Can a Friend Officiate a Wedding in Colorado?

Legal & Ordination

Yes — Colorado allows friends and family to officiate weddings after online ordination, and the state also offers a distinctive alternative worth knowing about.

What Colorado requires

1. Get ordained through an online organization such as Universal Life Church or American Marriage Ministries.

2. No statewide officiant registration required. Colorado does not require online-ordained officiants to file paperwork before performing a wedding.

3. Perform the ceremony, including the declaration of intent.

4. Sign and return the license. After the ceremony, sign the marriage license along with the required witnesses, and return it to the county clerk and recorder’s office that issued it.

Colorado’s unique option: self-solemnization

Colorado is one of the few states that allows couples to marry themselves with no officiant at all, through what’s called self-solemnization. If a couple asks about this alternative, it’s worth knowing it exists, though most couples who’ve asked a friend to officiate want the ceremony experience itself, not just the paperwork.

Bottom line

Colorado is straightforward for friend officiants: no registration step, standard signing and filing requirements, plus a self-solemnization option for couples who want it.

For a complete legal checklist and week-by-week timeline, see our Checklist & Timeline Kit.

This guide is informational, not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with the specific county clerk and recorder’s office.