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Press release from the Humboldt County Administrative Office:

For those looking for a special day to tie the knot, the Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder’s Office is thrilled to announce a hauntingly beautiful opportunity for couples to celebrate their union this Halloween.

In person civil wedding ceremonies will be performed for extended hours at two locations to accommodate couples seeking to make their love official on this eerily romantic holiday.

On Friday, Oct. 31, the Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder’s Office will host elegant, gothic-inspired civil marriage ceremonies at the historic Humboldt County Fairgrounds, located at 1250 Fifth St. in Ferndale. The ceremony site will be transformed into a dark and glamorous wonderland for the occasion. Ceremonies will be held by appointment between noon and 6:15 p.m., rain or shine. Fairgrounds ceremonies will be available on a first come, first served basis, so interested couples are encouraged to call 707-445-7593 to schedule their ceremony as soon as possible.

Additionally, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office will be offering private civil marriage ceremonies, by appointment, at the Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder’s Office, located on the fifth floor of the Humboldt County Courthouse at 825 Fifth St. in Eureka, which will be specially decorated for the occasion. Courthouse ceremonies will be scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

How to Book a Halloween Day Wedding Ceremony

Civil wedding ceremony bookings must be done in person at the Humboldt County Clerk- Recorder’s Office. The fee to book a wedding ceremony is $100. Spanish language ceremonies are available upon request. 

Due to high demand, couples must book their Halloween ceremonies no later than Thursday, Oct. 30 and are reminded that a marriage license is required for a wedding to be performed.
All couples must arrive to their ceremony with marriage license materials on hand. 

How to Obtain a Marriage License

A marriage license can be obtained up to 90 days before the ceremony date. A marriage license application may be competed in person in the Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder’s Office, or you may begin the application process online at tinyurl.com/HumCoWeddings.
Please note that the couple must appear in person to complete the application process and provide a valid government-issued ID. The marriage license application process takes about 30 minutes and costs $78 for a public license or $80 for a confidential license.

Choose Your Own Wedding Officiant

Couples can make prior arrangements with the Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder’s Office for the ceremony to be performed by a person of their choice, age 18 or older. The person must be an ordained officiant or deputized to perform the ceremony in advance by the Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder. The fee to be deputized to officiate a wedding ceremony is $50. The Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder’s Office will provide comprehensive wedding ceremony packets containing ceremony wording, instructions and sample license completion guides for all officiants.

For more information or to schedule your wedding ceremony, please call 707-445-7593 or visit humboldtgov.org/Clerk-Recorder.

About the Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder’s Office

The Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder’s Office maintains vital records and provides essential services to the public, including the issuance of marriage licenses and performance of civil marriage ceremonies. The office is committed to providing efficient, professional service to all Humboldt County residents. For more information on services the Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder’s office provides, please visit humboldtgov.org/Clerk-Recorder.