UPDATED: November 13, 2025
Although the federal government shutdown has ended, ongoing delays at the DC Marriage Bureau may continue. 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 couples get legally married – even if you had not previously obtained your marriage license!
Even during a government shutdown, we are able to help couples obtain a marriage license and get legally married in less than 24 hours. 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!
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 restrictions and ongoing delays.
Some services included in our packages are experiencing delays or modified processing (especially obtaining 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
If you have questions about obtaining a Marriage License or certified copies during a government shutdown, 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. If you are ordering a DC Elopement Package which includes DC certified copies, we will process the request with the court as soon as possible. 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. 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, and can still order Apostille services.
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!
