A couple elopes in a hillly green forest.

Elopement Package

for the Lehigh Valley & eastern Pennsylvania

What does it mean to elope?

To elope is to craft a deliberately small and intimate wedding day.  Couples have many reasons they may opt for a private ceremony. And all of them are valid!

But choosing a small wedding doesn’t make it less important. Just the opposite! When you cut out the fluff, what remains are the truly important things. No matter the size of your wedding, this is a big moment in your life. Let me help you celebrate this milestone in a way that feels right for the two of you. 

Eloping couple framed in barn doorway at Burnside Plantation in Bethlehem, PA.
Graphic showing couples who are a good fit for a Lehigh Valley Elopement Package.

My Elopement Package is a perfect fit if you…

LGBTQ couple on their wedding day, Allentown, PA.

Lehigh Valley Elopement

I live in Allentown and officiate weddings throughout eastern Pennsylvania. There are so many great spots to elope in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton! The base pricing for my Elopement Package is optimized for those who plan to elope in Allentown or around the Lehigh Valley.

I’m also happy to travel to your chosen elopement venue in the Poconos or the greater Philadelphia area. If you’re eloping outside of Allentown, I can offer an accurate travel fee ahead of our discovery call.

Elopement FAQ

  • A marriage license and an officiant to take care of the legalities for you.

  • In many counties, yes. Visit the website of the county courthouse for details.

  • Marriage license fees vary by county. As of 2024, these fees range from about $50 to $125.

  • That depends on your definition of “elope.” If you just want to be legally married, your only costs will be the marriage license fee and the officiant’s fee. You should be able to secure a License Signing service for less than $200. Ceremony services vary widely, as do the fees for those ceremonies. You should be able to find a local officiant offering an elopement ceremony for less than $500.

  • Apply for your marriage license as quickly as possible. Once it is issued you must wait three days for it to become valid. Use that time to book an officiant for an elopement or license signing service.

  • Obtain a marriage license and hire an officiant to handle the license signing. No witnesses will be required and the license signing service can be handled wherever you arrange with your officiant.

  • Yes. A professional officiant can take care of the legal requirements in very little time. You can skip the ceremony entirely.

  • No, not unless you already have a valid marriage license. Marriage licenses take 3 days to “mature” after they’re issued in Pennsylvania. You will also need an officiant to sign and file the license for you, which will be challenging on such short notice. If you’re in a hurry, reach out to an officiant as soon as you apply for the license, if not earlier. You’re more likely to find someone available 3 or more days out than the same day.

  • There are plenty of options, from the Rose Garden, to the ArtsWalk, to the front of some historic buildings with beautiful architecture. Your officiant will be able to make recommendations.

Katherine Hunter Celebrant officiates an elopement for a mature couple.

Need more information?

I get it! Even for small weddings, there’s a lot to consider. That’s why I wrote an Ultimate Guide to Eloping in eastern Pennsylvania. All the details are there, including dozens of venues that specifically cater to small and intimate weddings.

Check out the how, when, and where of elopements in eastern Pennsylvania, especially if you’re traveling here to elope and have not yet chosen your location or date!

A couple includes a handfasting ritual in their elopement ceremony.

“We wanted a very brief outdoor wedding, and we really gravitated to Katherine because of her knowledge, professionalism, attitude and flexibility. She was the perfect fit for our wedding and I’m extremely confident that she will be for yours as well.” - Paul & Juanita, Photo: Rob Lettieri Photography

Katherine Hunter Celebrant officiates an outdoor elopement.

Minimize & Maximize

A large gathering isn’t your style. You want to truly keep things simple, minimize the planning and the guests, and just focus on the two of you with a short, sweet, and heartfelt ceremony. I get it!

If a tiny ceremony is what you have in mind, I’m all in and I want to make it easy for you. Together we’ll eliminate much of the planning and maximize the celebration!

LET’S CHAT!

Just need to make it legal?

Wedding officaint signs a marriage license in Pennsylvania.

 Photo: Aaron Morris Photography

Even quicker than an elopement, a license signing is a simple satisfaction of the legal requirements for your marriage license to be properly handled and filed with the courthouse. This service does not include a ceremony, and is not intended for guests.

I can meet you in one of the Lehigh Valley’s public parks where you might want to take a few pictures to remember the moment.

You must apply for and obtain your marriage license at least three business days before we meet. And bring it along with you! I can provide information on how to do this. No witnesses are required in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The fee for this service is just $175 for a signing performed within ten minutes’ drive of my home (just west of Allentown, PA). I can travel to your preferred location for an additional travel fee.

MARRIAGE LICENSE SIGNING SERVICE