Courthouse Weddings

This really depends on where you are. Where I am, I have to book a slot, pay the deposit, bring our marriage license and two witnesses the day of. We have an option to book a photographer with the package too.

However, you need to look at what the requirements are for your area.

You need both birth certificates. They'll have you fill out a form once you get there...you'll take an oath...they'll call you back and recite your vows..if you have wedding rings you'll need those as well...it's a really quick process there's no sentiment in it but to each their own

My MOH married her husband at the courthouse. I'd look on your county courthouse website and call them and check to see if you need an appointment and if you need to bring anyone as a witness. You'll need your marriage license of course, which you'll need to get beforehand. You'll need your IDs and social security numbers to get your license. Each state and even counties differ. In my county there is a 5 day waiting period for the license, so we'd need to apply 6 days before we need it, and we'd need to have an appointment at the courthouse for a marriage BEFORE we apply for the license, so we'd need to set that up.

I'm not having a courthouse wedding, but I know those are some of the guidelines here. So, best bet, look up your your specific county website and find info, or call them!

@Alysse - That's a really degrading statement. The ceremony that we are having is 20 minutes. We can have readings and our own vows. We have chosen to do this because it's what we want. You are awfully judgemental!

Courthouse weddings are absolutely sentimental.

@Paigr go with the advice that JessieJV and Emily have provided.

Duplicate comment!

We got married at the courthouse a couple of weeks ago. We had to pay for the license and a $25 ceremony fee the day of. We let the magistrate know we wanted to exchange rings beforehand. The ceremony was only 3 or 4 minutes long. We just applied for a marriage license, and then we had to call and reserve a time slot. They only perform ceremonies a couple days a week, so be sure to call your local probate court to discuss. If you call, they are VERY helpful and willing to answer any questions you may have. At least my county was great about it.

There is still some preparation depending on what you're going for. I wore a gown, ordered a bouquet and bouts a couple weeks before hand. I booked make up & hair the day of. I ordered a cake. Also, arrange for a photographer.

What specifically do you want to know? Also, I disagree with @Alysse's statement. There was an overwhelming air of sentiment, and it was just absolutely perfect. Every second of the day. My parents and his mom were going on about how they'd never seen a union so peaceful and meaningful in their lives.

I'll be honest, the backdrop might not be super aesthetic, unless you live in New York City, or San Francisco who have notably beautiful city hall buildings.

I had one and I don't regret it one bit! It was low key and that's what we wanted.

You really need to research through your county clerks office to see what needs to be done because it varies by state and can even vary by county but just for reference so you're not nervous about it being hard or confusing, this is how it went for us.

We applied online for a license, went down to the clerks office, showed our IDs, paid the fee, took an oath, and signed the license. Where I live, it's valid for 60 days. In my county, they perform marriages from 11-11:30 and 3-3:30. No appointment necessary. We showed up, our witnesses signed, the magistrate signed, and we said our vows (the standard ones...we didn't write our own). The magistrate took the license back to the clerks office to be filed and we were able to get the official copy the next day.

No, it wasn't cutesy and personalized but we're married and we had a bomb celebration later on with our families.

ETA: we actually had to get married inside the jail because the civil magistrate was out of the office that entire week but we didn't know that until we'd all taken off work and showed up, so we were married by the criminal magistrate. I still have no complaints because even though it was awkward as fuck, it was memorable and I have a funny story to tell.

This really depends on where you are, and Alysse? You're incorrect in many ways.

Every courthouse is different and some don't even do this any more. I watched the GMA special about 100 weddings in 24 hours and some of them were done by clerks. The SF office is totally gorgeous, and the people in NYC's marriage office (which is brandy new and gorgeous too) manage to be enthusiastic and gracious, even though they do about 12 weddings a day, five days a week.

In NJ, (at least) most clerks don't do weddings any more, and if they do, it's like on a Tuesday after traffic court. There is a very long wait to get a date because so few offices do this any more.

What you might do is think about booking an independent officiant and going to a park or a restaurant. That way you can really control the timing and the atmosphere. You can write your own vows (generally) and if you'd like it to be slightly religious, it probably can be.

You will still need a license, and that you'll get from the health department either in your county or your town (in NJ, we go by town).

You can have a beautiful, personal, lovely wedding that doesn't feel like going to the court to pay a speeding ticket.

Hi Paigr! I am having a courthouse wedding in October. I am following the wedding planner to do lists. Even though many think a courthouse wedding is impersonal, I disagree with that. Mine will be at the Lansing Courthouse, I can invite up to 50 people, but I'm only inviting 4, my parents and his parents. We are going to have our mothers be our witnesses, my dad can escort me in, his dad will hold on to our rings. I am still going to wear a dress, he will wear a suit. I will still bring a bouquet and he will still wear a boutineer. And we will have a photographer. This is our special day, and it will be small and intimate. Afterwards, we will have a small luncheon with the parents, then spend the night at a nice hotel and have our first dinner as husband and wife. We are going to Aruba for a week afterwards. All the money we saved by not having a large wedding (our ceremony will cost $10) nor a reception can go towards a really nice honeymoon. Your wedding day is all about you and your future hubby. There is nothing wrong with that!!

@Stacy - You are taking all the people who witness your nuptials out for dinner or lunch after your ceremony though? You need to thank them for coming.

I'm having about 12-15 people at my wedding and we are taking them out to a restaurant afterwards.

Jessie- only our parents will be there, and it's at 1:15, so we will be taking them to lunch.

Thank you everyone! I appreciate the responses!!! I am from Chicago. As far as the ceremony, will they allow us to say our own vows? That's the important part to me. We will celebrate with family and friends afterwards and do as Stacey said spend all of our money on our honeymoon. I am a traveling fanatic.

@Paigr - You will have to contact your courthouse and find out if they will let you do your own vows.

Was Alysse's comment edited? I get that people interpret things differently, but I don't see it as saying there's anything wrong with a courthouse wedding.

I'm not very sentimental, so maybe I've missed that "unsentimental=bad" to most people, lol

@Jayquelin - When someone tells you that there is no sentiment in your preferred method of getting married, it tends to get your hackles up. It's simply not true.