Go-anywhere Officiant, Humboldt & Del Norte County
Humboldt & Del Norte, Redwood Coast
Service area
Paul Marsh
OWNER & OFFICIANT
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (1X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Welcome! What's your vision? Let's make it reality!
Hello, I'm based in Arcata, CA, on the Redwood Coast. Paul Marsh, that's me, is Weddings In The Wild. Your officiant, concierge and adventurer. I perform poetic, nature focused ceremonies for elopements, weddings, vow renewals, and non-legal commitment ceremonies. Concierge service is an option for you if your planning a destination elopement or wedding on the Redwood Coast.
Thank you for considering my services! I'm Paul Marsh, owner and officiant. With 10 years of experience in helping couples at more than 375 weddings. I'd love to help you create your special moment. My energy, enthusiasm, knowledge, and reassuring presence combine to create a most memorable experience on your special day. The goal is that your day is low stress and fun, as well as an experience of a lifetime.
A former outdoor adventure professor at Cal Poly Humboldt, I have a genuine passion for outdoor weddings. Helping couples to wed in a beautiful setting where they feel most inspired and comfortable. In 2015, a former student asked me to "marry them". Afterwards, the photographer, an different former student told me that I "had to" do this because at no other wedding he had photographed had the officiant delivered such a beautiful, nature oriented ceremony. This inspired me to start Weddings In The Wild to help couples make their special day both beautifully memorable and low stress. So, as a former recreation and tourism professor, I reached out to my students who were in the marrying stage of life and asked them for input. It worked, and basically Weddings in the Wild is a crowdsourced business, from the name to the concierge option.
Your ceremony with Weddings In The Wild will be based on your needs, beliefs and vision. I am a non-denominational/civic minister who strives to build a relationship. Working to understand you as a couple and help you to create the wedding of your vision. My ceremonies use nature based metaphor to capture the poetic beauty of the natural setting. The delivery is heartfelt and joyful.
I've just started on The Knot, so you can read my reviews (Weddings in the Wild) on WeddingWire. You can also see reviews on the Google Business page for Weddings in the Wild.
Details
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Religious Affiliations
Spiritual
Wedding Activities
Wedding
Ceremony
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Paul Marsh
Owner & Officiant
Paul Marsh is Weddings in the Wild. Adventuring form Arcata, CA with his go-anywhere officiating services, allowing couples to celebrate their love in nature. Paul has 10 years of experience performing more than 375 weddings. He is dedicated to creating beautiful and personal ceremonies, and a wonderful experience for his clients.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.010 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Weddings In The Wild, specifically officiated by Paul, received glowing reviews for Redwoods elopements. Paul's exceptional communication, thoughtful ceremony customization, and professionalism stood out to couples who appreciated his guidance from paperwork to the ceremony itself. His warmth, efficiency, and ability to create a personal and magical experience in the Redwoods were highly praised, making him the top choice for couples seeking an unforgettable elopement in the California Redwoods.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 3
Gaby K
Highlighted review.
5.0
1/17/2026
If you are even thinking about eloping in the Redwoods, stop what you’re doing and hire Paul.
We eloped in the redwood forest, and from day one Paul was incredible. He sent us mul...
tiple location options to choose from, was so thoughtful and organized, and made the entire process feel easy and exciting. Especially since we found him only about two weeks before our flight out. We were so lucky he was available.
Paul is genuinely the friendliest, warmest person we have ever encountered. What he wrote for our ceremony was so unique and beautifully woven with the magic of the Redwoods. It felt personal, intentional, and completely us. He was patient, calm, and made the entire day feel magical even with the possibility of rain.
We weren’t originally sure if we were going to legally get married in the forest or do the courthouse first and just exchange vows in the Redwoods. My father-in-law insisted we had to get married in the forest and even offered to pay for it. Thank goodness he did, because Paul made it unforgettable.
After the ceremony, we genuinely wanted to hang out with him. You hire Paul as your officiant, but you leave feeling like you’ve made a friend.
If you are lucky enough to have him marry you, don’t hesitate. It will be one of the best decisions you make.
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 01/17/2026
Thank you, Gaby! It was a pleasure to get to know you and help you create the unforgettabl...
e moment, and day. Reading your words totally makes my heart sing. It was truly my honor and privilege to be part of your wonderful adventure and to perform your ceremony. Thank you. Best wishes to the two of you for a wonderful life together.
Nicole A
5.0
1/22/2026
Our elopement in the Redwoods would not have been the same if not for Paul. Communication and planning was effortless leading up to our ceremony and Paul made many great suggestion...
s which helped shape our day. He hiked with us through puddles in the pouring rain and smiled the whole time. He truly helped us create a moment we’ll remember for the rest of our lives. Thank you Paul!!
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 01/22/2026
Thank you, Nicole! I'm delighted to hear that your day was so special. It rained hard and ...
the two of you were so in love the whole time. Thank you for including me in the special day in your lives. It was truly an honor and a privilege to perform your ceremony and to help you prepare. I wish the two of you all the best for a wonderful life together.
Any questions?
Taylor L
5.0
1/03/2026
Paul was such a wonderful officiant. We got married in the Redwoods at Jedediah Smith State Park. Paul guided us the entire way from filing paperwork at the clerks office to our we...
dding day & ceremony. He gave us so many helpful tips, information, & suggestions to make our ceremony unique & listened to all our ideas. He met with us a few times to revise our ceremony so that it suited us & represented our relationship to the fullest. The way he spoke about nature & incorporated it into the ceremony was beautiful & some of my favorite parts of the celebration. Paul was so incredibly speedy on all his responses to us, & I greatly appreciated that. We are thrilled that Paul was part of our very special day & made it so meaningful for us. Thank you, Paul. We will cherish these memories.
