You got the rings, something blue, something borrowed and the flowers, but do you have your marriage license?

Before you take the plunge and get married, it's pretty common knowledge that you need to get a marriage license beforehand. However, I recently found out that there used to be a pretty wacky requirement before you could get a marriage license.

Did you know that there used to be a mandatory blood test for couples before they could be granted a marriage license? How insane does that sound?

Apparently, blood tests were required for marriage licenses to screen for diseases, mainly syphilis, that could be passed between spouses or to future children. A marriage license would not be granted until the infection was treated.

Luckily, for those headed for wedded bliss, most states eventually removed the requirement by 1980 as medical advancements made these tests unnecessary for marriage licensing.

So, does Texas require a blood test to obtain a marriage license?

No, you do not need a blood test to get a marriage license in Texas. The state removed this requirement years ago, so couples can obtain a license without any medical testing.

There is, however, a waiting period once you get your marriage license, you have to wait 72 hours before you can get married, and once you do obtain a marriage license, you have up until 90 days before that license expires!

License fees may vary by county, and you do both have to be at least 18 years old, but other than that, you can skip that wacky blood requirement!