Yes, a Dog Can Sign a Colorado Marriage License

Good news – your dog can help on your elopement day!

If you want your fur baby to be part of your elopement day, let them make it official for you and bae! We have self-solemnization here, which means you don’t legally need an officiant or witness to get married. That means yes, a dog can sign a Colorado marriage license!

Destiny and Jose have two little doggos, and having them “sign” their marriage license was a huge priority for them. Not only did the dogs play a huge role in their elopement day, but they were also a factor in how Jose and Destiny chose a location – a private Airbnb with an epic view.

The Details

• Like I said, these two really wanted their two dogs to be part of their day. Because having two small dogs out in the wilderness isn’t the best choice, they found an Airbnb in Blackhawk that allowed animals. It was such a stress-free way to incorporate their fur babies.
• I got there about an hour before they wanted to say vows so I could get photos of them getting ready together. It was such a sweet moment, especially when Jose helped with her bow.
• Destiny has a killer eye for florals, so she DIYed her bouquet, which Jose also helped with.
• The majority of their elopement day was super simple. They read handwritten vows, helped the dogs “sign” their marriage license, and then enjoyed a small cake before we left on our adventure.
• The three of us mapped out some places to get photos in the snow. Destiny really wanted to photograph in different locations so she could take advantage of an outfit change. You guys know I live for a black dress moment, and Destiny did NOT let me down. A queen.
• Our stops were Loveland Pass, Keystone for a unity joint, and then Dillon Reservoir for sunset photos. They wound down with a little picnic in the back of their car before heading out to a dinner reservation.

Must Knows

• Yes, a dog can sign a Colorado marriage license, BUT only certain counties allow it. If this is important to you, do NOT get your marriage license from Arapahoe or Denver county. Anywhere else and you’ll be fine!
• Airbnbs can be tricky when it comes to events, but since it was just Jose and Destiny, we didn’t have to jump through any hoops. I typically recommend a VRBO for larger gatherings – check out my recs here.
• Yes, Destiny made her own bouquet. No, I don’t believe just anyone can do that. Making floral arrangements is WAY harder than it looks. Unless you have previous experience, I always always tell my couples to trust the professionals. Here are some of my favorite florists.
• I get asked all the time if my couples will have time for an outfit change and if it’s “allowed.” Besties – this is YOUR day. If you want to do an outfit change, you’ll get an outfit change. I don’t care how many you have, we’ll make it work!
• I spent about six hours with Destiny and Jose. That much time allowed us to get photos in basically every kind of lighting. We covered direct light, natural, sunset, and flash. Because of the amount of time they booked, it allowed us to get a lot of different photos for them to choose from.

Please let me meet your dog.