I never pictured myself getting married virtually. But sometimes things happen differently than expected.

My fiancé and I had been talking about marriage for months, but with travel limitations, planning a traditional wedding felt overwhelming. We weren’t even sure when we’d be in the same place long enough to make it official.

One night, while reading wedding blogs, I came across a post about virtual weddings. At first, I thought it was a joke, 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 — no need to be in the same location. 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 booked a time with a licensed officiant through an official virtual marriage site.
• We uploaded our IDs, completed a few online forms, and got our electronic marriage license without hassle.
• On our wedding day, we wore something nice for the webcam, sent the Zoom link to our closest friends and family, and said our vows live on camera.

In less than 20 minutes, we were officially married. We toasted over video chat, smiled at each other through the screen, and let it all sink in. It was real — even from hundreds of miles away.

Honestly? It was one of the most stress-free experiences we could’ve asked for. No overpriced venue. No awkward seating charts. Just us, check here 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 the military.

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 amazing.

Wherever you are, you can make it official — and make it yours.