Non-denominational Wedding Officiant. Your Wedding, Your Way.
A wedding need not be a complex religious ceremony. But a cold uninspired courthouse isn't your only alternative. Let's chat.
A wedding need not be a complex religious ceremony. But a cold uninspired courthouse isn't your only alternative. Let's chat.
Hello, my name is Carmen Lane and I am non-denominational clergy ordained by Universal Life Church Monastery since 2008. I would be honored to officiate your wedding ceremony. How to get married:
Hello, my name is Carmen Lane and I am non-denominational clergy ordained by Universal Life Church Monastery since 2008. I would be honored to officiate your wedding ceremony. How to get married:
Recommendation: Obtain at least 3 certified copies of the recorded marriage health certificate from the county auditor. A certified copy serves as your legal proof of marriage.
If you are applying remotely for your marriage license, I recommend obtaining it from Thurston County
NEED TO GET MARRIED TODAY or SOON? QUESTIONS? Call me at 360-280-0888.
NO PRE-WEDDING COUNSELING REQUIRED. No formal rehearsal or practice is required either. If you are ready, so am I. You can come to me and I will guide you through a quick elopement or I can travel to your chosen location to perform your Wedding, Elopement, Vow Renewal, or Commitment Ceremony - whatever you have in mind.
Your wedding, YO
NO PRE-WEDDING COUNSELING REQUIRED. No formal rehearsal or practice is required either. If you are ready, so am I. You can come to me and I will guide you through a quick elopement or I can travel to your chosen location to perform your Wedding, Elopement, Vow Renewal, or Commitment Ceremony - whatever you have in mind.
Your wedding, YOUR WAY. You can get married at the beach, at the park, by the river, in the rainforest, or in the privacy and comfort of your own backyard. Exchange simple I Do's in front of your two legal witnesses and then sign your marriage paperwork. Yes, it can be that easy.
If you provide me the date, time, and exact details of your chosen ceremony location that can be found via GPS, and tell me whether any hiking or off-road travel is required or what obstacles there are to reach the ceremony location, I can provide you a precise quote.
PAYMENTS: Cash is preferred and a receipt will be provided, but your local check is also welcome. Full payment is due before ceremony begins and is 100% non-refundable. Make checks payable to Carmen Lane LLC | Short and Sweet Ceremonies.
CREDIT CARD FEES: Add 3.5 percent for processing if paying by credit card. Paying by CC must be prearranged. All payments are 100% non-refundable. When instructed, please use this link to pay via CC: https://pay.carmenlane.com/officiant
MARRIAGE LICENSE REQUIRED. A valid marriage license is required for weddings. Your marriage license is valid anywhere within the state it was issued. After the mandatory 3-day waiting period, it is valid for 60 days. It is the couple's sole responsibility to obtain a valid marriage license for their wedding ceremony. Wedding couples do not need to be residents of the State of Washington or U.S. citizens to obtain a marriage license. Please check directly with the county auditor for specific marriage license application instructions.
OPTION #1. Ceremony @Your Chosen Location: $350 -$1,500+
The officiant can travel to your chosen location to perform a short and sweet wedding, elopement, vow renewal, or commitment ceremony. see example rates
What to expect after officiant confirms request:
OPTION #1. Ceremony @Your Chosen Location: $350 -$1,500+
The officiant can travel to your chosen location to perform a short and sweet wedding, elopement, vow renewal, or commitment ceremony. see example rates
What to expect after officiant confirms request:
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OPTION #2. Quick No-Frills Elopement @Officiant's location: $300
The SIGN & GO Option. No fuss, no fanfare, and no groups. Just you and your two witnesses come as you are to my location in Olympia to sign your marriage paperwork. Easy. Simple. Fast. If you are deploying soon, in a rush, or want zero hoopla, this is the way to do it. The five of us will have a quick ceremony, sign your marriage paperwork in my little studio, and then off you go. I dress very casually for sign & go or impromptu elopements at my location. You can dress casually or go formal, whatever you like. I am happy to take a group photo of you afterwards.
