how to solemnize your own marriage in colorado

Wisconsin allows self solemnization; however, you must sign a form acknowledging that the state can’t guarantee your marriage will be legally recognized in all cases. Self solemnizing your marriage in Colorado is very easy! Self solemnization simply means that you two are your own witnesses and that you don’t need an officiant. Washington D.C. also allows self solemnization with no witnesses or officiants. Go to a county clerk and recorder’s office. california . BUT there are plenty of couples who know they want to have a small number of guests present at their self solemnized elopement ceremony, but t Colorado. I’ve been in your shoes with my own elopement, and that’s why I’m in this industry in the first place. I want to help. They didn’t have anyone present at their elopement (aside from myself!). It’s called self solemnization, and Colorado is the easiest state to do it in. Once you’ve submitted the application, you can go into the office and pick up your marriage license. Helping couples create their dream day is what I do best! Friends or relatives cannot solemnize a marriage unless they are … Your wedding ceremony is your wedding ceremony, and the officiant you choose can make all the difference when personalizing it. Clergy ordained out of state do not need to be registered in Colorado to perform a wedding. So if you’re considering self solemnizing, I’m here to cheer you on. Colorado Self Solemnization: How you can marry yourself! The quick answer? Relive that experience. I’m here to help you with all of the planning resources you need to have the most amazing elopement day ever! Looking for a way to legally marry yourself? We have an episode all about self solemnization, if you want to learn more about how you can officiate your own wedding. Share And Recap Your Love Story With Each Other During Your Colorado Self Solemnization Ceremony. And what do you need to know to make your self uniting marriage happen? Colorado is one of a select few states that allows couples to self solemnize, making it especially appealing for couples looking to have the most intimate adventure wedding possible. And as an elopement photographer who specializes in super intimate weddings like self uniting elopements, I’m here to help. To see what Karie and Jared’s self uniting marriage ceremony looked like, you can find their blog post here. You and your significant other will simply both sign on the line where the officiant typically would sign, since you’ve officiated your own wedding. Colorado Revised Statute 14-02-0109 allows couples to perform their own wedding ceremony with or without religious authorization. We wanted to start our lives together elevated from all the noise with the understanding that we only wanted to go higher in our lives from that point. Couples themselves may solemnize their marriage (C.R.S 14-2-109) in Colorado as well. Self solemnizing your marriage in Colorado is very easy! They had each member of their families come up and share words of advice and stories with them. How to self solemnize your wedding in Colorado. A couple may also choose to solemnize their own marriage, but not anyone can solemnize their marriage. Unlike the previous two elopements we just talked about, Sophie and David did have their family present at their self solemnization elopement. No problem at all. All of the things that would otherwise happen at a non self solemnized ceremony can still happen with a self uniting marriage. If you want an interfaith celebrant to lead your fusion service, we'll help you find one. Fort Collins Adventure Session In The Rocky Mountains, Our Top 3 Tips For Choosing Your Engagement Photo Outfits. And Illinois, Nevada, Kansas, and Maine allow forms of self-solemnization as part of certain types of religious ceremonies. Colorado law allows couples to self solemnize, or perform their own marriage (C.R.S. They opted for a shorter ceremony, only about 5 minutes in length, where they shared the journey they’d been on together over the years. With self-solemnization, you eliminate the need of a third party officiating. Apply for a Colorado marriage license, self-solemnize it (act as your own officiant), then get it certified at the same time. It really is that simple. Take a peek at their self solemnization elopement here. Couples themselves may solemnize their own marriage (C.R.S 14-2-109). You can still say your vows to each other. If you’re traveling to Colorado for your self solemnization elopement, make sure you arrive on a weekday to pick up your marriage license before your self solemnization. Apply for a marriage license. How many other people can you say that they married themselves? Write them down. They read the notes to each other before sharing their own personal vows. You can pick up your marriage license for your Colorado self solemnization elopement at any county Clerk and Recorder office in Colorado, as long as it’s on a weekday during their office hours. Monifa + Wyatt’s choice to self solemnize was one of their favorite parts of their Colorado elopement day. It’s the same marriage license as a traditional wedding, but you’ll fill it out a little