Category Archive

self-uniting

In some states, you can get married without an officiant! Check the rules in your region to see if self-uniting or self-solemnizing wedding is possible for you… Current self-solemnizing states include California, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Kansas, and Pennsylvania.

NYC to Hawaii: this pair self-united at their Hawaiian elopement

NYC to Hawaii: this pair self-united at their elopement in Oahu

Tammi and George are New Yorkers who rocked a tiny, self-officiated elopement in Oahu, Hawaii. You’ll want to see her amazing Alexander McQueen black dress and flower crown, plus George’s matching black suit, and the shots of their sweet family…

Gorgeous greenhouse backyard wedding as seen on @offbeatbride

See the most beautiful backyard greenhouse wedding (with self-uniting musical ceremony!)

Emily and Mike had a gorgeous self-uniting ceremony where they performed all their own vows as well as music during the ceremony. With feminist overtones and a backyard greenhouse setting, it was a sight to see. Between the FABULOUS centerpieces, greenhouse-inspired decor, and the ceremony in the round, you do not want to miss this loveliness.

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A self-officiated sunrise summit elopement

“We made the climb by headlamp, snuggled up with each other while the day got brighter, and then parted ways to change clothes in private. When we were both ready, we just met back in the middle and went for it — no rehearsal, no audience. It was off-the-cuff, and mostly casual, and absolutely perfect.” Elopements make us teary with their intimacy, and this one is no exception. Come for the romance, stay for the gorgeous scenery.

self officiated wedding script alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

We couldn’t agree who should officiate, so we had a self-uniting wedding

We couldn’t agree on anyone to be our officiant — each person we thought of “belonged” too strongly to me or to my husband; no one belonged enough to both of us. We aren’t religious, so there was no minister in our life, and we didn’t want to bring in someone we didn’t know. So using resources I found here, including Wedding Ceremony 101 and a few wedding ceremony scripts that I collected from my family, I wrote our ceremony, divided up the text between me and my husband, and we officiated our own wedding…

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A self-uniting wedding on a historic boat

We’re on a boat for this one, folks, and the trip is well worth it. We’ve got two fabulous gowns, a groom styled after a dapper character from Rock Band, groomsmen dancing to the Power Rangers theme, and the sweetest ceremony reading story EVER. Oh, and just try not to be jealous of the unplanned fireworks show during the reception!

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An international Colorado mountain wedding weekend

From self-catering the event to a little social anxiety to some rain before the ceremony, this wedding could have gone awry. But this pair ended up with a super positive, love-affirming, and GORGEOUS mountain-y wedding. Even the ceremony ended up unintentionally extra awesome by becoming a wedding in the round! Don’t forget to find the MINGLO photo, too!