I'm the Wedding Witch of Salem... weaving magic

into every “I do”!

My name is Tara McMullen-King, and I’m the magical creatrix behind Witchy Woman Weddings. I thoughtfully craft and joyfully officiate weddings, elopements, handfastings, commitment ceremonies, and vow renewals for couples who want something truly their own. No generic scripts, recycled templates, or AI-generated slop! Every ceremony is an original creation, thoughtfully crafted from scratch to reflect your unique personalities and celebrate your love.

A Ceremony That's Unmistakably Yours

Whether you’re drawn to a Pagan handfasting, a spiritual-but-not-religious elopement, a more traditional wedding, or something completely outside the box, your ceremony should feel like a true reflection of you. We can incorporate meaningful rituals, nods to your beliefs and backgrounds, or keep things simple and romantic – whatever resonates most. I’m here to create something that feels personal, heartfelt, and entirely your own!

Celebrating You and Your Love

I’m fiercely passionate about equality and inclusivity, and I believe every couple deserves a ceremony that reflects who they really are, without having to fit anyone else’s expectations of what things “should” look like. While I happily work with couples of all kinds, I have a particular soft spot for unconventional souls and my fellow members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I want you to feel completely free to be yourself, in all your wonderful, unapologetic glory. Not just welcomed or tolerated... but wholeheartedly embraced and celebrated for exactly who you are.

Serving Couples Throughout New England

I work with local couples here in Salem, as well as those traveling from across the country and around the world to celebrate their love here in the Witch City! I also officiate ceremonies across New England, including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Wherever your celebration takes place, I'm happy to bring a little magic to your special day.

As Featured In...

My work has been recognized by national and international media outlets, including:

✨ New York Times: Weddings That Are Out of This World (or at Least Way Out of the Chapel)

✨ The Telegraph (London): The New Generation of Witches Taking Over Salem

✨ National Geographic: Meet the LGBTQ+ pioneers of Provincetown and Salem

✨ National Geographic Traveller's Massachusetts Guide: Loud and Proud

✨ Virgin Atlantic Magazine: Meet Salem's Love Witches

✨ Fodor's Travel: Salem Has Become A Witchy Hotbed for Women-Owned Businesses

✨ AMM: Witchy Wedding Rituals & Advice From "The Wedding Witch of Salem"

Photo of the statue of Samantha from "Bewitched" in Salem, Massachusetts

Photo of the Salem Witch Museum in Salem, Massachusetts

Photo of the Corwin House, the "Witch House" in Salem, with some pumpkins

Every word and phrase in the heart below comes straight from a real client review. With more than 200 custom ceremonies under my belt and nothing but five-star reviews, I think it paints a pretty lovely picture... but I’ll let my couples tell the rest of the story!

See what they're saying →

October is OCTOBERING. 🎃🖤

17 ceremonies in the last 4 weeks, with another 9 to go between now and Halloween. 10 custom ceremony scripts written (5–10 hours apiece), with another 7 to finish in the next week.

And that's JUST Witchy Woman Weddings. Throw in my full-time day job, a couple of boards, and a few fun things I've somehow managed to squeeze in... and I'm genuinely not sure how I've done it all. 😂

Meanwhile, Salem is BONKERS, and visitor numbers are reportedly up 12% from last year.

But I love my couples... I love love... and I love all the work I do. And you know what else I'm going to love? That vacation I've got coming up in a few weeks. 🥂

I GOT THIS. (I think?) 🖤✨️

A big huge THANK YOU for all of the love and interest in Witchy Woman Weddings! 🖤✨️

But with 25 amazing couples and ceremonies still ahead of me this year, my calendar for the rest of 2026 is now officially closed so I can give them the time and energy they deserve.

So please note that I'm no longer taking inquiries for 2026 dates... but I am actively booking for 2027 & 2028!

So incredibly grateful to everyone who continues to trust me with such a special part of their day. 🖤✨️

#officiant #weddingofficiant #weddingwitch #salem #salemmassachusetts

Whitney & Emma traveled from North Carolina to exchange sunrise vows atop Castle Rock in Marblehead on the dawn before Midsummer... with the Summer Solstice just hours away.

As light spilled across the waves, we honored the rising sun, the spirits of the land and sea, and the Norse gods and goddesses they honor. The ceremony I wrote for them was deeply personal and woven with symbolism from beginning to end, with a telling of their remarkable Love Story, heartfelt personal vows, the ceremonial sharing of mead from a hand-carved drinking horn, the staining of a bind rune with red ochre, a series of five personalized "I Do" vows, and an exchange of rings.

