Getting Married in Salmon, Idaho

Salmon Idaho Wedding Photographer

You have a vision in your mind it's most likely one of two choices: An intimate ceremony just you and the love of your life or a small wedding with your closest family and friends around you. 

All of this happens somewhere outside of your hometown, somewhere new and some where incredibly beautiful. 

Answer: Idaho. Yes the wild wild west. 

Idaho is home to countless lakes, trails, mountain peaks and an overall a hidden gem and really the perfect backdrop for any eloping couple.  Eloping is becoming more popular for a fun getaway with the guest list limited and often under 10 people but idea of eloping has grown over the years and it's now mixture of destination wedding and eloping. 

In the past few years I have seen influx of couples making Salmon, Idaho their location for their special day. I have seen couples who come to Salmon and want to say, "I do" on the edge of a cliff in the Salmon River below. I met one couple who traveled across the country, and all of their guests who made their wedding a real celebration week. The family and friends took river rafting trips, visited local hot springs and finished their week with the couple exchanging vows. 

Your wedding, your elopement, your destination wedding is just that - yours. Well we are going to consider your soon to be significant other too but the day is however you two want it to be. 

Why should you get married in Idaho? 

According to an East Idaho Wedding Photographer

1. It truly is a hidden gem. 

    Idaho is a growing state, we have welcomed so many new families to the area, so it may not be as hidden as we would like but it is a true gem. Idaho is so easy, yet so hard to describe. I can tell you about the amazing mountains, whitewater rivers, and the colorful sunsets but it nothing like seeing it, feelings. 

  I remember the first time I saw the mountains as a child, it was like nothing I have ever seen. The magnitude of the size and how small you are - is crazy. And no matter how many times you see them, or go to the same lookout, it never gets old. 

  Never. It is so breathtaking everyday, even a simple drive to town the view is incredible. 

2. You don't need witnesses. 

    You read that right you do not need witnesses to sign you marriage license in the state of Idaho. The license is also valid for 12 months. 

    If you are planning just you two, no worry about the witnesses! 

3. Seclusion. 

But most importantly, why you should elope to Salmon, Idaho. 

Salmon, Idaho is like no other place. Located at the gate of the Frank Church River of No Return, it is the largest contiguous wilderness in the Lower 48. This wilderness has steep mountains, wide river canyons, pine lined mountains and wildlife like no other. If natural beauty is a key factor for your elopement in Idaho, Salmon is the answer.

Lemhi County is rich in tall pine trees, deep natural lakes and the infamous River of No Return. The two stoplight city of Salmon has a population of just over 3,000 people. All roads lead to downtown Main Street of the rural town. The town is full of friendly faces with plenty of amenities to enjoy small town living and leave behind the hustle and bustle of the big city. 

While Salmon is nestled next to the mountains and along the Salmon River in a remote area it is not short of amenities of services and activities to do. Couples have eloped for a day on top of a mountain while others invite a few close friends and family and taken a week full of adventure including river rafting. The options are quite endless to a once in a lifetime adventure while saying, "I do." 

Eloping to Idaho

TYPE
  Figure out what type of elopement you want. Do you want a super intimate and small ceremony with you and the love of your life or do you want to elope and bring some family and friends with you? This will help nail down if you need a wedding venue in Salmon, Idaho or do you just need an awesome location. You will also know if you need to plan for food and beverages and if you need a local wedding planner. 

LOCATION 
  If you are needing a venue, I listed some of my favorite venues in my Wedding Planning Guide. If you don't need a venue but just a really amazing spot this is where we talking about what you two envision for your wedding day. Do you want to be in the woods of the Salmon-Challis National Forest, on the banks of a remote lake or literally on the side of the road because all of the Salmon is beautiful. 
  I have helped clients plan an Idaho elopement and they chose the middle of nowhere off a dirt road. The beauty of Idaho is how open the sky is but how close the gorgeous mountain range is. 

DETAILS 
 The beauty behind marrying the love of your life, it's about you two and how you two want to do. Do you want a small cake to share or maybe your favorite dessert like apple pie or decadent cheesecake. Do you want to incorporate wildflowers or have no flowers? We have a lot of great wedding vendors here in Salmon, Idaho to help guide you in those choices! 

BRING THE OUTFITS
 So what are you wearing? Are you going to go for traditional white and black or something different? Now that you have the vision, venue or location, and details panned out it's time to pack the outfits and prep for the big day.

Eloping to Salmon, Idaho in Four Easy Steps 

1. FIND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER 
   Well, here I am. I may just be "the" photographer for the job. Of course this is, if we are the right fit as a team. You are already here and should do some snooping around to see more of my work. I am based an Idaho Wedding Photographer based in Salmon, Idaho and travel all over the west to create photo time capsules of couples in love. 

2. CREATING YOUR ELOPEMENT
    What type of elopement do you want? Are you going intimate and only need a few things like flowers, officiant or will you be inviting a small group of people? 

3. APPLY FOR YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE 
   In Idaho this is often a same day step. Head into the county courthouse and apply! Details below for Lemhi County (Salmon). Idaho is one of the easier states to obtain a marriage license in.

4. GO ELOPE
    It's time. It's time to finally elope and marry the love of your life. Now comes the easy part - You just need to do it. 


There is no waiting period in Idaho, so this means you can get married the same day you obtain our marriage license.  The info below will get you started on your way to getting your Idaho marriage license.
You do not have to be an Idaho resident to apply for an Idaho marriage license but the license is only valid for ceremonies performed within Idaho state lines. You can apply for a marriage license in any county in Idaho and use it anywhere within the state. Your Idaho marriage license MUST be returned to the recorders office it was issued from. You or your officiant can return the license. 

Applying for your marriage license

An Idaho marriage license is issued by the county Clerk/Recorder’s office.

To obtain your marriage license both parties must appear together at the Recorder’s Office. You will both need to show proof of age and identity. A valid government issued photo ID with a birth date will do the trick. You will need to provide your social security number. Some counties want to see a physical copy of your SS card. Marriage license fees vary by county but are about $30. Also, bring cash because most Recorder’s Office’s only accept this form of payment!

The process of applying for a marriage license includes filling out a license application form, paying your fee, reading an AIDS information sheet and signing a Marriage License Affidavit. 

If you are eloping in Salmon call The Lemhi County Courthouse. (208) 756-2815

  Have a question about Eloping to Idaho,
ask below in the comments.