Find out which office holds the marriage records in the locality where the couple was living at the time of their marriage or, if they resided in different localities, in the bride's county or town of residence. Look for all records of a marriage including marriage certificates, applications, licenses, and bonds. In some areas all documents generated by a marriage will be found combined into the same record, in others they will be listed in separate books with separate indexes. Also keep in mind that some counties after the Civil War had separate marriage books for blacks and whites. If you find a record of the marriage then be sure to take note of all pertinent information, including the names of the bride and groom, places of residence, ages, occupations, date of the marriage, the person who performed the marriage, witnesses, etc.
Every little detail can lead to new information.
Witnesses to a marriage, for example, are often related to the bride and groom. The name of the person who performed the marriage ceremony may help to identify a church or other potential sources. If the couple was married at a residence, you may find a notation of the location. This could provide a valuable clue to the bride's father's name since young ladies often married at home. Women who remarried were often listed by their previous married name rather than their maiden name.