Contacting your vital records by mail usually just requires you to request what you want in writing. You might have to send a check or money order to pay for the license records. The price for marriage license records will vary by state. Different states charge different fees for vital records. As you can see, you will need to deal with the hassle of mailing the information and money off before you can receive your certificate copy.

Getting a copy of a marriage license record online can be much quicker than other options. You are able to fill out and submit the application right on your computer. You should be able to pay for the data right on the website using a major credit or debit card. There may be additional fees which apply when you get your record or records online. Some states offer websites where vital records can be requested, others do not. There are also sites like VitalChek and VitalRec where you can request marital records from a variety of states.

If you are looking for marriage records of your ancestors for the purposes of putting together a family tree or researching your genealogical history, you may not even need to pay. Sites like Ancestry and RootsWeb offer free searches for these records. You might also be able to find the information you are seeking at your local library or municipal building. This process could be lengthy as you may have to sift through thousands of records to find what you want. When you use the web, you are most often able to get the information you need a lot more quickly. For many people, it is worth the cost to obtain vital records online.

There are a couple more options for locating and retrieving copies of marriage certificates. The first option is to hire the services of a private investigator. This can be a costly option.

The other choice is to join a public records online investigation service which gives you access to databases and sources to conduct your own search. The prices for this type of service can vary greatly, but could get you what you need.