differently. You can create your own unique unity ceremony during your self solemnized elopement, jump into an alpine lake after saying your vows, or scream “I do” at the top of your lungs into the Rocky Mountains. Ordained members of religious clergy such as priests, ministers, and rabbis are also authorized to solemnize marriages in Colorado Springs. When you work with me, you’re getting more than just a photographer. Pennsylvania and California only require two witnesses; officiants are not required. It’s the same marriage license as a traditional wedding, but you’ll fill it out a little differently. Photographing couples on the most special day of their lives is a true honor for me. It’s called self-solemnization. Keep in mind that if you have a non-officiant relative or friend lead the ceremony, they can sign as a witness, but they won’t sign as an officiant. You can have pre-prepared vows, loosely follow an elopement wedding ceremony script where you both take turns sharing your story together, or you can simply share what you’re feeling in that exact moment. So it's one in-office transaction. Please consult your local County Clerk and Recorder for additional information on self solemnization laws and procedures.***. Chat With Us About Photographing Your Self Uniting Marriage. I love the idea of taking a few minutes after your elopement ceremony to just throw out a few ideas for a marriage bucket list. 5 years ago. If you’re looking to get your license in Denver, you can go here. You’ve made an awesome and unique choice. These traditions you create on this day are traditions you can even do for years to come. What If We Still Want To Have Guests Or An Adventure Elopement Photographer Present? The only people you need for a self uniting marriage are you and your partner. As I mentioned earlier, just because you choose to have a self uniting marriage ceremony doesn’t mean you can’t have loved ones present. Colorado is the only state that currently allows couples to legally marry themselves, without any caveats or the need for any witnesses or officiants whatsoever.Washington D.C. also allows self solemnization with no witnesses or officiants. What will our ceremony look like if we self solemnize? "Couples themselves may solemnize their own marriage (C.R.S 14-2-109) in Colorado. And their story ended up going viral, sharing their intentions behind both their choice to elope and have a self uniting marriage ceremony. Take 5 Minutes After You Say "I Do" To Create A Little Marriage Bucket List. Colorado is the only state that currently allows couples to legally marry themselves, without any caveats or the need for any witnesses or officiants whatsoever. Similar to Karie and Jared, they also opted to not have any witnesses present at their self uniting marriage ceremony. Whether or not you’ve chosen to self-solemnize, Colorado’s marriage license is the same. Illinois. hike to the top of a mountain to say your vows, Denver, Colorado based photographer specializing in Adventure Elopements. Are there any other states that allow you to self solemnize your wedding? Mackenzie and Jared did an amazing job of officiating their own wedding. Especially with the rise in couples looking to have smaller, more exclusive weddings, the concept of a self solemnization elopement is definitely one to consider. wyoming, Empowering You To Have Your Adventure Wedding, Your Way. Couples themselves may solemnize their own marriage (C.R.S. Also, beware, if you move to another state, they may not recognize your marriage. Use that U.S. marriage certificate along with the foreign marriage certificate to effect a name change with the Department of Revenue. Yes, even though the majority of states in the U.S. don’t allow self solemnization to occur in their state, your self uniting marriage is just as legitimate and legal as anyone else’s. washington . Check out some of our favorite elopement and adventure wedding planning resources: Should You be Eloping? So if that sounds like your vibe, I’d love to chat with you about your Colorado self solemnization elopement. And then every year, reflect back on the goals you two set during your self-solemnization ceremony. But how does self solemnization work? And honestly? Your marriage license is valid and ready to be used for your Colorado self solemnization as soon as you get it (unlike some states that require a waiting period before use)! Self solemnization is where the couple legally marries themselves, without the need for an officiant or a witness to be present to sign their marriage certificate. Keep scrolling to learn more! Yes, and while self solemnization might seem confusing at first, self solemnized elopements are honestly such an easy and empowering way to get married. That's the part you have to be careful about. So can a couple marry themselves in Colorado? You get to call the shots and do whatever the heck you want. Or more simply put, you as the couple can marry without the presence of a third-party officiant. utah . Information on this page may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. Colorado DOES NOT require the signature of an officiant to solemnize the marriage. Not everyone loves tradition, but that doesn’t make your adventure wedding or elopement any less important. 