两者均是有关结婚的文件证书的术语。现不少词典都将其当作“结婚证书”或“结婚登记证”，但实际上它们与我们心目中的结婚证书差别较大。

首先让我们了解以下它们相互之间的差异。

相比较，marriage certificate是证明婚姻仪式已经举行，双方婚姻关系正式成立的一种文据（an instrument which certificates that a marriage has taken place)(因国外的婚姻多注重婚礼仪式而非注册登记），其含有婚礼举行的时间、地点等，并由双方当事人、证人（witnesses)，主持婚礼之牧师（officiant) 等的签字，故其应为“婚礼证书”。A document which certifies that a marriage has taken place，which contains information (as time and place) about the ceremony, and which is signed by the parties，witness, and officiant. " Cf. Linda Picard Wood, J. D.，Merriam Webstefs Dictionary of Law。

（美国婚礼证书示例）

marriage license则是由法定的政府官员（legally qualified government official)所签发的准允特定的男女结婚的一种官方书面授权证书，多发给主持婚礼者，为合法举行婚礼的先决条件，故其应为“婚礼许可证”A license or permission granted by public authority to persons who intend to intermarry , usually addressed to the minister or magistrate who is to perform the ceremony，or, in general term, to any one authorized to solemnize marriages. By statute in most jurisdiction，it is made an essential prerequisite to the lawful solemnization of the marriage. ”Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary。

而在我国，鉴于我国婚姻法规定的结婚应适用登记制度，故从严格意义上讲，中国人心中的“结婚证书”，肯定不宜翻译为marriage license，也不宜翻译成严格意义上的marriage certificate。建议将其译为 “umarriage registration paper”或“marriage registration”, 这样才最能符合其“结婚登记证书”的真正内涵。