Getting Married in DC

If you’re wondering how to get married in Washington, DC then look no further – you’ve come to the right place! DC Elopements is the area’s #1 marriage services provider, and our company flawlessly performs over 500 marriages every year. We are proud to serve all couples, and we offer a full suite of marriage options for you to choose from.

Washington, DC’s marriage laws are very friendly to couples traveling from out-of-town to get married in DC. The marriage application by proxy process allows for a third party (like our company) to apply for and obtain your marriage license, so you never have to set foot inside the DC Superior Court. Legal marriages in DC can only be performed by someone who is authorized and registered with the DC Marriage Bureau (like our staff of officiants) and we can even take care of obtaining certified copies of your marriage license after you’ve been legally married.

Below are our options for legal marriages in Washington, DC. Click on the links for each item to learn more about that process:

DC Legal Marriage Packages

• DC Legal Marriage Package “A”
• DC Legal Marriage Package “B”
• DC Legal Marriage Package “C”
• Package Options and Information
• Frequently Asked Questions

Package Options and Information

• DC Marriage License Signing Service — An authorized professional officiant will meet you at our standard location in Northwest Washington, DC and sign your marriage license. Both parties being married must be physically present at the signing, and the entire appointment lasts no longer than 15 minutes. If you would prefer to move the signing appointment somewhere other than our standard location, the officiant will be happy to meet you anywhere else within the city limits of the District of Columbia for an additional $75 fee.[GO BACK]
• Bring Your Own Marriage License — For DC Legal Marriage Package “A” customers, you will need to apply for and obtain your own marriage license from the Marriage Bureau at the DC Superior Court prior to your signing appointment.
  
  Because there can be a long wait time to enter through the security line at the courthouse, and because there can also be a long wait to be seen inside the DC Marriage Bureau office, we recommend obtaining your marriage license at least one day prior to your signing appointment. If that is not possible, we strongly recommend arriving at the courthouse as early as possible (the doors for security typically open at 8:30am EST) and avoid scheduling your signing appointment with us prior to 1pm EST. This will give you 3-4 hours to obtain your license prior to your signing appointment, and give you the best chance of avoiding missing your appointment. There are no refunds for missed signing appointments, and we cannot perform the service without your valid DC marriage license in hand.

  Please Note: You will need to schedule your signing appointment with us prior to applying for your marriage license, because you will need the name of your specific officiant in order for the staff at the Marriage Bureau to print your license. Please see our DC Marriage License Requirements page for more information about the specific types of identification and documentation you will need to bring with you to apply for your marriage license.[GO BACK]

• Marriage License by Proxy Service — Our most popular service! We will collect all the necessary information and documents from you and submit your DC marriage license application in person at the DC Marriage Bureau, pay for and obtain your marriage license, and send it with your officiant on your service date. Includes the $45 marriage application fee to the DC Court and the court’s transaction fees. For more information about this service, click here: DC Marriage License Application by Proxy[GO BACK]
• Marriage License Certified Copy Service — After your service, we will hand-deliver your signed marriage license to the DC Marriage Bureau and obtain one official “regular” certified copy for your records, and ship it to you via USPS Priority Mail with tracking. Additional “regular” certified copies are available for $15 each and “triple seal” certified copies are available for $25 each. Apostille service and international shipping are available for an additional fee. For more information about this service, click here: DC Marriage License Certified Copies [GO BACK]

Frequently Asked Questions

• How far in advance do we need to book? — While we can sometimes accommodate same-day or next-day marriages with an additional rush fee, we prefer to have as much advance notice as possible to plan and book your services. The more time we have to plan, the more options you’ll have and the less expensive it will be.
• How do we get the process started? — The first (and best) step is to contact us by filling out our web form so we have all of your information, and we will get in touch with you quickly to answer any questions you may have and schedule a free consultation. We look forward to speaking with you!