How to plan a courthouse wedding and celebrate afterwards
How a civil ceremony works, what to check with your local office, who to bring, and how to turn a ten-minute ceremony into a day everyone remembers.
The short version
- A courthouse or civil wedding is a short legal ceremony led by an official, usually in a government building.
- The rules (license, waiting period, witnesses, notice) are local. Check them with the office that will marry you.
- Book the slot early, bring the documents they ask for, and confirm how many guests the room allows.
- Plan what comes after: a lunch, a dinner or a party is what makes it a wedding day.
A courthouse wedding is a civil ceremony performed by an official, usually a judge, a clerk or a registrar, in a government building. It takes ten to twenty minutes, it is legally the same as any other wedding, and it can be the whole celebration or the quiet legal part of a bigger one.
What do you need to check first?
The rules are set locally, so the first step is the website or phone line of the office that will marry you. In the US that is usually the county clerk; in England and Wales it is the local register office; elsewhere it is the civil registry or its equivalent. Ask them these questions.
- What documents do we need, and do they need to be certified or translated?
- Do we need a license or a notice first, and how long before the ceremony?
- Is there a waiting period between the license and the ceremony, and how long is the license valid?
- How many witnesses do we need, and can we bring guests? How many?
- Can we choose the date and time, and how far ahead do slots book up?
- May we take photographs in the room?
Some places require notice well in advance. In England and Wales, for example, couples must give notice at least 29 days before the ceremony, and in Australia a notice of intended marriage has to be lodged at least a month ahead. In many US states you can marry within days of getting a license. The only answer that counts is your local office's.
Who should you bring?
Your witnesses, if they are required, and as many guests as the room allows. Courthouse ceremony rooms are often small, sometimes ten or fifteen people, so ask before you invite. If you want more people there, many offices also offer larger ceremony rooms for a fee, or an official who will come to another venue.
How do you make it feel like a wedding?
- Wear something you love; a courthouse wedding is a lovely excuse for a short dress or a sharp suit
- Book a photographer for an hour: the steps of an old courthouse are a classic backdrop
- Write your own short vows to say before or after, if the official's script is brief
- Bring flowers, even a small bunch, and give one to each witness
- Plan a meal straight afterwards, so the day has a second half
Should you invite people to a celebration afterwards?
Many couples marry at the courthouse with a handful of people and then hold a lunch, dinner or party for a larger group, the same day or weeks later. Invite it as a reception ("to celebrate their marriage") so guests know the ceremony has already happened. A digital invitation with an RSVP form handles the numbers for the restaurant without any printing.
Emma and James were married at the City Clerk's Office on Friday morning. Join us that evening for dinner and dancing to celebrate. Seven o'clock, The Boathouse, Rhinebeck.
The ceremony takes fifteen minutes. The day is everything you plan around it.
Common questions
What do you need for a courthouse wedding?
It depends on where you marry. Usually identification for both of you, a marriage license or prior notice, any required witnesses and the fee. Check the exact list, waiting periods and guest limits with the office that will marry you.
Is a courthouse wedding legally the same as a church or venue wedding?
Yes. A civil ceremony performed by an authorized official creates the same legal marriage as any other ceremony, provided the local paperwork is completed.
Can you have a reception after a courthouse wedding?
Yes. Many couples hold a lunch, dinner or party the same day or later, and invite it as a celebration of their marriage so guests know the ceremony has already taken place.
How many guests can attend a courthouse wedding?
It varies by office and room, often between a few people and a couple of dozen. Ask when you book, because some ceremony rooms are very small.
Plan it all in one place
A seating chart, a budget and a checklist that follow your guests' replies, alongside your invitation.
Start planning free →
