How to self officiate your wedding in Washington DC
A self-uniting marriage is where the couple are married without the presence of a third party officiant. Only a few states offer this option. Washington DC is one of the few places where you can self officiate your wedding ceremony! Starting in 2014, The District of Columbia allowed couples to self-officiate by selecting that option on their marriage license and returning it completed within 10 days to the courthouse. Both partners must be present at the courthouse when obtaining a license for a self officiated ceremony. The law mandates they cannot marry themselves on courthouse premises — This is a great opportunity to self officiant your wedding at your favorite location in DC and hire a photographer to photograph the ceremony and then photograph you afterwards!
The Marriage Bureau is open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays and located in the Moultrie Courthouse, JM 690
DC Marriage Bureau – Moultrie Courthouse
500 Indiana Avenue, N.W.
Room 4485
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 879-4840
You can view a marriage application HERE directly from DC Courts website. The fee to apply for a marriage license in DC is $45 ($35 for the Marriage Application Fee plus $10.00 for the “Certificate of Marriage” (printing the license)
Here are some images from a self officiated wedding I photographed in 2015:
Learn more about booking your wedding or elopement photography with Jon Fleming Photography by using the contact form or emailing jonflemingphotography@gmail.com
Wedding Photography with Jon Fleming Photography includes Jon Fleming as your lead photographer and an easy to use online gallery of high resolution edited images retelling the story of your wedding day! Photo Booth Rentals include your choice of backdrop, custom designed 4x6 print template, friendly attendant, instant printing, instant social media sharing and online gallery of digital images.
