Shotgun Weddings, Seattle-Style
- Jul 30, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 27
Need to tie the knot fast? Like Shotgun Wedding fast? We’ve got you.
What Is a Shotgun Wedding?
The phrase has been around for centuries. It originally referred to a rushed marriage — usually one that happened out of necessity, with speed being the whole point. No long engagement, no elaborate planning, no waiting around.
The "shotgun" part was never meant to be taken literally. It was a figure of speech for urgency. Get it done. Make it legal. Move on with your life.
The term stuck. And somewhere along the way it became shorthand for something a lot of people actually want: a wedding that happens fast, costs less, and skips the performance.
The modern shotgun wedding looks like this
You decide you want to get married. You get your Washington marriage license — which requires a three-day waiting period after you apply. You show up. You get married. You go celebrate.
No venue deposit. No catering minimum. No seating chart. No year of planning compressed into a single afternoon.
Just a legal ceremony, an officiant who knows your names, and a place that actually feels like somewhere.
That place is us
Shotgun Ceremonies has been performing legal weddings in Georgetown Seattle since 2009. We operate out of a custom pink shipping container chapel with an outdoor gazebo — which is either exactly what you pictured or nothing like what you pictured, and either way it works.
We provide the officiant, the witnesses if you need them, the music, and the paperwork. You provide the license and the person you want to marry.
Ceremonies start at $500. Elvis is available for $750 if you want to commit to the bit entirely.
Who books a shotgun wedding in Seattle?
Couples who decided they were done waiting. People who got engaged and realized immediately that neither of them wanted a big wedding. Out-of-towners who wanted to get married somewhere specific. People who wanted it to feel like something without it becoming everything.
We've performed ceremonies with two hours' notice and two months' notice. We've had couples with 40 guests and couples with none. We've had people show up in jeans and people show up in the dress they'd been saving for years.
The common thread is that they all knew what they wanted and they came here to get it done.
Ready?
Get your King County marriage license first — you'll need to wait three days after applying before the ceremony can happen. Then book your date online. We'll handle everything else.
📍 Georgetown, Seattle
💰 Ceremonies from $500
👁 Witnesses provided if needed
🎵 Custom ceremony playlist
🎶 Elvis available
Whether it’s a spontaneous “why wait?” moment or you've decided today’s the day, Shotgun Ceremonies is here for it. We specialize in elopements and shorter-notice ceremonies that are personal, joyful and one-of-a-kind.
Comments