Thousands of Washington couples are about to get married without a wedding

Maybe it’s because spring has finally arrived in Seattle, or maybe it’s because of the ultra-sweet viral video of the week, First Kiss (even if it is a clothing company ad), but I have weddings (or marriage) on my mind this afternoon.

Almost married. (That’s me in the dress!)

On June 30, 2014, thousands of registered domestic partnerships in Washington state will become marriages under a provision of the state’s 2012 law legalizing same-sex marriage that eliminated registered domestic partnerships for couples under age 62. The Seattle Times reports that this week, the Washington Secretary of State’s office mailed out information packets to thousands of couples with registered domestic partnerships in the state to remind them of the deadline and its significance.

For couples in which at least one partner is over age 62, there will be no change in legal status. The law allows people age 62 and older to continue to form and remain in registered domestic partnerships. The remaining 6,200 registered domestic partnerships in the state between individuals under age 62 will automatically be deemed marriages by the state Department of Health on June 30, unless the partnerships are already converted to marriages or in the process of dissolution.

The automatic conversion date may be good news for couples who are still together as registered domestic partners, but for those who ended the relationship or moved out of state, the deadline may serve as a wake-up call to begin the dissolution process, which is nearly identical to the legal process required to end a marriage.

Starting in July, couples allowing their domestic partnerships to convert to marriages can start requesting marriage certificates from the state. The state has even addressed the conundrum of how to handle two anniversaries in a new Department of Health rule: Recognize both. According to an earlier piece in the Seattle Times, marriage certificates now may include both the date of the marriage and the date the couple registered the domestic partnership.