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 01/03/2026
Thank you Taylor! I'm so glad that the ceremony we created was everything you wanted and t...
hat your wedding came together so perfectly. It was an honor and privilege to perform your ceremony, thank you for including me. Best wishes to the two of you for a wonderful life together.
denise t
5.0
12/06/2025
We decided to have an elopement in the redwoods since that was where we met as a couple and had many fond memories at the university there. Paul was so communicative and helped us ...
navigate a completely foreign process with such ease, grace, and genuine compassion. Even the County clerk knew who Paul as he’s done many ceremonies and is very experienced and knowledgeable. He also tailors your ceremony to your vision and needs to make sure you have the most memorable moment. Don’t look any further, I’d recommend just booking him now!
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 12/06/2025
Thank you Denise! I'm so glad I could help the two of you say your vows in such a meaningf...
ul way. It was an honor and a privilege to perform your ceremony, thank you for including me in this special moment in your lives. Best wishes to the two of you for a wonderful life together.
Matthew H
5.0
11/17/2025
Paul was an absolutely incredible wedding officiant. He made the entire process so easy for us from start to finish. He provided thoughtful prompts and ceremony options for us to c...
hoose from, and the script he created was so beautifully written we hardly had to edit anything.
He clearly explained the paperwork process and walked us through every step, so we were never left with questions or confusion. Honestly, it felt like all we had to do was show up—Paul handled the details, made sure everything ran smoothly, and even took care of getting all the documents signed and submitted.
We are so grateful for his professionalism, warmth, and guidance. If you’re looking for someone who makes your ceremony effortless and meaningful, Paul is the perfect choice.
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 11/17/2025
Thank you Matthew! I'm glad I could help take the stress out of your experience and make g...
etting married the delightful day that it should be. It was such a pleasure to get to know the two of you. With all the love shining on you two, your big wedding felt like a comfy home. Thank you for the honor and privilege of performing your ceremony. I wish all the best to the two of you for a wonderful life together. See you around Humboldt!
Donna L
5.0
11/08/2025
We are so happy that we chose Weddings In The Wild to help us plan our elopement! We live on the East Coast and it was our dream to be married in the California Redwoods — no fuss,...
no guests, just something special for the two of us. With no idea where or how to pull it off, we contacted Paul and he helped us make a plan that covered everything we wanted to do, the way we wanted to do it. He was a joy to work with, always kind and professional, and quick to respond with suggestions and solutions. He helped us choose the perfect location and wrote the most beautiful vows for us. The cost was very reasonable and we were thrilled with the way everything turned out. We highly recommend Weddings In The Wild!
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 11/08/2025
Thank you, Donna! I'm so happy for the two of you and your new life together. It was an ho...
nor and a privilege to perform your ceremony. Thank you for the opportunity to help you create your special day. I wish the two of you all the best for a wonderful life together.
Breanna S
5.0
9/18/2025
My partner and I decided to elope and planned everything very short notice. We were extremely lucky that Paul had an opening. Not only did he make us feel comfortable during our pr...
e-meeting but during our ceremony as well. Paul is lighthearted, joyful, and most importantly grounded. He prepared a ceremony that fit us perfectly and it was like he had known us for years. Not only was he the BEST officiant possible but his concierge services and recommendations were TOP TIER! Paul is a wonderful addition to any service and you and your future spouse would be lucky to have him.
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 09/18/2025
Thank you so much Bre! We had such a fun adventure on our wedding day finding your perfect...
spot. I'm so glad to hear that your experience was everything that you wanted. It was truly an honor and privilege to perform your ceremony and be a part of your wedding day. Thank you!
Alex C
5.0
8/28/2025
Paul was the perfect officiant for our Redwoods elopement. He took the time to get to know us and crafted a beautiful custom script that highlighted my wife and I’s journey togethe...
r. He was very communicative and was quick to make any edits or changes that we wanted in the script. We would highly recommend Paul for any wedding or elopement.
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 08/28/2025
Thank you for including me in your special day, Alex! What a beautiful sunrise on the redw...
ood coast, I even got to see some Roosevelt elk on the way. It was an honor and privilege to perform your ceremony and help you create your vision. Your families were wonderful to meet and the day was gorgeous. I'm happy for the two of you and wish you all the best for a wonderful life together.
Tammy G
5.0
7/02/2025
We traveled from Michigan to have our wedding in CA. We lucked out and found Paul through an internet search. He was quick to respond, made an effort to get to know us and gave us ...
a beautiful ceremony with only a couple weeks notice. He was also very knowledgeable of CA and OR marriage license procedures. He offered valuable tips and awesome sight-seeing ideas. We felt very fortunate to have him as our wedding officiant.
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 07/02/2025
Thank you Tammy! I'm so glad your big adventure was a wonderful success. It was an honor t...
o help the two of you create your special day and dial in your plans. The photo shoot was fun afterwards. Thank you for including me. Sending you best wishes for a wonderful life together.
Abigail E
5.0
4/22/2025
Paul was excellent! Very timely and communicative, would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for an officiant. We live out of state and he accomadated for us and made our lives ...
easier! He was very flexible and tailored our ceremony with what we wanted/wished for. He knows what he is doing and is well worth it!
Response from Weddings In The Wild on 04/22/2025
Thank you so much, Abi! It was wonderful to meet your families and be part of your special...
day. I wish you all the best for a wonderful life together. Thank you for the honor of performing your ceremony.
Service area & Contact info
Humboldt & Del Norte, Redwood Coast
Typically included in the starting cost
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Weddings In The Wild
Paul Marsh
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Owner & Officiant
Typically responds within 24h
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