UPDATED: October 1, 2023
Due to the potential of another federal government shutdown and ongoing delays at the DC Marriage Bureau generally, we have compiled the most up-to-date information here and will be updating this page as new information becomes available. If you have any questions regarding these updates or how our services have been affected, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to assist you. Thank you!
YES, we can still help DC residents get legally married during a federal government shutdown, even if you had not previously obtained your marriage license! Please read the below updates on how specific services are currently affected, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to book a package today!
IMPORTANT NOTE
Due to ongoing service delays at the DC Marriage Bureau, we are currently recommending that all couples who need to get married within the next 3 months book our Legal Online Marriage Package rather than attempting to apply for a DC marriage license online. Our customers continue to report delays of up to 8 weeks or more for delivery of DC marriage licenses and certified copies, even when they are ordered online.
Until delays of online orders at the DC Marriage Bureau are no longer an issue, it is easier, faster, and more secure to get legally married and obtain a certified copy of your marriage license by using our Legal Marriage Package “B”, Simple Elopements Package “B”, or any of our Elopement Experiences™ Packages, which all include our Online Marriage Officiant Service.
LEGAL MARRIAGE & ELOPEMENT PACKAGES
DC Elopements is still able to perform all services included in our DC Legal Marriage and Washington DC Elopement Packages, and our customers are still getting married every week despite the restrictions and ongoing delays.
Some services included in our packages are experiencing delays or modified processing (especially obtaining marriage licenses and certified copies from the DC Marriage Bureau), but rest assured that we are still able to help you get married as quickly and efficiently as possible. Couples using our Legal Online Marriage service alongside our in-person elopement ceremonies are not experiencing any delays.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Due to policy changes and ongoing service delays at the DC Superior Court, the DC Marriage Bureau is experiencing severe delays in processing time. Our customers have reported wait times of up to 8 weeks or more to process new online applications for DC marriage licenses.
The DC Marriage Bureau reopened after the pandemic for in-person service, but our customers continue to report delays obtaining marriage licenses. Applicants may still travel to the DC Superior Court to apply in person, but must sign in and wait in the hallway for their name to be called. Our customers have reported wait times of up to 3 hours during peak times, so please be sure to allow enough time if you plan to apply in person rather than use our Legal Online Marriage Package.
Due to the ongoing delays, we are strongly recommending that all our couples use our Online Marriage Officiant Service rather than attempting to obtain a DC Marriage License online or in person. This new service allows us to perform your legal marriage in another jurisdiction online by video conference, and then provide the remaining elopement services in person in Washington DC as usual. In many cases, we are able to help couples get legally married the same business day using our online service.
If you have questions about obtaining a DC Marriage License, or are a current customer needing an update on the status of your submitted application, please contact us as soon as possible.
CERTIFIED COPIES
We are still able to obtain regular certified copies and “triple seal” copies of DC marriage licenses, but the process takes longer than usual. No “expedited” service is presently available due to ongoing delays in logging return copies at the DC Marriage Bureau. If you are ordering a DC Elopement Package which includes DC certified copies, we will process the request with the court immediately following your marriage. As soon as we receive the certified copies back from the court, they will be mailed directly to you.
Apostille Marriage License authentication services are currently taking approximately three weeks to obtain once we receive triple seal certified copies from the DC Marriage Bureau and submit them to the the Office of Authentications at the Department of State.
Customers who are not yet married and need to obtain certified or apostille copies of their marriage license are strongly encouraged to use our Legal Online Marriage Package rather than attempting to get married using a DC marriage license. With this service, you will receive a blockchain certified digital copy the same day of your marriage and a paper certified copy by mail in about 5 days, as opposed to 2-3 months using a DC marriage license.
If you have any questions regarding the information on this page, or to report outdated or inaccurate information, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you!