Some of my favorite moments as an elopement photographer are watching couples share their vows somewhere beautiful, and I understand the appeal of speaking directly to each other without someone else leading the ceremony.

If that’s what you’re picturing, you may be wondering: what states allow self-solemnization? This is a way to legally marry each other without a separate officiant, but you still need a marriage license and must follow the applicable ceremony, witness, and paperwork requirements.

I’m Kristin, a California elopement photographer and planner. This guide explains where self-solemnization is available, which options have restrictions, and how you can plan private personal vows even if your legal ceremony requires an officiant.

Table of Contents

• Why Couples Choose to Marry Themselves
• What Is Self-Solemnization?
• Self-Solemnization Laws by State
• Thinking About Eloping Without an Officiant?
• Can You Self-Solemnize in California?
• What States Allow Self-Solemnization? (Quick List)
• Colorado Self-Solemnization
• Self-Solemnizing a Marriage in California
• Pennsylvania Self-Uniting Marriage License
• Washington D.C. Self-Officiating Marriage
• How Self-Solemnization Actually Works (Step-by-Step)
• Do You Need Witnesses for Self-Solemnization?
• Why Couples Love Self-Solemnization
• States That Are a Little More Confusing (And What to Know)
• Best Places to Elope If You Want to Self-Solemnize
• Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Solemnization
• Important Things to Know Before You Decide
  

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Can You Marry Yourself?

Yes—in certain states, you and your partner can legally marry each other without a separate officiant. This is called self-solemnization or self-uniting marriage.

You still need a marriage license and must follow the ceremony, signing, and filing requirements where you get married. Some locations allow this without religious restrictions, while others recognize it only under specific religious traditions. Witnesses may also be required.

If you’re excited about exchanging vows privately, this could be an option worth exploring. And if your chosen destination requires an officiant, you can still complete the legal ceremony separately and share your personal vows alone.

Below, you’ll find the differences between these options and the requirements to check before choosing your location.

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Why Couples Choose to Marry Themselves

Self-solemnization appeals to couples who want to lead their own ceremony and speak directly to each other. You can share personal vows, keep things simple, or include traditions that matter to you.

Where witness requirements allow, your ceremony can be just the two of you. You can also invite loved ones—marrying without an officiant doesn’t mean you have to celebrate alone.

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What Is Self-Solemnization?

ropriate marriage license and must follow the applicable ceremony, witness, signing, and filing requirements.

Some places also call this self-uniting marriage or self-officiation. Eligibility and procedures differ by location, so confirm the requirements with the office issuing your license before planning your ceremony.

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Thinking About Eloping Without an Officiant?

If you’re picturing a quiet place where you can share your vows privately, I can help you plan that moment.

I’m a California elopement photographer and planner. I help you find a beautiful location, plan time for your vows, and build a day around the things you’re excited to do together.

Most couples marrying in California need an authorized officiant for their legal ceremony. You can complete that ceremony separately, then exchange personal vows during your elopement celebration.

We can plan for both: the legal steps you need to confirm with the county clerk and the private experience you’re looking forward to.

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Can You Self-Solemnize in California?

California does not offer unrestricted self-solemnization like Colorado does. Most couples need an authorized officiant to legally marry here.

A confidential marriage license does not remove the officiant requirement. It removes the witness requirement and keeps the marriage record confidential. Couples must meet the license’s eligibility requirements, including living together as spouses when they apply.

California also has a separate License and Certificate of Non-Clergy Marriage. Under Family Code Section 307, this option applies to members of religious societies or denominations whose traditions do not use clergy to solemnize marriages. It requires two witnesses and is not a general option for any couple who wants to skip an officiant.

If you think you qualify for a non-clergy marriage, contact the county clerk before making your ceremony plans.

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Beautiful Places for Private Vows in California.

You can complete your legal ceremony separately and save your personal vows for a beautiful spot during your elopement celebration. I help you choose the location and timing with scenery, accessibility, and privacy in mind.

Some of my favorite areas to explore with couples include:

• Lake Tahoe—blue water, granite boulders, and mountain overlooks.
• Yosemite National Park—towering cliffs, meadows, and river views.
• San Francisco and the nearby coast—ocean views and the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

These are public destinations, so complete privacy isn’t guaranteed. We’ll also need to check location rules and any permit requirements, even for a symbolic vow exchange.