Watching the sun rise as they promised to walk life's path together was one of those unforgettable moments I'll carry with me for a very, very long time! This ceremony was 100% unique, and magical in every sense of the word. ☀️🌊🥂💍🖤✨️

📸 @thewitchtographer

These two cuties came all the way from Indiana to Salem to celebrate 10 years of marriage with a vow renewal at the Ropes Mansion Garden! Salem is one of Nikki’s favorite places, so it felt like the perfect spot for them to celebrate their anniversary in a way that felt like "them."

Despite it being a pretty hot day here in Salem, we still had SO much fun with their ceremony, celebrating their love story and their promises with a unity knot handfasting to bind it all together. And can we talk about their gorgeous handfasting cord?!

Ten years down, forever to go. Congratulations Nikki & B.G.! 🖤💐🌳🪢✨

Another five-star review from a happy couple! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 🥂🖤✨️
#weddingwitch #witchywoman #weddingofficiant #weddingplanning #salemmassachusetts

Haley & Nick traveled from Maine to Salem to celebrate their love in the beautiful Blake Memorial Chapel at Harmony Grove Cemetery. The ceremony I crafted for them honored the changing seasons, the natural world, and the rhythms that have shaped both Haley's spiritual path and their relationship. Their love story felt like something out of a novel – seven years ago, fate brought Haley to the hotel where Nick happened to be working the front desk, and a conversation about a reservation change quietly altered the course of their lives. Since then, they've built a beautiful family and a life filled with laughter, good food, woodland walks, and unwavering friendship. Their ceremony celebrated every part of that journey, weaving together a calling of the quarters, a heartfelt telling of their love story, a poignant reading, a handfasting incorporating an oathing stone, and a ring exchange. "My hand in yours, season after season." 🖤🪨🪢💍🪦🌳 ✨️🖤

📸 @thewitchtographer

#salem #salemmassachusetts #cemetery #tietheknot #officiant

Forever one of my favorite spots for a casual summertime elopement!

The beautiful Ropes Mansion Garden is a hidden gem in the heart of downtown Salem. What many couples don't realize, though, is that there is a reservation process, guest limits, specific rules, a required donation to the Peabody Essex Museum's garden fund, and other logistics to consider before you can hold your ceremony here.

This is exactly why hiring an officiant who knows Salem inside and out matters! I've spent countless hours researching venues, policies, and all the little details so my couples don't have to.

Every couple I work with receives my detailed 15-page Salem location guide, packed with information like this to help you confidently choose the perfect ceremony location... especially if you're planning your wedding from hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

#salemmassachusetts #salemweddingwitch #officiant #elopementplanner

Cheyenne & Marc celebrated their wedding at the House of the Seven Gables, returning to the city where they first met! Self-described "silly gooses" and proud nerds who don't take life too seriously (except when it comes to each other), they were surrounded by their favorite people for a celebration that was equal parts heartfelt, playful, and symbolic.

The personalized ceremony I created for them reflected their Pagan and Pantheist beliefs and celebrated the wonderfully ordinary moments that have shaped their relationship – from gardening, concerts, and video games to anime discussions and life with their amazing cats. Their handfasting featured a cord adorned with a moon, a Celtic cross, and a Tree of Life, and they exchanged rings with custom vows promising that their favorite place will always be by each other's side.
☀️🪢💐💍✨️

🪢 @anamchara_cords
💒 @h7gables
💄 @wickedmakeupboston
📸 @photographyyourway

I love all my brides... but I have a special place in my heart for my alternative babes who choose a gorgeous black wedding dress, like Gabby! 🖤

Here's the thing – the "traditional" white wedding dress isn't nearly as timeless as people think. Before Queen Victoria wore white for her wedding in 1840, there was no universal bridal color. Most brides simply wore the nicest dress they owned, whether it was blue, green, red, patterned, metallic, or yes... even black. White dresses certainly existed, of course, but they were expensive, difficult to keep clean, and basically out of reach for most people.

Then Queen Victoria got married in white... and because she was basically the trendsetter of her day, white suddenly became the height of fashion! Over time, what started as a fashion trend became wrapped up in Victorian ideas about femininity, purity, and what a bride "should" look like... until it eventually came to be seen as the only "proper" choice.

One of my favorite things about modern weddings is seeing couples reclaim them from all of those unwritten "rules." If your dream dress is white, then wear white! If it's black, wear black! If it's emerald green, blood red, covered in embroidery, paired with combat boots, or topped with a cathedral veil... wear that!