14-2-109). Instead, they read a poem during their ceremony, followed up by them pronouncing themselves. It’s your day so you get to make the rules! Really the options are endless! You can pick up your marriage license for your Colorado self solemnization elopement at any county Clerk and Recorder office in Colorado, as long as it’s on a weekday during their office hours. Just remember that you and your partner will each need to bring a valid photo ID and you’ll pay a $30 fee. In Colorado, a couple simply signs the license and sends it in to be officially recorded. Your elopement, your rules. Or you could try things like hand-fasting, sage smudging, or wine blending. colorado . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Think of them more like a speaker at your ceremony than an officiant. It’s pretty incredible, if you ask me. You only need the signatures of the couple and someone with solemnizing authority (a minster or judge). I’ve included a few ideas below to get you started! Colorado allows couples to solemnize their own marriage. There’s no need to have anything written or rehearsed if that doesn’t feel like you. So, have your friend perform the wedding ceremony, and then “self-solemnize” (fancy word for signing the license yourself) to make it legal. First Published: April 2019Updated on February 8, 2021. This is a wonderful option if you want your day to truly be about just the two of you. You and your partner can really think about all of your hopes and dreams for your marriage. To do this, a couple need only indicate such on the marriage certificate form on the third line, indicating “themselves.” Only authorized individuals may solemnize a marriage. So you can forget the work, and focus on having fun! As a Colorado elopement photographer, I pride myself on not just documenting your Colorado self solemnization elopement, but helping you navigate the little details as well — like helping you figure out the perfect time of year for your mountain elopement ceremony or whether or not preparing some sort of elopement wedding ceremony script would be a good idea. These traditions you create on this day are traditions you can even do for years to come. Just because you’ve chosen to self solemnize doesn’t mean your Colorado self solemnization ceremony needs to be completely different than it would otherwise be. Illinois law states that "if no individual acting alone solemnized the marriage, both parties to the marriage, shall complete the marriage certificate form and forward it to the county clerk within 10 days after such marriage is … In fact, out of all the couples I work with, more than half of them choose to have a self solemnization or self uniting marriage ceremony. In order to get married by proxy, both of you must be legal adults, and either of you must be a Colorado resident serving overseas in the U.S. armed forces. The only thing that varies is the way you fill out the license on your self solemnized elopement day. I‘ve even had couples spend their self solemnization ceremonies just whispering privately to each other while they admire the view…no pre-written vows or anything. All content in this article regarding self solemnization, self uniting marriage ceremonies, and marriage laws is for general informational purposes only. Colorado is one of just a few states, including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, that has legalized the act of self-uniting a marriage without the presence of a third-party officiant. You do NOT have to go to a Judge or clergy. There are a few other states (Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Nevada, Kansas, and Maine) that have a form ofself-uniting marriage, but there are caveats. Your Colorado self solemnization ceremony doesn’t need to be a short 5 minutes if you don’t want it to be. You can still share your first kiss. I think this is a huge opportunity to really dig in and reflect on your relationship. Complete the marriage license within 35 days. The couple can essentially perform the legal solemnization of their own marriage, which will be recognized as a legal marriage throughout all of The United States. For a list of judges who perform marriages you may access the 4th Judicial District Court website. This procedure is done without any additional paperwork, as the two simply sign their names on the officiant's line. File the license back with the clerk and recorder’s office within 63 days of the wedding. Yes, once you file the paperwork with a Colorado Clerk and Recorder’s office, your marriage is legal just the same as any other type of wedding. You can find the blog post for Sophie and David’s elopement here. Required fields are marked *. Out-of-state Clergy need not be registered in Colorado. There are so many options when you’re no longer expected to incorporate typical, traditional wedding standards to your self solemnization elopement ceremony. That includes everything from assistance with location ideas, timeline planning, and lots more free resources. How to Know if an Adventure Elopement is Right for You, The Ultimate