Eloping is all about creating a perfect and unique day that’s all about your love – you have permission to buck tradition and do things your own way. That’s why I’m here to tell you about one of the best-kept secrets in eloping: self-officiating in Washington DC!
That’s right – when you elope in DC, you can officiate your own wedding, which means no one has to be present at the ceremony other than the two of you. This gives you the freedom and flexibility to elope anywhere, anytime, without needing to decide in advance. Exchange vows on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, make it official as you kayak through Georgetown, or even tie the knot in your own cozy backyard! The choice is completely yours.
Here’s how to legally elope in Washington DC with a self-officiated wedding – just perfect for independent and free-spirited couples.
Who can officiate a wedding in Washington, DC?
Before I answer that, let’s take a step back and talk about officiating for a minute. What exactly is it?
An officiant, or celebrant, is someone authorized by the state to lead a wedding ceremony and officially perform the act of marriage. Officiants can be religious, such as rabbis, priests, or clerics, but you can also be married by a range of other people, including a civil celebrant, a judge, or a Clerk of the Court.
So, do you need an officiant in DC? Not necessarily, since you can be your very own officiant! If you choose to self-officiate, you don’t need to have a religious official or civil celebrant with you for the ceremony.
Having an officiant can make some people feel uncomfortable if it’s a person they don’t really know. The option to self-officiate your wedding means you can truly elope with just the two of you, making for a much more intimate, personal, and special experience.
How to self-officiate in Washington DC
Can you self-officiate in Washington DC? You sure can! There are only eight states in the US, plus DC, that allow self-officiated marriages, so we are really lucky to have this option.
The process is straightforward, but as your elopement photographer in Washington DC, I’m always glad to guide you, as many of the couples I work with go for this option.
Here’s everything you need to know.
1. Start your wedding license application
Step one: download a copy of the Marriage License Application or fill out the Application Online.
After completing your application, it can be submitted online or you can take it to the courthouse, which is generally faster. The address is:
DC Marriage Bureau – Moultrie Courthouse
500 Indiana Avenue, N.W.
Room 4485
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 879-4840
Once submitted, a courthouse representative will contact you to verify your information.
As with most places in DC, parking is extremely limited, but it’s easy to access on the Metro, with the closest stop being Judiciary Square station on the Red Line. Or use apps like Spot Hero and Park Mobile to find nearby street and garage parking.
Oh, and you can definitely make your trip to the courthouse fun! Why not get dressed up, drop off your application, then go out for a nice lunch or picnic to celebrate the official start of your elopement adventure?
2. Prepare the paperwork
The application itself is simple to fill out, but note that you will need to pay a fee – the marriage license application fee is currently $45, or free if you have an original copy of your DC Domestic Partnership Certificate. You’ll also need to bring along an ID to prove your age, which can be a driver’s license, passport, or other government-issued ID.
The DC courthouse is only open Monday-Friday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm so you’d need to pay for and pick up your marriage license on a weekday. If you applied online, the process will be much faster getting the license in person because it will only require verifying the information, your ID, and paying for the license. However, the marriage license never expires so if you plan to travel to DC for an elopement weekend getaway, you could pick up your license in person on Friday and then have your elopement adventure and celebration on the weekend!
After signing the marriage license, you have 10 days to return it to the court. This can be done in person (on a weekday), by mail to the address listed above, or have someone else return it for you such as an officiant or family friend. I recommend either returning in person or by mail yourself just to make sure it gets there.
Do you need an officiant or celebrant in DC? Technically yes, but this is where the self-officiating comes in, as you can simply be your own celebrant. You’ll need to note on the form who’ll be officiating, so if you’re going for the self-officiate option, decide which of you will sign off as the officiant and mark this on your application.
3. Elope!
Once your application is processed, you’re good to go! As part of your application fee, you’ll also be issued a Certificate of Marriage. And great news: once your marriage license for DC is issued, it doesn’t expire, so you don’t need to rush into getting married right away – you can take a few weeks to decide exactly how you want to elope.
On this note… why not get creative and think big?! If you want, you can turn your elopement into a full day or weekend of adventures, fun, and amazing memories. You could explore DC, book a rooftop bar like the Line Hotel, splurge at a trendy restaurant, or just have a luxury picnic and enjoy the sunshine together. There’s no right or wrong way to do it!
You can perform the actual ceremony however you like, but many couples like to write their own vows in advance to exchange on the day. Alternatively, you might want to do it completely free-form, waiting for just the right moment in your day to decide you’re married! Whatever you decide, I am sure it’ll be incredibly romantic, so please go with whatever feels right for you both – it’s your day.
Depending on your interests, I can also suggest some ideal locations for elopement photography in Washington DC, which we can visit during the day to get some incredible photos of your celebrations. From the romantic to the completely silly, these photos will become your treasured memories of the day.
And who to invite? Again, this really comes down to you. Some couples prefer to elope just the two of them, which is completely fine, while others include close family and friends. You could also elope alone but plan for loved ones to join you after for celebrations – and yes, this can still include wedding traditions like cake, dancing, and speeches.
If you have any questions about how to self-officiate in Washington DC or how this approach might work for your elopement day, I’m here to help. I can’t wait to help you craft beautiful memories – let’s do this!
Fill out my contact form to get started today!
