Ashland Weddings
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Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other founders had family connections. It officially became a town with the name Ashland Mills in 1855. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 19,522. The 2007 estimate is 21,630 residents.It is the home of Southern Oregon University and the internationally renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Ashland is a small town, home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, one of the largest and oldest regional theatres in the country. Southern Oregon University balances the tourist population with students throughout the year. The weather is relatively mild, with a few days of snow in the winter, several days of 100F weather in the summer. Some believe that the town resembles northern Italy or Switzerland, with snow covered peaks in the winter, a lake not too far away in the valley, and a nice, small-town, community feel that is oh-so-rare these days in the States.
There are two main business districts: one downtown, centered on the Plaza and running southwest along Main Street toward the library. This old-fashion boutique shopping area is home to many amazing restaurants. In fact, you'll have a hard time finding a bad meal. Ashland does not allow any chain stores or restaurants in this district so forget about finding fast food. Connected to this area is 93-acre Lithia Park which was designed by John McLaren (also the designer of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park) in 1914. The other business district is around two miles to the southwest along Siskiyou Boulevard where it meets Ashland Street/Highway 66, near the Southern Oregon University campus and the Ashland Shopping Center. Here you will find the McDonalds that must serve all of its food in cardboard containers because Ashland has outlawed the use of Styrofoam in the city. (Note, the McDonalds in Ashland closed in 2006 and has been replaced by a bank. Ashland also has a limited number of drive-thru permits, and thus fast food joints. Another bank bought out Dairy Queen later in 2006.)
Outside of the business districts, Ashland offers a host of outdoor attractions. The famous Pacific Crest Trail, Crater Lake, rafting, biking and Mount Ashland ski slope are all nearby. Many public places, including most hotels and B&Bs, coffeehouses and even pubs offer free wireless Internet access.
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Marriage License Requirements
In most circumstances you may apply for a marriage license at any OR county clerk office where you plan to be married. These offices are usually located in the county probate court or circuit court. This document outlines the procedures you must follow to obtain your license.
Cost of License
What is the cost of a marriage license?
- The marriage license fee is $60.00 dollars. There are no exceptions or waivers to the license fee. No extensions or refunds are made once the license is issued. Accepted forms of payment are cash.
Residency Requirements
What are the residency requirements for Oregon?
- None. You do not have to be a previous or current resident of Oregon to obtain a marriage license that is valid statewide.
Waiting Period
Is there a waiting period from the application date to the date the license is issued?
- Yes, there is a mandatory 3 day waiting period. In most states, the waiting period does not include Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. In some instances, the day the application is filed is not included within the waiting period.
Is there a waiting period from the date the license is issued to the date I am allowed to marry?
- No, you can marry immediately after receiving your license.
Age Requirement
What is the minimum age a man or woman may marry?
- You must be 18 years old or older to marry without parental consent. A birth certificate may be necessary to show proof of age.
What if one or both of us is younger than 18?
- If either partner is under 18, parental consent forms must be signed. You will need a certified copy of your birth certificate.
Blood Tests and Physical Exams
Are blood tests and physical exams required?
- No blood test or physical exam is required.
License Expires
How long does a marriage license remain valid once it's been issued?
- Your license will expire 60 days from the date it is issued.
Divorced and Widowed Applicants
What if one or both partners have been divorced or have had a spouse die?
- If previously married, the date of divorce or date of spouse's death must be provided. Bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. A copy of your divorce records or spouse's death certificate can be ordered online.
How Do I Legally Change My Name?
What's the process of legally changing my last name after marriage?
- Following your wedding ceremony, you will receive a marriage certificate, which is a piece of paper proving that you are legally married. This certificate will serve as evidence of your marriage, which you'll need when you begin the process of notifying several goverment agencies about your name change, as well as any non-government institutions that you do business with (ie, banks, employers, credit cards, memberships, etc).
We have created a legal name change kit that you can use and complete before or after your marriage takes place. Completing all the necessary name change documentation prior to your wedding can be considerably convenient.
Miscellaneous Questions
Are proxy marriages legal?
- No, marriage by proxy is not allowed.
Are cousin marriages legal?
- No, cousin marriages are not allowed.
Are common law marriages legal?
- No, common-law marriages are not allowed.
Are same sex marriages legal?
- No, same-sex marriages are not allowed.
County Clerk Address and Phone Number
Jackson County Clerk 10 South Oakdale Medford, OR 97501 541-776-7232
How To Get There
Get in
By car
Exit 11 (Northbound only), 14 or 19 from Interstate 5 in Oregon.
By bus
Grey Hound stops in nearby Medford. The local RVTD bus Route 10 stops at Mr. C's (where the Greyhound bus stations is) at :26 & 56 past the hour. The bus ride into downtown will take you about 10 minutes. Buses run between 5:26am and 6:56pm, Monday-Friday. You pay when you get on the bus.
By taxi
Taxi service is available from Ashland Taxi Cab (541) 890-8080 or Yellow Cab (541) 482-3065.
By plane
The Medford International Airport is located 15 miles north of Ashland and is serviced by United Air Lines, and Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air. Cascade Airport Shuttle (541) 488-1998, taxis and some hotels provides service from the airport to Ashland for a nominal fee.
By train
The closest Amtrak station is located in Klamath Falls, approximately 80 miles away. A shuttle meets the Coast Starlight from California at 10:20 a.m.each day arriving in Ashland at 1:00 p.m. If you are traveling from the north you must take the connection bus from Portland to the Ashland shuttle. Both shuttles arrive at Safeway about a half mile from downtown. Check www.amtrak.com for more information.
Get around
Parking is free, and easy to find in the wintertime, but summertime availability is a different story, with downtown parking getting quite scarce on evenings when the Shakespeare Festival has shows (i.e., every night but Monday). Many hotels and B&Bs are located close enough to the center of town to make it an easy walk. There are bike lanes downtown and extending outward from the downtown area, making this an easy town to bike around in.
Most days, the Rogue Valley Transportation District operates buses running from one end of town to the other; these buses are $0.50 for riders remaining within Ashland ($2 for those going outside the city limits). Be aware, however, the the buses run limited hours (5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and do not run at all on weekends.
Climate
Ashland, OR Weather
Ashland, OR climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 40's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 86.70 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is December with an average minimum temperature of 28.60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be relatively big during summer with a difference that can reach 37 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Ashland is 19.76 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is November with an average rainfall of 2.85 Inches.
Normal Climate
Normal Temperatures
(ASHLAND Weather station, 1.84 miles from Ashland) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual Max °F 47.5 53.0 56.8 62.5 70.1 78.3 86.7 86.1 79.5 67.6 52.4 46.3 65.6 Mean °F 38.3 42.0 44.8 48.9 55.3 62.0 68.2 67.5 61.2 52.0 42.1 37.5 51.7 Min °F 29.1 31.0 32.8 35.2 40.4 45.6 49.6 48.8 42.8 36.4 31.8 28.6 37.7
Normal Precipitation
(ASHLAND Weather station, 1.84 miles from Ashland) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual Inch 2.49 1.92 2.09 1.68 1.55 0.92 0.51 0.61 0.88 1.46 2.85 2.80 19.76