3 Of The Most Ridiculous Marriage Laws in Ohio

Engaged? Congratulations! You may want to take a look at these strange laws in Ohio before you start planning nuptials in the Buckeye State.

Now that spring has officially arrived that means wedding season will soon follow. I can see the dollars signs now.

Travel, hotel, gifts, wedding attire-- it all adds up fast!

If you're hoping to get married in Ohio this year, whether resident or non-resident, you shouldn't have any problem planning a ceremony that is customized to you and your spouse-to-be. Just make sure you're away of these few wacky laws that stand out to us.

1. It Is Illegal To Throw Rice At A Wedding

This one is specific to Chillicothe, Ohio so if you plan to get married there, don't use rice for your post-wedding celebrations! Actually, you shouldn't use rice anyways as it's a threat to wildlife and as we learned from Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Lowe rice can get stuck in your ear and cause hearing loss due to infection. Let that be a cautionary tale!

2. You Can't Get Married If You Have Syphilis...

Sure sexually transmitted diseases are never a good thing, but why should that affect your ability to get married in the state of Ohio? Per Ohio Laws & Administrative Rules Section 3101.06,

No marriage license shall be granted when either of the applicants is...infected with syphilis in a form that is communicable or likely to become communicable

 

3. ...Or If You're Intoxicated

Another extension of Section 3101.06 prohibits marriage licenses from being granted if one or both parties are under the influence or alcohol or a controlled substance. This one actually makes sense, obviously.

BONUS: Don't Kill Flies Near Churches

According to Selph Law an odd, outdated law that actually still exists states, "it's against the law to kill a housefly within 160 feet of a church without a license." So when you're attending that Ohio wedding do not kill those pesky flies.

ABOLISHED LAW: Resident Requirements

These days anyone can get married in the state of Ohio, both residents and non-residents. However, an old Ohio law that existed back in 1963 reads,

In Ohio...the wife must be a resident of the state and of the county where she applies for the license, unless the husband is in the armed forces.

Today, non-residents will be granted a marriage license so long as you apply for a marriage license in the county in which you be married; licenses are valid for 60 days.