I learned the hard way, maybe you can learn from my experience?

I figured it was unlikely that I could find my marriage certificate form decades ago. So ... I drove downtown to my local (major big city) courthouse, their website inferred that I could pay $10 and leave with a certified copy.

- It turns out that the marriage bureau office was undermanned (only 2 clerks, there were approximately 15 people waiting).

- It turns out that you can't actually pay your $10 fee in the marriage bureau, you have to go to the cashier on a different floor and wait in yet a different line.

- The public parking garage a block from the courthouse cost $13 for the first hour (and you guessed it, after 60 minutes you have to pay for the entire day ... $24)

So ... it's likely I could have done it all online or through the mail. I really wish I had done that.