Venturing Vows Officiant

You should consider hiring a wedding officiant who offers you a custom ceremony.
You may be thinking that you just need someone to say the words, to sign the papers, to get it over with. And maybe that’s what you need! But, I offer my clients a personalized wedding experience, and I step into the role of a historian of their relationship.
Sure, I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. You remember the day you met, your first date, that fun vacation, that funny accident. But there’s something special about being reminded of all that right before you make the promise to love your partner for the rest of your days. Being reminded of where you’ve been fully prepares you to accept and be excited for where you are going.
The personal touches are my favorite parts of your wedding ceremony. Little phrases you use with one another, a favorite food… or perhaps a shared love of birds. These are the things that make your wedding or elopement ceremony beautiful, instead of something you have to get through to get to the fun parts of your day. So please, consider hiring an officiant who will provide you with a custom, personal ceremony that meets all your needs.

So you’ve decided to get married on the Oregon Coast! What do you need to do to get ready for your ceremony before your wedding day?

1. Your marriage license. You can pick up your license at any county clerk’s office in Oregon, and it is valid in all Oregon Counties. Usually, the marriage license process includes a fee of around $50. You should fill out the application online, and you need to pick it up at least 3 days before your wedding ceremony. Often, the clerk’s office will waive the waiting period for people traveling from out of town who want to pick up the license, for a fee of $10. The clerk’s office will ask for photo ID to prove that you are at least 18. Mail-in marriage licenses are also available in Oregon. For example, Tillamook County mainly processes licenses through email communication, and then can mail you your license when it is ready.

2. An officiant! (I can help with this 😎). Your officiant has to be either: An Oregon judge, an active military judge, or a religious leader authorized by a religious organization. I fall into this third category, as I’m technically a reverend with the Universal Life Church. If you aren’t religious don’t worry, I offer ceremonies that are non-religious.

3. Two witnesses. This one might be easy, if you have family or friends coming. Or, maybe you booked a package deal with me, and and then your photo/video team can be your witnesses. If you need an additional witness, we can often flag down someone on the trail to sign, or, for a small extra fee, I can bring witnesses.

4. Get married within 60 days of receiving your license. After 60 days, your license will no longer be valid and you’ll need to apply for a new one.

These are good guidelines to get you started, but you should definitely call the county where you plan to get married and ask them questions.

If you’re stressed about this part of your elopement, one of the best moves you can make is hiring a pro to be your officiant. I can help you through!

What should a good officiant bring to your day? A ceremony designed for you!

When I meet my couples for the first time, I walk them through the process of working with me, and spend time getting to know them. I try to identify the things about their relationship that are important to them, and I pay attention to the things they find funny.

I also have all my couples fill out a questionnaire, so that when it’s time for me to sit down and write the script, I have plenty of personal stories to create a ceremony that is meaningful to you.

The most important thing you can do is to keep your eye out for an officiant who wants to perform the ceremony that best meets your needs.

Do you want to read through your ceremony before your officiant performs it?

The truth is, that’s up to you! Generally, I tell my clients that it can be a lot of fun to be surprised by your ceremony on your wedding day. I have each of my couples fill out questionnaires to talk about their relationships and the person they love. I then fill out your ceremony with those details, and on the day of your wedding, you might just be surprised by the wonderful things your partner had to say.

But, some people don’t like surprises! And that’s ok! Your wedding SHOULDN’T be stressful, but sometimes it is, and I don’t want to make it worse by leaving you wondering what I’m going to say.

Lastly, if you are worried about the structure of the script, but still want to be surprised, I can show you an example script, so that you know what to expect.

The important thing is communication. When you are seeking the perfect officiant, keep in mind how you want your day to look. If you aren’t sure, ask your officiant for advice! We do this job because we want couples to have the best day they can have.

Did you know you need a permit to have your ceremony in the Redwoods?
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This is so important! First off, it’s important to adhere to park policies so we can continue to have ceremonies in the park. Additionally, it’d make for a hard day if you were removed from the area mid ceremony or caught before you get to your ceremony location.
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What’s the best way to deal with this? Hiring someone with Redwood experience helps lots! If not, search “Redwood National Park wedding.” Go to the NPS official webpage on weddings. It features the regulations and contact info if you have more questions.
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Another pro tip: make sure you sign the license in the state you picked it up from! Many of my RW clients move onto the Oregon Coast next. You can have your ceremony in the Redwoods with an OR license but you’ll have to fill out paperwork and legalities in Oregon.
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Now you see me…now you don’t!
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There’s a time and a place for me as your officiant. Being in your first kiss and vow photos isn’t one of them! This refocuses the images to you two and the emotion of those moments.
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Who you think you’re hiring when you are working with the Venturing Vows team vs who you are actually hiring. We’re all about being your genuine, goofy selves and we hope you feel like you can be yourself when you work with us.

Why should you have your ceremony on the Southern Oregon Coast? Because of places like this, of course! There are so many unbelievable places to elope in Curry County and Coos County. I personally prefer these hidden gems to the more famous locations, because they give couples an opportunity for a beautiful, private ceremony in a gorgeous place. With so many options, you can also pick the location according to accessibility and how many guests you will have.

This is why it’s a great idea to hire local! I’m here to help you find your perfect ceremony spot.