For more planning details, read my guide on how to elope in California.

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What States Allow Self-Solemnization?

Couples looking for an option without religious eligibility requirements can consider:

• Colorado: Couples can solemnize their own marriage without an officiant or witnesses.
• Pennsylvania: A self-uniting marriage license allows couples to marry without an officiant, but two witnesses must sign.
• Washington, D.C.: Couples can self-officiate without witnesses. D.C. is a district, rather than a state.

Other states recognize certain marriages without a separate officiant under specific religious or cultural provisions. These include California, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, and Nevada. Those exceptions are not interchangeable with unrestricted self-solemnization.

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Self-Solemnization Laws by State

Location	Can you marry without a separate officiant?	Witness requirements
Colorado	Yes, without religious eligibility requirements	None
Pennsylvania	Yes, with a self-uniting marriage license	Two
Washington, D.C.	Yes, through self-officiation	None
California	Only through the non-clergy marriage option for qualifying religious traditions	Two for non-clergy marriages
Wisconsin	Under a qualifying religious tradition	Generally two adult witnesses; military exception applies
Illinois	Under certain religious or tribal traditions	Confirm with the issuing clerk and applicable tradition
Kansas	Under a qualifying religious tradition	Confirm with the issuing clerk
Maine	Specific provisions for Quaker/Friends and Baha’i marriages	Confirm applicable ceremony and recording requirements
Nevada	Specific provisions for Quaker/Friends and certain tribal marriages	Confirm applicable requirements; ordinary ceremonies require an officiant and at least one witness

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Colorado Self-Solemnization

Colorado allows you and your partner to legally marry each other without a separate officiant or witnesses. You don’t need to belong to a particular religion to use this option.

You’ll still need a valid Colorado marriage license. After your ceremony, complete the marriage certificate according to the issuing county’s instructions and return it for recording within 63 days.

This makes Colorado a straightforward option for couples who want a legal ceremony with just the two of them.

Self-Solemnizing a Marriage in California

California’s option for marrying without a separate officiant is limited to members of religious societies or denominations whose traditions do not use clergy to solemnize marriages. Under Family Code Section 307, qualifying couples use a License and Certificate of Non-Clergy Marriage, need two witnesses, and must return the completed document within 10 days.

A confidential marriage license is different. It keeps the marriage record confidential and removes the witness requirement, but an authorized officiant must still perform the legal ceremony.

For most couples, planning private vows in California means having an officiant perform the legal ceremony, or completing that ceremony separately before sharing personal vows during their celebration.

Explore my Yosemite elopement and Lake Tahoe elopement pages for location ideas and planning support.

Pennsylvania Self-Uniting Marriage License

Pennsylvania offers a self-uniting marriage license that allows you and your partner to legally marry without an officiant. You don’t need to be Quaker or belong to a particular religion to choose this option.

Two witnesses are required to sign alongside you. After the ceremony, return the completed paperwork to the issuing office within 10 days.

Request a self-uniting license when you apply, and follow the issuing office’s instructions for completing and returning it.

Washington D.C. Self-Officiating Marriage

Washington, D.C. allows you or your partner to officiate your own legal wedding without a separate officiant or witnesses.

To choose this option, list one of you as the officiant on your marriage license application. Both of you must appear in person at the Marriage Bureau with valid photo identification.

Follow the Marriage Bureau’s instructions for completing and returning your paperwork. This option lets you keep the ceremony just between the two of you, or invite loved ones to celebrate.

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How Self-Solemnization Works, Step by Step

The process depends on where you marry. These steps give you a starting point, but follow the instructions from the office issuing your marriage license.

1. Confirm Eligibility and Apply for Your License

Before booking your ceremony location, confirm that you qualify to marry without a separate officiant.

Ask the issuing office:

• Which license or application option do we need?
• Must we apply in person?
• Is there a waiting period, and when does the license expire?
• Are witnesses required?

In Pennsylvania, request a self-uniting license. In Washington, D.C., identify one of you as the officiant on the application. California’s non-clergy option has specific religious eligibility requirements.

2. Plan Your Ceremony

Choose a location where your ceremony is permitted, and check any permit or reservation requirements.

You can include personal vows, readings, or meaningful traditions while following any legal requirements that apply to your marriage.

If you want the ceremony to be just the two of you, choose an option that does not require witnesses. Colorado and Washington, D.C. allow this; Pennsylvania requires two witnesses.

