I never pictured myself getting married virtually. But that’s exactly what we ended up doing, and it was incredible.

My partner and I had been talking about marriage for some time, but with different time zones, planning a traditional wedding felt like more stress than joy. We weren’t even sure when we’d be in the same place long enough to make it official.

One night, while falling into an internet rabbit hole, I came across a post about legal Zoom ceremonies. At first, I thought it was some kind of scam, but the more I looked into it, the more legit it seemed.

Turns out, in places like Utah, you can have a valid marriage completely online — even if you're in different countries. It's recognized in all 50 states.

We decided to go for it. Why wait?

Here’s what the process looked like for us:

• We secured a time with a licensed officiant through an official virtual marriage site.
• We uploaded our IDs, completed a few online forms, and got our digital marriage license without hassle.
• On our wedding day, we kept it casual but meaningful, sent the Zoom link to our closest friends and family, and said our vows live on camera.

Before we knew it, we were husband and wife. We toasted over Zoom, smiled at each other through the screen, and let it all sink in. It was emotional — even from hundreds of miles away.

Honestly? It was one of the most authentic experiences we could’ve asked for. No overpriced venue. No awkward seating charts. Just us, the copyright we meant, and a handful of people who love us cheering from their screens.

If you’re trying to simplify your wedding plans, I highly recommend looking into online marriage. It's easier than you’d think — especially if you're in a long-distance relationship.

You don’t have to wait for a perfect moment or a perfect venue. You just need someone you love, a decent Wi-Fi signal, and a little bit of paperwork.

Modern love looks different, and honestly? That’s kind of check here amazing.

No matter the distance, you can make it official — and make it yours.