Getting Married in the Time of Coronavirus

As the world starts to slowly re-open and our lives re-calibrate, the event & wedding industry will look a lot different post covid-19 . While my weddings have usually consisted of elopements, courthouse weddings and or small and more on the non-traditional, non-denomination style - we are seeing the popularity of elopements and intimate weddings & gatherings, which for now, will become the new norm.

As with most wedding vendors, I have been guiding my couples through the process of choosing what is best for them and their loved ones. Whether that may be to get married now with a much much smaller *group (or just the two of you and an officiant and witness) and celebrate with more friends & family at a future date in 2021 or beyond, we are here for you. Below I’ve listed some information on how to obtain your marriage license and how you might re-imagine your wedding day.

For all of those who are going through these challenging times and the difficult process of rescheduling in order to postpone instead of cancel, thank you and I’m here for you. And for all of the new couples and families booking with us now, in the midst of a pandemic, because you are looking forward to brighter & fun things ahead- Thank you. My family thanks you -and we appreciate you ❤

*depending on county orders and what is legally allowed - some counties are allowing only 5 people and some with up to 10 people and to of course follow social distancing guidelines. Please check your state & specific county’s health orders.

Obtaining your marriage license
during shelter in place

On April 30, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an order that will allow couples to obtain a marriage license from their county clerk via video conference provided that both members of the couple are state residents and that they can both present a valid form of identification on the video call. The clerk will then email the licenses to the couple.

The state of California will also recognize marriages performed over video call as long as both members of the couple are present and there is at least one witness to the live ceremony.

These provisions will be in place for 60 days to assist couples with marriages during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The text of the Governor’s executive order can be found here.

San Francisco County:

The San Francisco County Clerk has not yet put something in place but is currently creating systems to make this happen. If you are interested in these services, please check back here or on their website.

Alameda County:

You can obtain an information packet about the online issuance of the marriage license and virtual wedding ceremonies by emailing Alameda County office - CROCustomerService at acgov.org

If you are thinking of getting married in another county and would like to be updated or need help with obtaining a marriage license - let me know! Contact me.

Re-imagining your wedding day celebration

Perhaps you decided to postpone your wedding day entirely, or maybe you decided to do an intimate ceremony or elopement at a later date in 2020, all while following the social distancing and the required safety & health measures in place as provided by the county. Or maybe you’d like the best of both worlds - an elopement now and a celebration with all your loved ones & favorite people in one place, at last in 2021.

Whatever ideas you have, whatever plans you may be re-imagining, together - we can make it happen! (within reason & the law, of course).

So contact me today and let’s make it work! If you’d like some updates regarding your city or county about the orders and how it may affect your wedding plans - please reach out, even if I’m not your chosen photographer. I’m always happy to help!

I am always in constant communication with my clients regarding rescheduling and the like. You can see my rescheduling & Covid-19 policy here.