Elopement Planning Checklist, The Modern Elopement Definition: How Elopements Have Changed. You’ve got this! Self uniting marriages are just as legitimate as every other type of marriage. However, friends or relatives cannot solemnize their marriage. In a traditional wedding, an officiant will share a couple’s story with their guests. Your email address will not be published. Yes, with Colorado self solemnization you still acquire the same marriage license. The couple can simply sign the marriage license themselves! Your email address will not be published. Laura. Most states don’t let you have a self uniting marriage ceremony, and Colorado is one of the few that does. The state of Colorado is one of the few places in the United States that allows people to solemnize their own marriage. BUT there are plenty of couples who know they want to have a small number of guests present at their self solemnized elopement ceremony, but they just love the idea of being able to marry themselves. This site has more info on the marriage laws in various states. This means the couple can sign on the officiant line to make the marriage legal. Clergy need not be registered in Colorado. Throw Out Any And All Thoughts. It costs $30 and you need both parties’ social security numbers and valid forms of identification. The District of Columbia allows couples to officiate their own wedding. If you’re looking to get your license in Denver, you can go here. Dream Big. If you’re local to Colorado, I recommend getting your marriage license at least a week before your Colorado self solemnization, because it’s one less thing to have to worry about before you elope. Just like with Sophie and David, Amanda and Peter wanted their parents and siblings present at their elopement ceremony, but they still wanted to self solemnize. Although the couple may solemnize their own marriage, a friend or relative may not solemnize the marriage unless they are authorized to perform marriages. Put those ideas to memory. And Amanda and Peter themselves actually decided not to read their private vows during the ceremony but save them for later. Get in touch and let’s chat about your vision! Or check out more elopement planning resources…. I’m more than just a photographer. From a legal standpoint, you are still pronouncing yourselves married. There are a few other states that have a form of self-uniting marriage, but there are caveats. This is a great time to set intentions for your upcoming life together. You can find the blog post for their elopement here, if you want to see what their self uniting marriage ceremony looked like. You can exchange your own vows, exchange rings, and even read sentimental readings or letters to each other. You can still share your first kiss. Or you can write little notes to each other every day in the week leading up to your Colorado self solemnization elopement, and then read them to each other during the ceremony itself. See more. If you are from out of state and self-solemnize your wedding in Colorado, it is still recognized as a legal marriage across state lines. 14-2-109). And we were right….once we got to the top of that mountain we just felt so free! Honestly, there’s a bit of excitement and novelty to the idea of self solemnization. Karie and Jared kept things very simple for their self solemnization elopement ceremony in the mountains of Colorado. And honestly, the instructions for self solemnizing marriages in Colorado are pretty simple. In short, however you want! Yup, you heard that right. And if you’re worried about how to fill out your marriage license after your self uniting ceremony, you can always ask the county clerk and recorder to show you where exactly to fill things in for a self solemnization. You and your partner simply sign on the line where the officiant would typically sign. They had one family member come up and say a few words and help with the ring exchange, but other than that, Sophie and David pronounced themselves for the first time and essentially acted as their own officiants. It means you can come to Colorado anytime, pick up a $30 marriage license from almost any DMV or County Clerk & Recorder office, go on an adventure just the two of you, say your vows, sign your license, turn it back in — and that’s a LEGIT legal wedding. Colorado is the only state that allows the parties to be married (the bride and groom) to officiate their own ceremony. But with a Colorado self solemnization and self uniting marriage ceremonies you don’t have an officiant. You can take as much or as little time as you need! In fact, about 75% of the elopements I document are self solemnization elopements. Colorado judges are authorized to solemnize marriages in Colorado Springs. Personally, I’m a big believer that Colorado is one of the best places to have an elopement, and one of the key reasons (aside from the epic mountain views) is the fact that you can get married without any witnesses or an officiant present — also known as a Colorado self solemnization elopement or a self uniting marriage. P.S. You just fill out your marriage license differently than you normally would. They must apply for paperwork from the County Courthouse