How to Elope in North Carolina
There are so many ways to get married in North Carolina that it can be overwhelming. Wedding days aren’t one-sized-fits-all, so why should your ceremony be any different? I’ve laid out a few different ways to elope in North Carolina legally if you don’t know where to start.
FILE YOUR MARRIAGE PAPERWORK BEFORE OR AFTER YOUR ELOPEMENT DAY.
You won’t technically be married on your wedding day, but you won’t have to deal with the legalities. This allows you more flexibility in how you spend your day and who you spend your day with (or without). In North Carolina, you have to have two witnesses and an officiant, so if you want it to just be you two and don’t have enough vendors to count as witnesses, this is a great option.
This is also a great option if you want to elope somewhere that may be logistically complicated.
Your marriage certificate will show a different day than the day you physically elope, but it’s just a piece of paper. Celebrate your anniversary on whatever day you like!
HAVE A CEREMONY AND SHARE YOUR VOWS PRIVATELY.
Share your vows privately and have your legal ceremony at another point in the day with your officiant and witnesses. This is great if your family wants to be a part of your day but you don’t want to share your intimate vows in front of anyone.
I have a lot of couples choose this option, especially if their family is adamant about being part of their wedding. While I strongly lean on the side of “it’s your wedding day, do what you want”, I also understand that sometimes it’s impossible to get family to understand that. Celebrate with your family, make it legal, but save your intimate vows for a moment just the two of you.
SHARE YOUR VOWS DURING YOUR CEREMONY.
Have one ceremony where you say your vows and make it legally official. This is the most traditional way to do it, and sometimes the easiest. Whether you have friends/family in attendance, or it’s just the two of you, this is a great option. You can write your personal vows or you can have an officiant write your full ceremony script for you.
NORTH CAROLINA MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS
All information below is from the NC Courts website.
To elope in North Carolina, couples must obtain a marriage license before the ceremony. The ceremony must be conducted by a recognized officiant and two witnesses must sign the marriage license. Both parties must solemnly declare their intent to marry. If you want to elope just the two of you, your vendors can act as witnesses. If you have a videographer and photographer, you’re all set! 😉 You could even have passerbys be witnesses!
You can get a marriage license from the Register of Deeds in any county in the state. In general, both partners must visit the Register of Deeds office, though some counties allow online applications to be submitted before visiting the office to save time. Applicants for a marriage license must pay a fee and fill out a form stating their names, ages, marital status, and intention to marry.
Applicants must provide either a Social Security number or a notarized statement that the applicant is ineligible to receive a Social Security number. The Register of Deeds may require proof of age, such as a government-issued ID or birth certificate. The Register of Deeds may also require proof of divorce if either partner was previously married. Because requirements can vary, you should contact the Register of Deeds in your county with any specific questions.
The marriage license must be issued before the wedding. North Carolina has no required waiting period between the issuance of the marriage license and the wedding. A marriage license expires after 60 days if the wedding has not taken place, and applicants must apply again if the wedding does not occur within 60 days.
Are you ready to elope in North Carolina? I’m here to help in anyway I can!