FAQ

Before getting married at the Hitching Post, you will need to acquire an Idaho State Marriage License. We also encourage you to make a reservation. (Kootenai courthouse is CLOSED for Marriage Licenses on Saturdays. For weekend weddings, the marriage license MUST be purchased by the prior Friday before 5:00pm.

The couples who get married at the Hitching Post come in all different types of attire. Some come in full formal wedding gowns and tuxes, while others wear their favorite jeans. We have had couples who choose to get married in Hawaiian outfits or cowboy style clothing. We encourage our couples to dress as they would for any special and meaningful occasion.

You are able to have a bridal party in the wedding as long as they will fit into the room you choose to be married in. If you are choosing to have a location ceremony by one of our ministers, you are welcome to include a bridal party and as many guests as the facility will allow.

The Hitching Post is close to the Coeur d’Alene Park and beach as well as several golf courses. You can hike on Tubbs Hill, go swimming in Lake Coeur d’ Alene, try out parasailing, or take a romantic walk on the boardwalk. There are many campgrounds, restaurants, hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts to serve you in the area. Silverwood Theme Park is only 15 miles north for a day of summer fun. Plus there is fishing on the lake, jogging on the Centennial Trail, several local ski resorts, The 1/2 Ironman USA Triathalon Coeur d’Alene, eagle watching, boat tours, Car d’Alene. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is also a fantastic destination to Honeymoon!

Absolutely! You can find some of our preferred vendors to choose from or bring a photographer of your choice. Optionally, you may also have a guest in attendance take photos or videos during the ceremony. We have many couples that choose our Memories Wedding Package, where we will provide you with a SD card with photos of your wedding to keep and reuse after the ceremony.

You are welcome to Skype or Facetime your wedding from your mobile device or computer using our Wi-Fi.

No. Because our rooms are themed, they are already decorated. You are welcome to bring a few decorations of your own to add a personal touch, if you’d like.

We strive to make your wedding experience memorable and personal for you. At the Hitching Post, ordained ministers will marry you using a traditional, religious ceremony. You are also able to choose which themed room you would like to have your ceremony in. After your marriage, we encourage our guests to come back and visit. Couples come back to show their children where they were married and some couples will return with their children when their children are ready to be married. We have even had some grandchildren of couples decide to make the Hitching Post where they would start their married life together, making it a family tradition.

We are open six days a week and often available on Sundays and holidays. Please contact us to schedule a reservation.

All ceremonies are only done by our Licensed or Ordained Hitching Post ministers.

This is the general procedure for you at the Hitching Post and the Chapel.We are a small wedding chapel, weddings only, no reception facility. We make it easy for you as most everything is already done and set up.

Come ready to be married with marriage license, ceremony performed, minister signs and gives you your copy of the marriage license.

See Below For More Details

1. Make an appt. with us. Both names and phone numbers.
   Date and Time. Walk-ins welcome.
2. Get your Idaho marriage license at any Idaho Co. courthouse, the one here in Coeur d’Alene is across the street from us. Go to the Kootenai Co. Admin. Bldg. Open M-F 9-5. (Closed Saturdays) Photo ID and S.S. numbers are required.
   There is no waiting period after obtaining the marriage license as you can be married on the same day if you wish. Witnesses are NOT required and No blood test.
3. Bring the Marriage License with you to the Hitching Post.
4. Be at the HP a little before your appt. time as we have a little paperwork for you to fill out. If you need to change clothes come a little earlier than that with the bride having her hair and makeup already done.
5. We have seating for 15 guests besides the bridal party and all guests should be here just before your appt. time.
6. You are welcome to have witnesses, though they are not required.
7. We play music and the chapel is decorated.
   If you have a special song you would like played, please bring that on Cellphone, CD, iPod-type device, or even cassette.
8. If you wish you can walk down the aisle and have someone give you away, flower girl, ring bearer, or have a sand or unity candle ceremony (you supply the sand and candles with containers). There is a $10 refundable cleaning deposit for any spilled Sand or Candle Wax. If none is spilled, the deposit is refunded. Or you can just come in with the groom and stand before the minister.
9. We do a traditional Christian ceremony, and vows (you can add to them if you wish). The minister will talk to you about Love and commitment, and ring exchange if you are exchanging rings.
10. Pray for you and pronounce you husband and wife.
    Only our ministers perform the ceremony at the Hitching Post. You are welcome to have someone read something special or pray for you or sing/play special music.
11. Generally, since we are just a very small chapel, the Bride and Groom Do not walk back down the aisle together. They stay at the front
    for photos and congrats.
12. You are welcome to have your own photographer take photos or we can take some for you either with your camera or ours. We charge $30.00 to use our camera with an SD card and we give you the SD card to take with you to have photos printed wherever you wish. If we take the photos, remember, we are not professional photographers, but we are able to provide you with some memorable photos.
13. The minister will sign the marriage license and will give you the one with a Gold seal if it has one. We will return the other copy to the courthouse and the courthouse will send you a certified copy of your marriage license if from Kootenai Co. Other counties have different rules. The bride will take the certified copy with her to get her name changed after receiving it from the county, for documents such as her driver's license and Social Security Card. etc.
14. Flowers that you carry or wear can be ordered from us or you are welcome to bring your own.