A couple found out their marriage wasn't 'official' after discovering their expired marriage license — 'we spent $30,000, not for a wedding, but for a social gathering'

• A couple realized their marriage wasn't legal when they found their expired marriage license.
• "We are not married," Madalyn Boucher said in a TikTok. "We spent $30,000 ... for a social gathering."

As she rifled through papers to find the marriage certificate needed to sign her husband up for TRICARE, a healthcare program for military members, Madalyn Boucher made an unwelcome discovery. Their marriage license hadn't been sent to the appropriate court after their wedding, she told TikTokers in a December 9 video, and she and her husband William Smitley's marriage wasn't legal.

"This is the portion that the officiant was supposed to send to the probate court to legitimize our marriage," Boucher said. "It expired nine days ago — we are not married. We spent $30,000 — not for a wedding — but for a fucking social gathering."

"Now we have to go to the courthouse and get married," she said, holding up a glass of wine. "Congrats!"

In the US,most states require a marriage license, and the officiant must return it to the county clerk after the wedding.

Boucher noted that her grandfather officiated the wedding and, in a follow-up video on December 10, told viewers that it was the first ceremony he had officiated. The couple wasn't mad about the misunderstanding.

Answering questions, Boucher noted that they hadn't returned the certificate because instructions from the court had explicitly stated that returning the license to the court was the "sole responsibility" of the officiant and not the couple's responsibility.

"I did give him the option to leave if he wanted to because it would be the cheapest divorce," Boucher joked. "And he didn't."

"Fours don't get tens," her husband responded.

Boucher explained that the couple didn't "place our entire marriage off of the government's approval," but needed to be legally married to enroll in healthcare within a designated enrollment window.

Even though the couple was ten days over the expiration date for their license, Boucher said the courthouse was willing to "make an exception" and legalized their marriage.

"We're officially married now," she told viewers.

Insider reached out to Boucher and Smitley for comment.

Email tips on all things internet to mleighton@insider.com.