Where to go
Clerk-Recorder, Santa Rosa
Marriage licenses are issued by the Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder, 585 Fiscal Drive, Santa Rosa. Both of you appear together, in person, with valid photo ID.
Sonoma County · California
Sonoma Wedding Officiant
Personal, heartfelt ceremonies across Sonoma County — from redwood groves along the Russian River to sunlit vineyard estates — written around your story by an officiant who has been marrying couples since 2012.
Meet your Sonoma officiant
This is Peter’s home turf — and it shows in every ceremony.
Peter is based in Santa Rosa and officiates all over Sonoma County: winery terraces in Sonoma Valley and Alexander Valley, towering redwood groves, gardens in Healdsburg, and bluffs along the Sonoma Coast. He knows which venues catch the evening light, how the fog behaves in August, and where your guests should stand so everyone can hear.
Before officiating became his calling, Peter spent 25 years in hospitality — much of it as a general manager. That means your ceremony gets a rare combination: words written like a storyteller, and a day run like a well-hosted event. Calm, prepared, and quietly handling the details so you can stay present.
The paperwork, handled
Getting your Sonoma County marriage license.
The paperwork is simpler than couples expect — and Peter walks you through it. The essentials, from his Sonoma County license guide:
Public license
$82
The classic option. One or two witnesses attend your ceremony and sign the license, and the marriage becomes part of the public record.
Confidential license
$98
For couples who live together. No witnesses are required at the ceremony, and the record stays private — many wine country couples choose this one.
Timing
No waiting period
Your license is valid the moment it is issued and stays valid for 90 days, anywhere in California. There is no blood test.
After the ceremony
Filed within 10 days
You, your witnesses (for a public license), and Peter sign at the ceremony. As your officiant, Peter returns the license to the county within 10 days so it is recorded.
One less worry
Any CA county works
A license from any California county can be used in Sonoma — pick whichever clerk’s office is most convenient during the 90-day window.
Fees can change — confirm current amounts with the Clerk-Recorder before your visit. The full walkthrough is in Peter’s guide: How to Get a Marriage License in Sonoma County.
Ceremony packages
Simple, honest pricing.
Every package includes a ceremony written around your story, calm guidance from first call to license signing, and travel across Sonoma County.
Simple & meaningful
The Elopement
$400
An intimate ceremony for the two of you and your witnesses, with a short custom ceremony and the license signing handled.
Warm & personal
The Intimate
$650
A personalized ceremony for your closest circle — up to about 30 guests — with a planning call beforehand.
The full story
The Signature
$950
A fully custom ceremony written around your story, rehearsal attendance included, and unlimited planning support.
A 50% retainer reserves your date; the balance is due two weeks before the wedding. Travel across Sonoma County is included. See full package details
Signature ritual
The Wine Country Blending
Two wines, two lives, one glass. You each pour a wine you love into a shared carafe, blending them into something neither could be on its own — then share your first sip as a married couple. Led by Peter, a California RBS-certified wine professional, it is the unity ritual this landscape was made for, and it can be woven into any Sonoma County ceremony.
A day made easy
“Peter made our wedding easy. He’s professional and really cared about us!”— Jeff & Amy, married by Peter
From the journal
Sonoma guides, written by your officiant.
Peter writes the guides he wishes every couple had — local, specific, and free.
Marriage license
How to Get a Marriage License in Sonoma County
Where to go, what to bring, public vs. confidential, fees, witnesses, and timing.
Read the guide →Sonoma elopements
Eloping in Sonoma Wine Country: A Simple Guide
From vineyard rows to redwood groves, plan an intimate day that keeps the focus where it belongs.
Read the guide →Sonoma ceremonies
What to Look for in a Sonoma Wedding Officiant
The qualities and local experience that help a Sonoma ceremony feel effortless.
Read the guide →Good to know
Sonoma questions, answered.
The questions Sonoma County couples ask Peter most. Anything else — just ask; he replies personally within 24 hours.
Peter’s packages are $400 for The Elopement, $650 for The Intimate, and $950 for The Signature — published, with no surprises. Across the local market, officiants typically range from about $300 to $900, depending on customization and experience. A 50% retainer reserves your date, and travel across Sonoma County is included.
At the Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder, 585 Fiscal Drive in Santa Rosa. Both of you go in together with valid photo ID. A public license is $82 (one or two witnesses sign at your ceremony); a confidential license is $98 and needs no witnesses. There is no waiting period, and the license is valid for 90 days — and a license from any California county works just as well in Sonoma.
Yes — travel is included throughout Sonoma County, from Sonoma Valley and Alexander Valley to the Russian River, the redwoods, and the Sonoma Coast. Travel across Napa and Mendocino counties is included too.
Peter books anywhere from one month to two years in advance. Sonoma’s spring and fall seasons fill quickly, so earlier is better — but if your date is open, it’s yours. He replies personally to every inquiry within 24 hours.
Your Sonoma County date could be the next one on Peter’s calendar.
Tell Peter where and when you’re celebrating. He’ll reply personally within 24 hours with availability and next steps.