How to Find an Officiant & Witnesses for Your Elopement
So you want to elope, but are unsure what the legal process is like to make your ceremony legit. Do you need witnesses? How do you get witness signatures but still elope, without any guests? Where do we find an officiant? Do we need one? How do we find one that’s willing to come along for our adventure? Maybe you’re dreaming of an intimate, private elopement where it truly is just you two, and the thought of bringing along witnesses, or even an officiant, messes up your entire vision.
So, what to do? How does this all work anyway?
ON WITNESSES
Do you need witnesses for your ceremony?
In Washington state, you’ll need 2 witnesses to sign your marriage license — and your officiant cannot be one of them. If you’re eloping elsewhere, research marriage law around whether witnesses are needed and how many!
WHO TO SERVE AS YOUR ELOPEMENT WITNESSES
In most states, anyone over the age of 18 (or 16 in some states) can serve as a witness to your ceremony. Here are a few tips for finding or including people to serve as witnesses on your elopement day!
Option 1: (my favorite option) Passersby/fellow hikers!
If you’re eloping on public lands, there is a very good chance you’ll be able to ask fellow passersby to serve as your witnesses! This is a fun, spontaneous solution to finding a witness or two. Maybe you catch a few fellow hikers along the trails, or folks hanging out at the top of the mountain around the time you’re holding your ceremony.
You’d be surprised by how many folks are intrigued and excited when they see a couple in wedding attire out in their favorite parks, and many of them would be thrilled to be a part of your wedding day. Also makes for a great story!
Option 2: Your photographer
This one’s easy: have your photographer sign off as a witness on your marriage license! (*Unless your photographer is serving as your officiant, in which case you will likely still need additional witness signatures.)
Option 3: Friends & family
You could consider inviting a small handful of your favorite people! You can make your loved ones a part of your day and include them in some of your other festivities afterward, or you can ask them to simply come and fulfill the legal obligation of being present at your ceremony then signing your marriage license, then give you privacy after that.
On OFFICIANTs
Who can serve as your Elopement officiant
Option 1: Your photographer!
If you aren’t inviting any guests and you want a super intimate and private ceremony, your best best is to hire a photographer who can serve as your officiant too! That way you won’t have to worry about having any other third parties involved, or finding someone to come out into the wilderness with you, which can be somewhat difficult. We love to hike!
A photographer-led ceremony is more intimate and relaxed than a traditional wedding ceremony, and usually at a slower more relaxed pace, allowing you two the space to read your vows while I step back and take photos.
We also have packages that include 2 photographers, so you can have a designated ceremony photographer. This is handy for elopement ceremonies with guests—you get both a photographer and an officiant.
Option 2: Hire a pro
If you’d rather have someone else officiate for you (especially if you have guests involved), I highly recommend looking for officiants who specialize in adventure elopements, and who are familiar with the area. You’ll want someone who is confident and capable in the backcountry, and can meet you at the right spot.
A few of our faves here in Washington:
Option 3: Ask a friend or family member
Another great option, especially if you’re willing to invite people along! Having a loved one lead your marriage ceremony is often much more memorable, meaningful, and intimate than hiring a total stranger to come with you on your adventure—plus, they might be more willing to go on a long hike with you if that’s your game. And I’m sure your best friend (or your sibling, or your parent) would be THRILLED to have the great honor of marrying you and your partner, especially if that means an invitation to your oh-so-exclusive elopement!
As for the legality of this, it’s incredibly simple to get ordained as a officiant in the USA. Anyone over the age of 18 (no matter their religion or faith) can do it online in a matter of minutes, and can at that point perform totally-legal wedding ceremonies. Here are a few organizations that allow you to become ordained online in the US:
Universal Life Church (my ordination organization of choice, and who I typically recommend for most!)
The dude abides.
A few important notes about online ordinations:
Some select states do not recognize ordinations from these organizations. Research the marriage laws of whatever state you plan on eloping in beforehand! The ULC has a great resource on wedding laws to help you figure out what’s what and navigate the laws in each state.
Some states (like Hawaii, Nevada, West Virginia, Virginia, and Vermont) require officiants to register in that state. Registering is easy to do, though it does require an extra step. Check out this list of states and ordination registration laws on the AMM site for more details.
Option 4: Self-solemnize (in certain locations!)
In some states, you can marry yourselves without the need for an officiant or witnesses! Colorado and District of Columbia are two locations in which it is rather simple to self-solemnize. A few other states allow self-solemnization, but only for couples of specific religions and faiths. Read more about different state laws on self-uniting here.
Option 5: have a symbolic ceremony; legalize it on a different date
Some opt to fill out their paperwork at a courthouse before or after their elopement day, which can free you up for the adventure of their dreams without having to worry about paperwork, witnesses, waiting periods, or any of that.
Many who opt for a symbolic ceremony still have an “officiant” and a plan/script, but this is all optional. You could consider some kind of unity ceremony like hand-fasting, unity shots, or planting a unity tree. If you’re getting legally married before your elopement day, you could also consider waiting to exchange your rings and reading your vows until this moment to make it feel all the more ceremonious and poignant.
Fill out your papers, then elope wherever you want, however you want!
Is that legal? WILL IT FEEL REAL?
Yes, absolutely! A ceremony that doesn’t involve the legal paperwork is still a wedding ceremony. It just takes a little unlearning of what society has done to an institution which is in reality far more ancient than joint tax forms or family healthcare plans. Marriage ceremonies go back all the way to 2350 B.C. in Mesopotamia, and they started as symbolic rituals made to unite two people.
See, the day you say your vows and commit yourselves to one another—that’s the day you get married. That isn't for any court or government to decide. While there are obvious legal (modern) implications to getting married (tax breaks, health insurance…), the commitment, your vows, your promises to one another—those can be made anywhere, at any time. The ones you make day after day, 'til death do you part.
No matter what kind of wedding celebrations you plan on having, emotions will be running high, and I can guarantee you won't be thinking “wow, this isn’t real”. It’s real because it’s the day you two commit your lives to one another—that’s what makes it special. Not the government, not taxes, not the formality of signing on the dotted line.
As for signing before or after your elopement, that’s up to you! Perhaps you want go the courthouse when you get home from your elopement trip, or maybe you want to get it out of the way beforehand so your whole trip feels like a combination elopement/honeymoon adventure!
NOTE: Whatever you decide to do, make sure you research marriage laws in the state you’re getting legally married, and pay attention to whether or not there’s a waiting period after you apply for your marriage license.
HEY THERE, WE’RE
WILDERPINES ELOPEMENTS
Creating wildly intentional & intimate adventure elopements for rad couples in the PNW
We’re here to inspire you and help you create a unique, intentional, unforgettable wedding experience that reflects who you are, then to capture it all so you can relive those moments forever.
If you’re looking for more information on how to elope in the Pacific Northwest or beyond, get in touch and let’s start planning your dream elopement!
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