Do You Need An Officiant In Montana? || EVERYTHING You Need To Know About Getting Married in Montana

Do You Need An Officiant In Montana?

EVERYTHING You Need To Know About Getting Married in Montana

One of the biggest questions we get from our couples is: “How???”

That word encompasses soooo much confusion and overwhelm — you’ve said YES to starting your marriage, and YES to getting hitched in Montana, and then you’re faced with the big HOW.

I get it. Nobody freaking knows how to make it legal — why would you!? The great news is:

Montana makes it about as simple as humanly possible.

WHO CAN CONDUCT A WEDDING IN MONTANA?

Anyone can conduct a wedding in Montana! We highly recommend asking a friend or family member to conduct your ceremony to make it extra personal! If you want more info about marriage laws in Montana, head over here: https://www.montanalawhelp.org/resource/getting-married

HOW DO I FIND AN OFFICIANT?

There are a few amazing officiants in NW Montana — I’d start with Kate Berry Joyful or Sarah Harding.

Officiants book up SO SUPER QUICKLY, just like every GNP vendor, so inquire early if you really want an officiant!

If you can’t bring along a friend or family member, and you can’t imagine being married by a stranger — consider self-solemnization! More info below.

WHAT IS SELF-SOLEMNIZATION?

Self-solemnization is literally marrying yourselves — it is an intimate, private, beautiful option and includes reciting your personal vows without anyone conducting a ceremony. This is super popular with our elopement couples! More info on self-solemnization here: https://marriagelicense.io/us/montana

HOW DO WE MAKE THIS THING LEGAL?

Our GNP + Flathead Valley couples can apply for your marriage license online here — there is a $53 fee: https://flathead.mt.gov/clerk_of_court/_marriage_application.php

For our couples getting married in a different county, find the applicable courthouse! Don’t forget you’ll need your license or passport to pick up the license.

After the license is signed, drop it off or mail it to the correct courthouse along with this form: https://flathead.mt.gov/clerk_of_court/documents/RequestforML.pdf

I hope this helped demystify the marriage + elopement process a bit — don’t forget to check out our experience page to find out our pricing and how we serve adventurous couples!