in order to do this. The nice thing about this type of self uniting marriage? oregon . Alternatively, in the state of Colorado, the couple can choose to solemnize their own marriage. You must designate on a power of attorney form who will be your stand-in at the ceremony. Cool right?! My husband Ed joins me as we discuss all sorts of elopement topics, from the perspective of a couple who has eloped too. That mountaintop, and marrying ourselves without an officiant or witnesses, felt like the freest, dopest, Blackest, most revolutionary thing that we could do. It’s called self solemnization, and Colorado is one of a small number of states that allows this type of self uniting marriage ceremony. Others who can solemnize a marriage are judges, retired judges, magistrates, Indian tribe officials and clergy. Self solemnization in Colorado is a nice elopement option for couples who don’t want to have a single person in attendance. Their ceremony was on the longer end, lasting about 30 minutes. As of this writing, a Colorado marriage or civil union may be solemnized by the following: Judge, Court Magistrate, Religious or Tribal Official – OR – the couple themselves! I want to be a resource to you during the whole adventure elopement process, whether you’re looking for details on how to solemnize your own marriage in Colorado or if you’re trying to figure out whether or not to hike in your wedding attire. The incredible thing about self uniting marriage ceremonies is that they put the power back in your hands to do what you want. You two can take turns sharing your story with each other: recapping first impressions, sharing important moments in your relationship, and letting each other know what the other means to you. Unlike traditional weddings that go by in a rushed blur, when you choose to have a Colorado self solemnization elopement, you can really take time to be present and in the moment. Officiating your own wedding doesn’t make it any less legitimate. But I’ve made it my mission to take it one step further than that. Solemnize definition, to perform the ceremony of (marriage). This is sometimes referred to as a “Quaker Marriage” from its roots in Pennsylvania, which has recognized such marriages for centuries. I recently launched our podcast “The How To Elope Podcast” to help couples like you navigate the elopement process. Because the State of Colorado does not require any specific legal wording within your wedding ceremony, your ceremony can be exactly the way you want it and your performer can be anyone you choose. You’ll want to first fill out an application online to speed up the process. Denver County Court maintains a list of judges who perform weddings during the week, on weekends, and in the evenings. You simply have to sign it within 35 days of acquiring it, and it must be returned within 63 days. There really is nothing more “Colorado” than self solemnizing in the mountains. You choose the best CO Wedding Officiant. Chat With Us About Your Colorado Self Solemnized Elopement! How can you officiate your own wedding? §14-2-109(1)). Yes. According to the Colorado State official website, the following parties can legally perform a marriage in Colorado:A judge of the courtA court magistrateA retired judge of the courtA public official whose powers include solemnization of marriagesClergyThe parties to the marriage. Whether you live in Colorado or are traveling to another destination in the United States, you’re still married, even if your elopement was a Colorado self solemnization ceremony. But in addition to sharing their story and vows, Mackenzie and Jared also brought notes from their loved ones along to their self solemnization. Hi I’m Kim, a Denver, Colorado based photographer specializing in Adventure Elopements in Colorado and worldwide! If you want your college basketball coach to officiate your secular "I dos," ask them to get ordained.If you want to get married in your family's house of worship, you should. This means that you do not need an officiant or witnesses. It doesn’t get more empowering or exciting than that. It can look very similar to other, more traditional wedding ceremonies if you’d like it to. Can you officiate your own wedding in Colorado? They must apply for paper work from the County Courthouse in … Get more elopement and microwedding info here! Create Your Own Unique Wedding Traditions During Your Self Uniting Marriage Ceremony. Ultimately, you can self solemnize, but you can't have friends or family pronounce you as husband and wife. You’ll want to first fill out an application online to speed up the process. You and your partner simply sign on the line where the officiant would typically sign. The solemnizing official will complete your marriage certificate. Not only does this save a bit of money, it also gives lends an intensely personal aspect to the wedding day. ‘ve even had couples spend their self solemnization ceremonies just whispering privately to each other while they admire the view…no pre-written vows or anything. She's seen many instances of that due to the self-solemnization laws that other states don't recognize.

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