If you have decided to get married, CONGRATULATIONS!
Step 1: Your first step is to get a Marriage License from one of Arkansas's County Clerks. Here is the site for the Washington County Clerk's Office, with all the Marriage License information you need to know: https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/government/departments-a-e/county-clerk/marriage-information
Step 2: Once you have your marriage license, the next step is to have an officiant, such as me, perform your wedding ceremony and/or fill out and sign your paperwork. Various elected officials perform marriages, including sitting Justices of the Peace. (Note: Arkansas elected officials can only sign Arkansas marriage licenses, not those from other states.) Here is a current list of Washington County elected officials who perform marriages, including myself.
When and Where Am I Available?
I am available for weddings by appointment on most weekday mornings and weekday afternoons at the Washington County Courthouse, 280 N. College Ave, Fayetteville. There are a couple of locations there for either an indoor or outdoor wedding, depending on availability.
To book a wedding with me, visit my Contact page. Once we've made contact, I will send you my Calendly link so you can book a date and time.
Note: Other marriage officiants are available at different times and locations than I am. Please contact them for more information.
What to Bring?
You must bring your paperwork from an Arkansas County Clerk's office. Weddings in Arkansas do not require witnesses, but you can bring any family or friends you wish to share in your special moment.
What Does It Cost?
Marriage License Cost:
You must pay a fee to the County Clerk's Office to obtain your marriage license. Please contact them for the latest fee information: https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/government/departments-a-e/county-clerk/marriage-information
Wedding Ceremony/Signing Cost:
Current JPs, including myself, are not allowed to charge a fee for the wedding ceremony or to sign a marriage license. However, we can accept an optional "honorarium" of between $0 and $100 for performing the service. That is up to you and your wishes and circumstances and is not required.
Other types of marriage officiants, including former JPs (listed as "Honorary"), are allowed to charge fees. The individual officiant sets those fees—please contact them for more information.
Wedding Vows
Here are the standard wedding vows I am currently using. They are customizable for various types of couples. Incluye votos matrimoniales en español.
Please let me know in advance if you would like to customize these vows in any way! I'm happy to do so, with enough notice.
Contact me if you have any other questions.
Wishing you a life of happiness together!