Traditions are invitations, not obligations. You can keep the ones that resonate with you, and leave the rest behind. 🖤✨️

💄@wickedmakeupboston
💒 @h7gables
📸 @caseyhillphotography

Another five-star review from a happy couple! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🫶
#salemweddingwitch #weddingofficiant #officiant #uniquewedding #magical

Jessie & Nathan traveled from Vermont to elope in the gardens behind Ropes Mansion! Happily introverted and wanting a day that felt intimate and entirely their own, they exchanged vows surrounded by flowers and greenery… just the two of them. The personalized ceremony I created for them celebrated the quiet, cozy life they've built together – one filled with video games, hikes, Legos, and their beloved fur babies. With their shared love ofThe Lord of the Rings, there were subtle touches of Middle-earth woven throughout the day. Jessie looked like she'd stepped straight out of Tolkien's world, and I was obsessed with the whimsical dandelion bouquet she made herself! They spoke personal vows, shared special stones they had found on their land in Vermont, and exchanged rings with custom vows that promised to be each other's "home and greatest adventure." After the ceremony, the newlyweds ventured out to Castle Rock in Marblehead for portraits overlooking the ocean... a perfect ending to a day that was romantic, whimsical, and wonderfully nerdy.
🌳💐🪨💍🌼🌸
💄@rougecosmetics
📸 @thewitchtographer

Sometimes this work leads to experiences I never could have imagined... like being interviewed for a feature in @telegraph about Salem!

When the fabulous @zoeygotowriter came to town, I took her to one of my favorite spots, @mercytavern, where we spent time talking about my work, Salem's evolution, and what it means to be a witch and wedding officiant in a city with such a complicated history.

It felt especially fitting because Mercy Tavern also sits across the street from my favorite ceremony venue, @h7gables, where I got married myself in 2018!

I'm incredibly grateful to Zoey for telling Salem's story with such thoughtfulness and for including me and Witchy Woman Weddings in it. I was also thrilled that the article featured one of my favorite ceremony photos, taken by my very talented colleague and frequent collaborator, @thewitchtographer.

Big thank you to Zoey and @telegraphtravel for sharing our little corner of the world with readers across the pond! 🖤✨️

Maggie & Ryan traveled from Arizona to Maggie's home state of Rhode Island for an intimate Earth Day elopement at Goddard Memorial State Park!

Deeply connected to nature, they chose to celebrate their love in a place that has long felt like home to Maggie – exchanging vows beneath the trees on a day dedicated to celebrating the Earth itself.

It was the perfect setting for a ceremony rooted in love, intention, and a deep reverence for the living world around them.

The Pagan ceremony I created honored the changing seasons, the elements, and their ancestral roots. They exchanged personal vows, were handfasted with a Tree of Life and celestial-inspired cord, and exchanged rings with custom vows, promising to be each another's "home and horizon."

💍🪢🌎🌳💐

📸 @movemountainsco

At 5:00 AM on June 20th, I had the incredible honor of officiating a sunrise Norse Pagan Midsommar elopement for Whitney and Emma at Castle Rock in Marblehead... one of my new favorite ceremony spots! As the sun rose over the ocean, we gathered to honor love, share ritual, and welcome the arrival of the summer solstice. There was something truly magical about standing between sea and sky at dawn, with the world still quiet and glowing in golden light. In the five years I've been doing this work, it was honestly one of the most beautiful and magical ceremony experiences I've had. I love helping couples craft meaningful, deeply personal ceremonies... and this one was truly one of a kind. I can't wait to see the photos from one of my favorite collaborators, the amazing @thewitchtographer! 👩‍🦰☀️🌊🌈✨️

🖤✨ My books are now officially open for 2028! ✨🖤

Meanwhile, 2026 is nearly full. I only have a handful of open dates remaining this year... and I'll be closing my 2026 calendar very soon so I can focus my attention on the wonderful couples I'll be working with between now and the end of the year.

My 2027 calendar has been filling up steadily... but I still have a good amount of availability.

So whether you're planning something later this year, next year, or down the road in 2028... now's the perfect time to get in touch! 👩‍🦰🖤✨

"Where in the World is the Wedding Witch?" 🤣

In just the past month, my travels have taken me all over the North Shore. I've found myself staring out at Beverly Harbor from the upper deck of @missionboathouse, standing in the library of @hammondcastlemuseum, gazing across Salem Harbor from the lawn of the @h7gables, wandering through the gardens of Ropes Mansion, and watching the sunrise over the ocean at Castle Rock in Marblehead.

