Our Indoor Wedding Room
Our Outdoor Wedding Garden Room

Marriage Ceremonies

To reduce the number of people visiting our office, Sonoma County is utilizing the Governor’s Executive Order N-58-20/N-71-20 to issue Marriage Licenses and Civil Ceremonies by Videoconference on ZOOM.

To schedule an appointment for a marriage license and civil ceremony, complete the Online Application for Marriage License and follow the instructions at Checkout.

Please email marriage@sonoma-county.org for more information.

Important Notice

Important Information 75x40 The staff of the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's Office are forbidden by California legal codes to practice law or provide legal advice; this prohibition includes giving advice about what forms you might need or how you should fill them out.

Who Can Perform Marriages

In California, persons authorized to perform marriages include:

Priest
Minister
Rabbi
Commissioners of Civil Marriages
Judges or retired judges (see CA Family Code 400 for specifics)
A person that holds or formerly held an elected office of a city or county
A member of the Legislature or constitutional officer of this state or a Member of Congress of the United States who represents a district within this state, or a former Member of the Legislature or constitutional officer of this state or a former Member of Congress of the United States who represented a district within this state
Out-of-state or out-of-country priests, ministers, or clergy persons may perform marriages in California.
Ships' captains do not have authority to solemnize California marriages unless they fall into one of the categories above.

For more information please see California Government Code 400-402

Civil Ceremonies by the County Clerk’s Office

English and Spanish civil ceremonies are offered
Ceremonies are performed by Deputy Marriage Commissioners who are also employees of the County Clerk-Recorder Office
Ceremonies are by appointment only
Fee is $60.00
Witnesses
- Couples getting married with a regular/public marriage license must bring at least one witness
- Couples with a confidential license do not need to bring a witness

Civil Ceremony Location Options

Ceremony Location options are not available at this time.

Wedding Room
- Limit of 17 wedding guests
- Benches and standing areas
- No pets allowed
Wedding Garden / Outside
- Weather permitting
- Variety of flowering shrubs and plants
- Pets are allowed
- No limit on number of guests - different areas fit different sizes
  - Recommended no more than 20 guests for wedding garden
  - You may choose anywhere on the block for the ceremony
- It is a public area, so members of the public may be present