Your guide to making your elopement day government official in another state and without guests.

So you found an amazing place out here in Oregon. It’s got epic views and everything you’ve wanted for the day you get married. Now how do you accomplish the actual getting married part when you live in a totally different state, maybe even the other side of the country.

Never fear, legally getting married in a state other than the one you live in isn’t too complicated. Each state will have slightly different rules but you can get married in any state in the United States and that marriage will be acknowledged in ALL states.

You do not need to live in the state you get married in.

You CAN get married wherever you want and have your wedding experience wherever your heart desires. This blog will cover the technical process of getting your marriage license, the ceremony itself, and officiating options for getting your license signed.

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How to Get Your Oregon Marriage License

How do you get a marriage license from a state you don’t live in?

You have two options for getting your Oregon marriage license. First off, you can pick it up in person when you arrive in Oregon before your elopement day. Your second option is submitting your application early and having the license shipped to your home address. Both options offer different pros and cons depending on your travel schedule and where you’re eloping.

Option 1: Picking Up Your License in Person

You can pick up your marriage license in any Oregon county regardless of where you’ll be using the license. As long as you’re using an Oregon State license in the state of Oregon, you’re good to go. That means you can pick up your marriage license in Portland when you fly into town, a county along the way to your destination, or the county you’re eloping in. Since you need to be at a courthouse during standard business hours, this helps provide some flexibility around your travel schedule.

Keep in mind there is a 3 day waiting period on marriage licenses in Oregon. If you have a tight travel schedule, you can waive the 3 day waiting period for $10 if you have a reason and traveling from out of town counts as a reason. You’ll need to request the 3 day waiting period to be waived when you get your license. If you are an Oregon local, they will not allow this as an option to waive the waiting period.

Make sure to check in with the specific county you’re choosing to get your marriage license from. Some locations require an appointment and they can answer any specific questions you have.

Option 2: Have the License Shipped to Your Address

Some Oregon counties allow you to apply for your marriage license from afar and have the license mailed to your home address. It has the same requirements except you don’t have to go to a county building to get it. Marriage licenses are valid for 60 days so it gives you plenty of wiggle room to get it sent to you.

Washington County (it’s in Oregon which is very confusing) is one currently offering mailed marriage licenses among others. You can learn more on their website here.

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Finding Someone to Officiate Your Elopement

You probably opted to elope for a more low key experience so hiring an officiant may add some stress. Here’s your 3 main options for officiating:

1. Hire a professional officiant. While it’s a bit more upfront work, this will guarantee you a professional experience and facilitate a space for you two to connect during a day with a lot of emotions. I would argue that a good officiant is one of the best investments you can make in your elopement day (read more about why you should hire a pro here).
   • Be aware that there is a range of services from professional officiants. There’s many who will fill your name into the template they use for every couple. The script will be generic information about love, relationships, etc. There are others who will fully customize your script so it’s more about your journey as a couple, favorite things about each other, favorite memories, etc. Both are good options but make sure you’re asking so you get exactly what you want for your day! If you’re looking for a great officiant who offers custom ceremonies, check out the officiant here at Venturing Vows.
2. If you have some guests coming along, have one of them get ordained. This is a very easy and free process. I always recommend Universal Life Church! You do not need to register with the state/county or pay for any documents from ULC to officiate wedding in Oregon (the rules can be different in other states though). There’s templates online to help your loved one perform a thoughtful ceremony.
   • This option can be really impactful if you have someone special in your life perform the ceremony or can be tricky. You’ll want to set expectations with whoever you select and guide them through creating the ceremony. This can mean more work for you where a professional would take care of it without additional assistance.
3. Hire an elopement photographer who is ordained. Hi, that’s me (along with many other folks in this industry)! We get it, you picked eloping for an experience that narrows it down to just you two. If you want to forgo the fanfare and focus just on your vow exchange, this is a great option. With my couples, I usually let them exchange vow privately while I capture from afar. When they’re done with their exchange, I’ll come close to walk them through “I do’s,” ring exchange, and first kiss/prouncement from behind the camera. It’s a very simple ceremony but it checks all the legal boxes and provides a more private experience.

How do you find witnesses for your marriage license if you don’t have guests?

You need two adult witnesses and an officiant to sign your marriage license. There’s two ways we usually take care of this: flag down other hikers or have your other vendors sign. If you book a videographer, hair and makeup artist, florist, or any other folks we’ll see day of, I’ll ask them to sign as a witness.

If it’s just the 3 of us, we’ll find some fellow hikers at some point in the day. I’ve had so many sweet experiences asking for witnesses on the beach. One was a couple celebrating their 50th anniversary on a roadtrip, another was scouting out the beach for their own elopement the following year, and more.

Your vows are not legally part of getting married which means no one needs to hear them.

The only legally required parts of your ceremony is declaration of intent and pronouncement. Your witnesses do not need to observe your vows or your private experience getting married.

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If reading through this has you very overwhelmed, don’t forget that you can legally get married in your home state and have your ceremony in Oregon be symbolic. This may be an opportunity to host a small event to include loved one who won’t be in attendance at your elopement. As with all things eloping and getting married, you can always make your own rules because it’s your day. Set things up in whatever way will mean the most to you two.

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Check out these other resources!

Questions to Ask Before Booking Your Photographer

Ultimate Guide to Eloping on the Oregon Coast

Actual Oregon Coast Elopement