A bride and groom walk hand in hand, laughing, along the waterfront beside London Bridge in Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City wedding officiant

Say “I do” where the desert meets the water

Golden light on the water. Your favorite people close. Words written just for the two of you. At the London Bridge, on the sand, out on the lake or any one of Havasu’s stunning locations, with every legal detail handled so you can simply be in the moment.

Check my date How to get your license
OrdainedMinister, Universal Life Church
2 witnessesRequired by Arizona law, age 18+
30 daysI file your signed license with the court well inside it
LocalLake Havasu City resident, Mohave County
Melisa Mahoney, wedding officiant, smiling outdoors in Lake Havasu City

Meet your officiant

Hi, I’m Melisa Mahoney.

I’m an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church and a Lake Havasu City local. I officiate weddings, elopements and vow renewals for couples who want a ceremony that sounds like them.

We start with a conversation about how you met and what matters to you. I write the ceremony from that, send you a draft to change, and keep the day calm. After you say “I do,” I check every line of your license with you and your witnesses, then return it to the Clerk of the Superior Court so your marriage is recorded.

Religious, spiritual or secular: the words are yours to choose. Arizona law requires only two things in the ceremony itself, your declaration that you take each other in marriage and my pronouncement. Everything else we shape together.

ULC ordained minister Authorized under A.R.S. § 25-124 Ordination credential shown on request

Ceremonies

Three ways to do it

Every option includes the legal paperwork and filing. Travel inside Lake Havasu City is included.

Elopement

$200 starting

For just the two of you and your witnesses.

  • Short, heartfelt ceremony (about 15 minutes)
  • Phone call beforehand to personalize it
  • Location of your choice in town
  • License signing and filing
  • Keepsake certificate
Most chosen

Custom Wedding

$395 starting

A ceremony written around your story.

  • Planning meeting in person or by video
  • Custom script with a draft you can edit
  • Help with vows, readings and unity rituals
  • Rehearsal available for $75
  • License signing and filing
  • Keepsake certificate

Vow Renewal

$200 starting

Celebrate the years you’ve shared.

  • Personalized renewal ceremony
  • Keepsake certificate
  • No marriage license needed
  • Great for anniversaries and family trips

Boat ceremonies and locations outside Lake Havasu City are quoted individually. A deposit holds your date.

Where

Favorite Havasu backdrops

I’ll meet you wherever you choose. Public parks and the state park may need a reservation or permit, and I’ll help you check before you pick a date.

A bride holds a bouquet of peach and ivory peonies and roses beside the lake, with London Bridge softly blurred behind her

London Bridge

The city’s icon. The Bridgewater Channel walkway works well for small groups at sunrise or golden hour.

Rotary Park & beaches

Sand, shade ramadas and an open lake view, with room for family and chairs.

On the water

A pontoon or houseboat ceremony in a quiet cove. We stay on the Arizona side so your Arizona license is valid.

Your venue or home

Resorts, backyards and rental homes. I coordinate timing with your venue or planner.

Availability

Check your date

Pick a date to start your inquiry. Weekends are my main ceremony days. Weekday ceremonies are available in the evening.

Month

Open Evenings only (after 5:30 pm) Booked
No date selected yet.

Send an inquiry

Email hello@havasuvows.com · Call or text (928) 235-8081

Mohave County license guide

Getting your marriage license

Arizona makes this simple. There’s no waiting period and no blood test. Here is the order things happen in.

Two gold wedding bands and a fountain pen resting on a keepsake marriage certificate
Keepsake certificate included with every ceremony. Your official license is the Mohave County form we sign together and I file with the court.

  1. Apply together, in person

    Both of you go to a Clerk of the Superior Court office with a current government photo ID that has your signature (driver’s license, state or military ID, or passport). Witnesses are not needed to apply. The fee is $98; the office takes cash and cards in person.

  2. Use it within one year, in Arizona

    Your license is good the same day you get it and for one year after. It is valid only for a ceremony performed in Arizona. Lake Havasu sits on the California line, so on the water we stay on the Arizona side.

  3. Bring two witnesses, age 18 or older

    Arizona requires at least two adult witnesses at the ceremony. You, your witnesses and I must all be physically present. Arizona does not allow marriage by proxy or video.

  4. Sign, then I file it

    You, both witnesses and I sign the license right after the ceremony. I return it to the clerk within 30 days, as A.R.S. § 25-123 requires. Please check names and dates carefully before signing, since mistakes can mean a new license and a new fee.

  5. Order certified copies

    Once it’s recorded, you can order a certified copy from the clerk for $35 each. You’ll need one for a name change at Social Security, the MVD and your bank.

Lake Havasu City office
2001 College Drive
Lake Havasu City, AZ 86404
Hours
Mon–Fri 8:30 am–12:00 pm
and 1:30–4:30 pm
Phone
(928) 453-0701
Also in
Kingman · Bullhead City
Covenant marriage must be applied for in person and needs a premarital counseling affidavit. Under 18: 16- and 17-year-olds need a court emancipation order or parental consent, and cannot apply by mail. Fees and hours can change, so call the clerk before you go. Source: Mohave County Superior Court Clerk.

Questions

Good to know

Is a Universal Life Church minister legal in Arizona?

Yes. Arizona law (A.R.S. § 25-124) authorizes ordained ministers, including anyone a religious society authorizes to solemnize marriages. Arizona has no state registration for officiants. I carry my ordination credential to every ceremony.

Can you provide witnesses?

For elopements I can often help arrange two adult witnesses. Let me know when you inquire so we can plan it.

Do we need a rehearsal?

For small ceremonies, no. For a wedding party with a processional, a short rehearsal the day before helps everyone relax.

Will you travel outside Lake Havasu City?

Yes, anywhere in Arizona for a travel fee. Parker, Kingman and Bullhead City are common. An Arizona license is not valid for a ceremony in California or Nevada.

How do we hold our date?

A signed agreement and a deposit hold your date. The balance is due one week before the ceremony.

What if it’s windy or 115°?

Havasu weather is real. We pick a backup spot and a time that avoids midday heat. Sunrise and golden hour are the best light anyway.