How to get Married at the Courthouse | 7 Tips to planning a memorable Courthouse Wedding
7 Tips to Having an Unforgettable Courthouse Wedding
You’re getting married to your best friend?! You can’t wait to tie the knot and you’re doing a courthouse wedding with just the two of you and maybe a few of your best friends to celebrate this moment with them. The big wedding? Yeah, that’s happening in two years in Portugal or Spain, you’re still undecided about it, and you have two years to plan your badass destination wedding, so until then, let's focus on your courthouse wedding!
This all sounds AMAZING! I can’t wait for you to have the best courthouse wedding, because… Let me tell you something, it can be as amazing and memorable as you want it to be. Here are a few tips to making it happen.
First, what’s a civil ceremony? It’s the legal part of a union between you two officiated by a government official, which makes you a married couple in society. The non-religious ceremony, followed by an exchanged of vows, and signing of document which makes you legally married to your person!! Y-A-Y!
So what to do next? Let’s go by order of importance.
#1 Contact the courthouse and gather pertinent information
Contact the city hall where you want to get married, it doesn’t have to be the closest to you! It can be another one that you like, but keep in mind that each state and even counties have different rules and regulations so keep that in mind when you look for the one, you’d like to get married at. If you haven’t already, apply for the marriage license.
The Allegheny County Courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (436 Grant St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219) is a beautiful building and one that it’s not only popular, but accessible in the Pittsburgh area. Not to mentioned that the buildings are considered among the finest examples of the Romanesque Revival style for which Richardson is well known. You know what that means, right?! Picture perfect!!
Once you get to the courthouse both of you must go to the Marriage License Bureau Office together and complete an Application for Marriage License, and WALA!
#2 Send out invites to close friends and family
Now that we have the most important part of the list done, figuring out who you’d like to attend, if any apart from your witness is what’s next. Generally, a courthouse wedding is small and personal. But you may want to invite a few of your closest friends and family members, so make sure to let them know in advance.
#3 Selecting your Wedding Flowers: A bad-ass bouquet
Yeap! That’s always a great idea! Flowers are a beautiful detail to have, even if you’re having a small ceremony. It brings details and a special touch to the equation, and the photos will look fabulous as well, so if you’re on the fence about it, please get those flower details ready!
If you do have a couple of friends and family with you, you can also have pedals thrown at you guys when you exit the courthouse in celebration, and the photographer will capture all those little moments for you to have forever!
#4 Choosing your Outfit: What to wear to a courthouse wedding
An elegant simple dress is a great choice, but you can also choose what this couple did: a bridal suite! Wedding suits for brides are a great idea to keeping it simple, classy, and original!! They’re full of personality and the perfect occasion to rock one. You can pair it with your favorite heels, a vail, and a pair of cheek sunglasses.
As for your partner, if he is a man, he can wear a tux or suit—depending on the time of day and what his preferences are in style. If your person is a bride, you can either match, or she can wear a dress and you can go for the bridal suite. What I want you to know is you have options, and it all depends on how you want to make this day authentic to you and your story. And as I always say, have fun along the way!
#5 Hire a photographer to document it all!
Once you’ve figured out all the details and you have a plan, you MUST book a photographer to capture it all! Please, please, please I promise it’ll be worth it. You’ll want all the special memories captured for years to come—even if it’s just a courthouse wedding, you’ll want this day documented.
Just imagine you guys walking to the courthouse, right before you sign and are officially husband and wife. The excitement right after, the kisses, the hugs, the excitement, the tears!
If you have your eye on a certain photographer, just ask them, especially if you’re getting married on a weekday, chances are they can make it happen, and even help you with the planning of it all!
#6 Just Married: A Courthouse Wedding after party
Okay! Let’s continue with the theme, think outside of the box and what makes you two YOU. What’s one thing you guys love to do?! Have a small gathering with friends and family, or go to a bar in downtown because it reminds you of your first date ever?
What about your local cafe where you like to have brunch on Sundays? Or a picnic on the park, or a sunset by the beach?
The point of this is that you’re both happy, carefree, and in the present moment anything goes, and the options are wide open!! And please, don’t forget to coordinate with your photographer so this part is captured as well, I really do promise you, you won’t forget it!
#7 The last and most important: Be in the moment!
This is my most important recommendation, because the day goes by so fast, and I’m pretty sure you’ve been dreaming of this moment your entire life, and now you get to do life with your best friend and that is nothing less than incredible, so make sure you are present every minute of it!
