Eloping in Germany legally- advice and help

The requirements can be found at this link, but they are complicated:

https://www.internations.org/germany-expats/guide/29461-family-children-education/marriage-in-germany-15962

Also, remember that if you live in the US and get married in Germany, this will complicate proving your marriage for the rest of your life. You'll have to order the marriage certificate from Germany (meaning you have to do it in German, and have to wait much longer than if you were getting it from the US). You'll typically have to get a translation (sometimes from someone on a list of approved translators), and may have to get other documents to show that the copy you have is equivalent to a US certified copy.

You may want to consider just going to a courthouse in the US for your legal ceremony, and then having a symbolic ceremony in Germany.

Awesome! Very ambitious! It is very difficult as a foreigner and with no long-term residence. The process is very similar to Denmark, of which I am familiar. You need to be a resident in Germany for at least a few weeks and you need certain documents like a long version of your birth certificate, a letter from the government confirmating there is nothing to prevent you and your FH to be married, financial statements and so on. You would pay a fee for the courts to decide whether you can be married, and after this, you receive a certificate that allows you to be married within a few months. You will have to register a name change wherever you are coming from as you need to be a resident of Germany to do it there officially.

It is not impossible but it is a frustrating way to get things done. I agree with the previous poster to consider a local one then go to Germany. You may also consider researching different countries that don't have a complicated process. Whatever you decide, plan well in advance. You will want to get an idea of how long the current wait times are and obtain the certificate before putting any deposits down on non-refundable vendors.

Would it be possible for you to get legally married in the US and do a symbolic ceremony in Germany? I agree with other PPs, it seems like a difficult process.