What to expect after officiant confirms request:
NOTE: My little home art/writing studio is where we can sign your marriage paperwork safely out of the weather. But it is not fancy and I cannot accommodate groups, pets, or children. If you will have more than just your two legal witnesses with you in attendance, choose option for ceremony at your chosen location so that I may travel to you or we can meet at your favorite place in Olympia, Lacey, or Tumwater to perform the ceremony and sign your marriage paperwork. Thank you for understanding. If you are not from here, I can offer suggestions for a great place to get married locally. Any questions, please call.
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OPTION#3. DIY CEREMONY (Do-It-Yourself): FREE!
Well, you can't actually officiate your own wedding ceremony, but you can ask a trusted friend or family member who is already ordained (or is willing to become ordained) to officiate your private wedding ceremony for you at no charge. Your ordained officiant will need to fill out the wedding paperwork with you and your two witnesses, and then afterwards you can record the marriage health certificate with the county yourselves. (Same place you picked up your marriage license.) The packet of info from your county should contain officiant instructions for filling out the wedding paperwork.
Of course I would love to officiate your ceremony, but I think it is important to make sure you are aware of ALL your options. So I point this third option out on my website and to everyone who calls me. After all, it could be another connection, another fond memory for you. Whether or not you choose me to be your officiant, please know that I wish you a beautiful ceremony and a lifetime of happiness :-)
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Dear wedding couples, not everyone is comfortable becoming ordained or speaking in front of everyone. Public speaking makes many people anxious. Outgoing people can suddenly freeze with stage fright in front of the whole wedding party. And the responsibility of completing the marriage paperwork and recording the marriage health certificate with the county after the wedding adds another element of worry for some. I totally get it.
So if you start down with the DIY Ceremony route and then later you discover that things are just a little bit more complicated than you thought it would be, or if your chosen officiant has stage fright, or your plans simply change and now you want me to officiate for you, please call right away. I am happy to help if I can.
Marrying the love of your life should be happy and carefree. Entrust Short and Sweet Ceremonies to officiate your wedding, to guide you step by step in a loving ceremony, and to send your completed marriage health certificate for recording with the county auditor of issue ASAP. ~Carmen
These county auditor links are current as of 1/11/2026. But if you encounter a broken link, please let me know so I may update.
Marriage license application fees vary state to state and county to county. So if you have specific questions about applying for a marriage license and/or obtaining certified copies of your marriage health certificate after your wedding ceremony, please click the link to the county auditor's office.
After getting married, you can change your name, but this is not automatic. You must work with each agency (like the Department of Licensing, Social Security, etc.) to update your records using a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
To assume your new last name after getting married, first, OBTAIN CERTIFIED COPIES of your recorded marriage certificate. A certified copy of your recorded marriage health certificate serves as your legal proof of marriage. Then work with each agency to change its record of your name. These may include:
Washington Marriage/Family Law Resources:
I am not a licensed attorney and cannot provide legal advice. If you have legal questions, please consult a licensed attorney or other qualified professional.
6333 75th Ave NE, Olympia, Washington 98516, United States
Today | By Appointment |
Please call for last-minute elopements including "SIGN & GO" and marriage paperwork signing appointments at my location. Sorry, no drop-ins.
The greatest thing we will ever learn is to love and be loved in return. ~Natalie Cole
Nat King Cole

WA UBI 604360858 | FEIN 83-2831698 | Business mailing : 6333 75th Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98516
❤ Non-denominational clergy ordained by Universal Life Church Monastery since 2008. I am not a licensed attorney and cannot provide legal advice. I provide short and sweet wedding, commitment, and vow renewal ceremonies for all loving couples regardless of age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, citizenship status, political party, or any other status prohibited by law. LGBTQIA+ welcome. No pre-wedding marriage counseling required. Add 3.5 percent for processing if paying by CC.. When instructed, please use this secure link to pay via CC: https://pay.carmenlane.com/officiant
© 2008-2026 Carmen Lane LLC All Rights Reserved.
With a valid Washington marriage license and your 2 legal witnesses in front of an ordained wedding officiant, you could literally be married in minutes.
I am happy to help you with options 1 and 2 .
For DIY option, read more on my website.
Or call to discuss and I'll do my best to help you.