3. Complete the Marriage Paperwork

Follow the issuing office’s instructions for signatures, witness information, and ceremony details.

The forms differ by location, so don’t assume you should both sign an officiant field. Check anything unclear with the issuing office before completing the document.

4. Return the Completed Document

Return your paperwork to the designated office by its deadline, using an accepted delivery method.

For example, Colorado requires return within 63 days after the marriage, while Pennsylvania requires return within 10 days.

5. Request a Certified Copy

Once your marriage is recorded, follow the recording office’s process to obtain a certified copy. It may require a separate request and fee rather than being mailed automatically.

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Do You Need Witnesses for Self-Solemnization?

This It depends on where you marry and which legal option you use.

• Colorado: No witnesses required.
• Washington, D.C.: No witnesses required for self-officiation.
• Pennsylvania: Two witnesses required for a self-uniting marriage.
• California: Two witnesses required for the limited religious non-clergy marriage option. A confidential license requires no witnesses, but it still requires an authorized officiant.
  

If you want a legal ceremony with just the two of you, confirm that your chosen location allows both self-solemnization and marriage without witnesses.

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Can You Self-Solemnize in Nevada?

For an ordinary civil elopement in Nevada, you need an authorized officiant and at least one witness.

Nevada recognizes specific Quaker/Friends and tribal marriage traditions, but these are limited provisions, not a general self-solemnization option.

If you want a friend or family member to officiate, online ordination alone is not enough. They must obtain the applicable authorization through the county clerk before performing your ceremony.

If you’d prefer to exchange personal vows alone, you can complete your legal ceremony separately and plan a private vow exchange during your celebration.

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What to Confirm Before Choosing Your Destination

Contact the office issuing your marriage license to confirm:

• Whether you qualify to marry without a separate officiant.
• Which license or application option you need.
• Whether witnesses are required.
• Any waiting period and license expiration date.
• How to complete and return the paperwork.

State law sets the legal requirements. Local offices handle applications and can explain the procedures you need to follow.

Want Help Planning Private Vows in California?

If you’re picturing sharing your vows beside the lake, in the mountains, or overlooking the ocean, I’d love to help you plan it.

As your elopement photographer and planner, I help you choose locations, navigate permit information, and build a timeline with room for your vows, photos, and celebrating together. I’ll also point you toward the county clerk’s requirements for your legal ceremony.

Let’s plan your California elopement

Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Solemnization

How do you self-solemnize your marriage?

Confirm that you qualify in your chosen location, obtain the appropriate marriage license, complete your ceremony, and sign and return the paperwork according to the issuing office’s instructions. Include witnesses if required.

What states allow self-solemnization?

Colorado allows couples to self-solemnize without an officiant or witnesses. Pennsylvania offers self-uniting licenses that require two witnesses. Washington, D.C., also allows self-officiation without witnesses.

Other states recognize certain marriages without a separate officiant under specific religious or cultural provisions. See the comparison table above for those distinctions.

What is a self-uniting marriage license?

It’s a marriage license that allows you and your partner to legally marry without a separate officiant. In Pennsylvania, you must request this license option, and two witnesses must sign the paperwork alongside you.

Do you need witnesses for self-solemnization?

Colorado and Washington, D.C., do not require witnesses. Pennsylvania requires two for a self-uniting marriage. California’s limited religious non-clergy marriage option also requires two.

Can you self-solemnize in California?

California has a limited non-clergy marriage option for members of religious societies or denominations whose traditions do not use clergy to solemnize marriages. It requires the appropriate non-clergy marriage document and two witnesses.

A confidential marriage license is different: it removes the witness requirement but still requires an authorized officiant.

Will other states recognize a self-solemnized marriage?

A marriage validly performed under the laws of the jurisdiction where it takes place is generally recognized in other U.S. states. Self-solemnization does not, by itself, make a valid marriage unrecognized elsewhere.

Can we exchange private vows if our state requires an officiant?

Yes. You can complete your legal ceremony separately and share personal vows during your elopement celebration. That vow exchange is symbolic and does not replace the legal marriage requirements.

For California location ideas and planning steps, read my guide on how to elope in California.

Helpful Elopement Resources

• How to Elope in California
• Best Places to Elope in California
• How to Elope in Lake Tahoe
• Eloping Then Having a Wedding: How to Do Both