A lot of eloping couples choose not to mess with paperwork on their day. Instead, they have their ceremonies exactly as they want — often without an officiant, witnesses, or even signing their licenses — and then deal with legalities at another time. The paperwork, the license, the officiants, the witnesses—all of that can come later or before your unique, intentional ceremony.
Seeing a pattern yet? Every state and every country has its own marriage laws, so the requirements are going to vary from place to place:. Some states require you to have an officiant on your wedding day if you want to be legally recognized as married. Some places like Virginia require you to have a judge, a minister, or a person appointed by the court to act as your officiant.
Some states even let you self-solemnize which, we love and will totally get into in a moment. The reality is, every single state and country is going to have a different rule on officiants — but, there are a few fun ways to get around that rule while still having the elopement day of your dreams.
First, the entire team at Adventure Instead is ordained! There are literally two sentences we are legally obligated to say to marry you — the rest of the ceremony is totally up to you. Another way to include an officiant is to have your family members, friends, or other meaningful people get ordained so they can marry you. Finally, our favorite option is for you to have a commitment ceremony during your elopement — save the legal stuff for a different day!
Self-solemnizing is a super awesome law only recognized by a few US states recognizing marriage ceremonies as legal. In the most basic terms, self-solemnization grants you and your partner the power to marry each other!
That means we can say the minimum requirements for what counts as a legal ceremony and then let you take off on a more self-solemnizing route for your elopement. Remember, every state and country has different rules for how couples are legally recognized as married. If you are set on getting legally married on your elopement day in an area requiring witnesses, there are tons of ways to go about making this happen:.
Choose to have your elopement day wherever and however you want and deal with the legalities and logistics at home.
Happens all the time — no one says you have to get legally married to consider yourself life partners. It really is that simple. Climb a mountain in Switzerland. Explore the white sands of New Mexico. Backpack to a moody spot in the PNW.
Bungee jump off a bridge in New Zealand. Do whatever the two of you truly want to do on your elopement day and get legally married another time. You can go into the courthouse and sign the papers whenever. Or, have a little separate ceremony with family and friends where you sign your license.
However, eloping in another country can also be really complicated and require tons of time and effort to make sure everything is legal. Couples get legally married before their elopement for a lot of different reasons. You can craft the your marriage experience in whatever way makes sense to you! This is sort of a yes and no answer because truthfully, it totally depends on so many factors. Because a lot of countries require things that could complicate your elopement adventure — longer waiting periods, blood work, and other intricacies.
It can be complex to make this happen. About 9 out of 10 couples we work with choose to have an incredible elopement experience abroad without getting legally married there. We percent support and personally resonate with the belief that your wedding day should be recognized as the day that you say your vows to your partner — not the day you sign your marriage license. To find your perfect elopement location, go through this tactile exercise.
We promise it works! Start by grabbing a pen and piece of paper to write down notes as you go, because creating a list as simple as it sounds will always be our favorite way to plan! Then, follow these steps:. Finding the perfect elopement location requires a bit of soul searching, and maybe you already have a place in mind!
If you want some detailed inspiration about eloping in some of our most popular destinations, check out these elopement guides to Colorado , Oregon , Washington , California , Utah , and Arizona. How to Elope:. Your elopement is going to be your day — no one except you and your partner know what will make you happiest and feel most celebratory, so be honest with your expectations!
However, the following general elopement planning checklist can be curated to your particular needs — let us inspire you! Its easy-to-use mobile app broadcasts your wedding with a one-click link for guests to watch and participate. Perfect for destination weddings, elopements, and celebrations of any size! Best of all? You can use Lovecast for free!
Simply download the Lovecast app to get started! Some clients may have paid to be placed in our editorial and some of these links may be affiliate; however, we never include a venue, vendor, or product unless they have a proper place here.
This is part of our Core Values. We create our website first and foremost to be good for the couples using it to plan their Big Day. We won't stray from that for a few advertising dollars. Join Our Vendor Directory. Learn more Unlike old stereotypes would suggest, elopement doesn't have to mean sneaking out a window with your star-crossed lover and marrying in secret.