I never take for granted that I get to witness special moments in such beautiful places - or that couples trust me to help guide them through one of the most meaningful days of their lives. The scenery may change, but my gratitude never does. 🖤✨

Another ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ glowing review from a happy couple! 🥹🖤✨️
#officiant #weddingofficiant #weddingwitch #salemmassachusetts #salemweddingwitch

Benny & Belinda traveled from New Jersey to Salem for an intimate, private elopement that was completely their own! Held in the quiet gardens behind Ropes Mansion, their ceremony included a powerful smoke blessing to release the past and step forward with intention, followed by personal vows, heartfelt “I Do” promises, an exchange of rings, and a kiss to seal it all. With a shared love of history and all things spooky and magical, it was the perfect dark-and-moody Salem elopement they had imagined! 🖤🌬💍💐📖

#salemmassachusetts #elopement
#wedding #officiant #witchywoman

📸 @caseyhillphotography
🌿💨 @pentagramshoppe
💄@2bglambyjojo

Kristina & Joe chose to begin the next chapter of their story with a late-winter wedding at the stunning Willowdale Estate in Topsfield – the perfect setting for a couple who loves history, antiques, and a little moody romance! They got engaged at the Peabody Essex Museum, tucked away in the gardens with a vintage ring that carried its own story... so it felt only fitting that their wedding would hold that same sense of meaning, beauty, and quiet magic. Their personalized ceremony reflected the life they’ve built together over nearly eight years – one rooted in ease, deep connection, and the simple joy of being side by side. With a heartfelt poem written and read by their friend and neighbor, along with personalized vows and an exchange of rings, they made promises to continue building a life that feels like home. A romantic, thoughtful, and softly poetic celebration... the perfect winter-into-spring beginning. 🖤💐💍🍰🥀

💒 @willowdaleestate
📸 @juliannakatherinephoto
💐 @restless_spiritfloral
🍰 @celebrated.co
🎤 @meritagedj

Fellow Salemites Matt & Meagan were married in a Valentine’s Day–themed celebration at the beautiful Hawthorne Hotel, surrounded by more than a hundred of their friends and family. Their story began nearly twelve years ago as friends, a bond that grew into true companionship. The ceremony I helped them craft was heartfelt and intentional, featuring a ring warming, a reading from Nathaniel Hawthorne, and a handfasting with a beautiful Valentine-inspired cord of pink, purple, and red. They exchanged rings, sealed their vows with a kiss, and stepped into the next chapter of their lives surrounded by the people who love them most. It’s always a treat when I get to help a local couple celebrate their unique and beautiful love story right here at home!
🖤💍🪢💝

📸 @benoitandmccarthy
💐 @flowers_bydarlene
🎤 @nuimageentertainment
📍 @hawthornehotel
💒 @hawthorneweddings

Part II! Lexi and Cody traveled from Ontario to Salem for an intimate, gothic elopement inside the Blake Memorial Chapel at Harmony Grove Cemetery surrounded by the people who matter most to them. After I performed their ceremony, they explored both Harmony Grove and Greenlawn Cemetery for photos with the incredible Witchtographer… leaning fully into the moody, magical atmosphere and making the most of two of Salem’s most hauntingly beautiful spaces. 🖤🪦🪢💍🖤
📸 @thewitchtographer
#darkromance #gothicstyle #cemetery #horrorfan #scream

Another ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review from one of my amazing couples! 🖤💍🪢⚔️
#salemweddingwitch #handfasting #weddingofficiant #yourdayyourway #bestweddingever

Part II! Sarah & Keegan traveled from New York to elope in Salem – they had gotten engaged in front of the Witch House and knew they wanted to return to Salem to say their vows! They envisioned something simple, intimate, private, and darkly moody… and the quiet space outside Dickson Chapel at Greenlawn Cemetery was the perfect match. From their first horror movie date to the life they’ve built with their two kids and four cats, they wanted to honor the steady, enduring bond that’s carried them through every chapter. So they chose a Corpse Bride–inspired ritual with wine, flame, and rings before sealing it all with a kiss! After the ceremony, they wandered through Greenlawn for photos with the incredible Witchtographer – and the setting could not have been more perfect for their vibe. It was the perfect dark-and-moody Salem elopement they’d imagined. 🖤🕯💍🍷

📸 @thewitchtographer
💄 @wickedmakeupboston

#salem #salemmassachusetts #darkromance #wedding #elopement

More photos from Tess & Sebastian's handfasting! 🪢 This couple traveled from Indianapolis to Salem with their families for a deeply personal ceremony at the House of the Seven Gables. From start to finish, their ceremony was all heart and full of happy tears! I shared their beautiful Love Story - including their very first date at a Ren Faire - and we even gave a shout-out to their five amazing cats. They exchanged personal vows (there wasn’t a dry eye in sight, including mine), then sealed everything with a handfasting before slipping rings onto each other’s hands with full hearts. Surrounded by their loved ones and that unmistakable Salem magic, Tess & Sebastian created a wedding day that was enchanting, emotional, and completely, beautifully them. 🖤

📸 @caseyhillphotography
💄 @wickedmakeupboston
💒 @h7gables

#salem #salemmassachusetts #alternativewedding #nontraditionalwedding #handfasting

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