Section 300 Of Part 1. Validity Of Marriage From California Family Law Code >> Division 3. >> Part 1.
300
. (a) Marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil
contract between two persons, to which the consent of the parties
capable of making that contract is necessary. Consent alone does not
constitute marriage. Consent must be followed by the issuance of a
license and solemnization as authorized by this division, except as
provided by Section 425 and Part 4 (commencing with Section 500).
(b) For purposes of this part, the document issued by the county
clerk is a marriage license until it is registered with the county
recorder, at which time the license becomes a marriage certificate.