Plenty of couples elope to escape the hustle of wedding planning or to quickly move onto married life. Research what legal documents you'll need to get your marriage recognized legally. After the ceremony, celebrate with your closest loved ones or with your new spouse on a romantic getaway.
The simplest way to elope is by taking your identifying documents to the local courthouse, and having a government official register your marriage. Alternatively, hire an officiant and head someplace special, such as your favorite beach or the place you met. Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great.
By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Elope at a courthouse for the simplest route. Choosing to elope by registering with the government is not only the most straightforward way but also best if you want to avoid all the fuss of weddings. If you want, you can make it just between the two of you.
Plus, you won't have to fuss around with all of the legal documents. Hire an officiant if you'd prefer to elope at a specific location. Most countries will require an officiant of some sort, but that doesn't have to consign your wedding to the courthouse. If you'd like, you can choose a scenic location or a spot that means a lot to both of you. As long as you have an officiant to verify the vows, the world is your oyster.
If you're hiring an officiant, you don't have to stick to the classic vows. Make them unique to your relationship: don't be afraid to get sentimental, sweet, or even silly.
Some officiants will complete all of the marriage paperwork for you, after charging a fee. Ask your prospective officiant whether they offer this service. Try to find out about accessibility, the weather, seasonal closures etc. This is another major stage in your elopement planning journey, so it is important that you choose carefully. You have a few options here to look for.
So just make sure they offer you the privacy that you need for an intimate elopement ceremony. Having great accommodation also allows you to go out and explore the area and have a wonderful experience the days before and after the elopement. They are a wonderful option when working out how to elope in Australia. But not necessarily every single one will let you and not necessarily at certain times of the year.
For instance, at Uluru, there are no wedding ceremonies allowed inside the National Park itself. It is a very sacred site for our Indigenous Australians.
You can, however, have the elopement ceremony outside the National Park at the top of one of the sand dunes that look out onto Uluru. These are beautiful, natural areas and they are rightfully protective of them. They are so much more likely to approve an elopement with four people than they are a wedding with fifty people. You need to contact all these government departments fairly early to make sure it is even possible.
And all weddings and elopements are granted or rejected on a case-by-case basis. Their websites give very little information unless you are planning a wedding in a National Park located in a major city. When working out how to elope in Australia, think mid-week. When you have a few properties that you think might be ideal for you, you will need to contact them.
Some of these places will already do elopements and weddings and therefore the whole process may be very easy. For others, the concept may be foreign to them and they may be hesitant to do an elopement if it affects their normal weekend business. So mid-week is an awesome option for your elopement for a variety of reasons. Once you have actually decided on a location for your elopement and a property to base your elopement from it is time to look at locking in a date to have your elopement.
Here are some tips for choosing a date for your elopement:. Choose an awesome elopement photographer. And get an incredible marriage celebrant. If you are eloping in a stunning location, you want to remember the location and the day with amazing photos.
So choose an awesome photographer to capture your day. You also need someone amazing to conduct your marriage ceremony. This is so important not only from a legal standpoint but also from a personal and emotional one. The last thing you want is a ceremony that is boring and has nothing to do with the two of you. Sign what you need to sign and transfer deposits.
You have now booked the major things in, now it is time to work out the finer details for what you want at your elopement and make sure it is all logistically possible. A wedding dress, suits, wedding cake, music, invitation and signage. Or not, add as much or keep it as simple as you like.
Work out exactly where you will do your ceremony and how you will get there. Can you walk or do you need transport? Drive yourself or get someone local to drive?
Or do you need to take a helicopter or boat? It can be a good idea to get someone local or even a wedding planner to help with any of the elopement logistics involved. Staff or managers from your accommodation, coordinators, tour operators or the concierge can also be very helpful in the planning process.
They may be able to source local flowers or tell you of beautiful secret locations for the ceremony or just offering general advice on the area. You may or may not need assistance, but by asking them you can give yourself more options. And by using someone local, you will help the local economy and encourage more elopements in the area.
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