Wedding Guide · The First State
Everything you need to plan a Delaware wedding — marriage license requirements, average costs, top venues, and local tips, all in one place.
The legal bit
Sourced from Delaware Code, Title 13. Bring this checklist when you visit the Clerk of the Peace, any Delaware county.
| License fee | $50 (residents) / $100 (non-residents) |
| Waiting period | 24 hours after applying |
| License validity | 30 days |
| Minimum age (no consent) | 18 |
| Blood test required | No |
| Residency required | No |
| Witnesses required | None |
| Common-law marriage | Not recognized |
| Self-uniting marriage | Not allowed |
| Where to apply | Clerk of the Peace, any Delaware county |
Delaware abolished minor marriage in 2018. Both parties must be 18 or older — there is no parental-consent exception.
Who can sign the certificate
The numbers
Couples in Delaware spend around $31,000 on a wedding of roughly 135 guests — well below the New York or DC averages just up the road.
Local wisdom
Delaware beach ceremony permits (Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany, Lewes) sell out 6–9 months out for peak July and August dates. Apply with the town clerk the moment your date is locked in.
Sea-breeze fronts off the Atlantic can roll in fast. Book a covered backup at every beach-adjacent venue and confirm tent rules in writing with the town beforehand.
If you're doing a beach ceremony, check the NOAA tide chart for your wedding date. Low tide gives you twice the usable beach for your aisle, chairs, and processional.
Delaware has no state sales tax. Buy your dress, suits, decor, favors, and rings in-state and you save the 6–8% you'd pay across the line in PA, NJ, or MD.
Where to get married
Historic du Pont estates, gardens, and museums in northern Delaware. Best for black-tie and garden-formal weddings.
Rehoboth, Bethany, Dewey, and Lewes — Atlantic-facing ceremonies on dunes, boardwalks, and bay-front reception venues.
Capital-area ballrooms, historic downtown venues, and farm-and-barn weddings through Kent County.
Standout venues
A starting shortlist of venues most consistently recommended for Delaware weddings.
Step by step
Both partners apply in person at the Clerk of the Peace, any Delaware county. Bring photo ID, proof of age, and the license fee ($50 (residents) / $100 (non-residents)).
Delaware requires a 24 hours after applying from the moment you apply before the license becomes valid. Plan your ceremony date with this gap in mind.
Your officiant must qualify under Delaware Code, Title 13. Ordained ministers, rabbis, priests, and clergy of any religion are the most common choice.
Your Delaware marriage license is valid for 30 days. The ceremony must take place inside that window or the license expires.
Your officiant returns the signed marriage certificate to the issuing office. You can then order certified copies for name changes, tax filings, and benefits.
After the planning
A private wedding QR code from Eventoly turns every guest's phone into a contributor to your shared album. No app, no logins, unlimited uploads in original quality — perfect for the candids your photographer can't catch.
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FAQ
A Delaware marriage license costs $50 (residents) / $100 (non-residents). The fee is paid at the time of application at the Clerk of the Peace, any Delaware county.
Yes. Delaware requires a waiting period of 24 hours after applying before your license is valid for use.
No. Delaware does not require either partner to be a resident — destination couples and out-of-state guests can marry here freely.
No. Delaware does not require a blood test.
Under Delaware Code, Title 13, valid officiants include ordained ministers, rabbis, priests, and clergy of any religion; judges and justices of the peace, active or retired; mayors of any delaware city or town.
Couples in Delaware spend around $31,000 on a wedding of roughly 135 guests, based on regional industry data.