist, DJ or band, caterer

Order the dress 9 to 12 months before the wedding: a custom gown often takes 6 to 8 months from order to delivery, plus 2 or 3 fittings. Before you ask people to be bridesmaids or groomsmen, tell them clearly what it will cost them.

WhoBridal shops, suit rental, a tailor

Send save-the-dates 8 months out and formal invitations 6 to 8 weeks out. Put lodging, transport and the RSVP on the wedding website; older relatives may not go online, so keep a paper reply card or a phone number.

WhoInvitation printers, wedding website platforms, hotels (room blocks)

Two weeks out, send a minute-by-minute timeline to every vendor. Assign someone in advance to the tea ceremony, the bilingual program, looking after the cash gifts and the tip envelopes.

WhoThe day-of coordinator, the wedding party and the family members you designate

The name on your plane ticket must match the ID you travel on exactly, so if you're changing your name, don't book under the new one yet. Checking the photos, the thank-you cards and dealing with the dress come after you're back.

WhoAirlines, travel agents, your photographer

The order is SSA first, then the DMV, then your passport, each with a certified marriage certificate. Put your married name on the license application; change it later and most states send you through a court process.

WhoSocial Security Administration (SSA) → DMV → U.S. Department of State (passport)

The IRS goes by your status on December 31: marry by then and you file as married for the whole year. Fill out a new W-4 after the wedding, and two-income couples should rework their withholding. If your spouse has no SSN and you want to file jointly, apply for an ITIN first.

WhoThe IRS, your employer's HR

Add your spouse to an employer plan within 30 days of the wedding, or within 60 days on the Marketplace. Beneficiary designations on a 401(k), an IRA or life insurance override your will, so update them after you marry.

WhoYour employer's HR, HealthCare.gov, insurers and retirement account providers

Fully joint, separate accounts plus one shared account, or fully separate: all three are common. There's no joint credit score for couples in the US; each of you keeps your own.

WhoBanks, credit card issuers

To merge addresses, start with a change of address at usps.com; non-citizens must report a move to USCIS within 10 days. Ask your mortgage lender before adding a name to the house, and sort out the car titles and insurance at the same time.

WhoUSPS, USCIS, the County Recorder (property), the DMV and your insurer (cars)

Sign a prenup at least 30 days before the wedding. In the 9 community property states, including California and Texas, income earned during the marriage is generally split in half; the rules for wills, healthcare proxies and financial powers of attorney vary by state.

WhoA family law attorney, an estate planning attorney

A US citizen's foreign partner can come on a K-1 fiancé(e) visa, but you must marry within 90 days of entry, with no extensions. If you're already married, filing the I-130 directly is simpler.

WhoUSCIS and US embassies and consulates abroad

The core forms are the I-130 and I-485, plus the I-693 medical exam by a USCIS-designated doctor. Start keeping evidence of a bona fide marriage now: joint accounts, a lease, photos together.

WhoUSCIS; for the medical exam, a USCIS-designated civil surgeon

If you need to leave the country while the I-485 is pending, get advance parole first, or the case may be treated as abandoned. Report a new address to USCIS within 10 days of moving; updating it in your online account is fastest.

WhoUSCIS (I-131, I-765, AR-11)

Couples usually attend the interview together at a USCIS field office. Bring the interview notice, your original ID documents and marriage certificate, and the evidence of a shared life you've kept adding since the wedding.

WhoYour local USCIS field office

If you'd been married less than two years when the green card was issued, it's a 2-year conditional green card. File the I-751 within the 90 days before it expires; miss it and you lose lawful status.

WhoUSCIS

A green card holder who stays married to and living with a US citizen spouse can apply to naturalize with the N-400 after 3 years, if they meet the residence requirements; the usual wait is 5. With a conditional green card, finish the I-751 first.

WhoUSCIS (N-400, the naturalization interview and civics test)

Once TECO has authenticated the marriage certificate, the office can forward it to the household registration office where you're registered, or you can register at any household registration office in Taiwan; you don't both need to go back.

WhoTECO and Taiwan's household registration offices

A Taiwan passport can carry your spouse's surname without first changing your Chinese name in the household register. Men of conscription age with Taiwan household registration should check the National Conscription Agency's current rules before going back.

WhoBureau of Consular Affairs, TECO, National Health Insurance Administration, National Conscription Agency