5 Things to Know When Contemplating a Courthouse Marriage

Marriage.com Editorial Team

Expertise: Relationship & Marriage Advice

The Marriage.com Editorial Team is a group of experienced relationship writers, experts, and mental health professionals. We provide practical and research-backed advice on relationships. Our content is thoroughly reviewed by experts to ensure that we offer high-quality and reliable relationship advice.

Learn about Our Editorial Process

12.8k Reads

Updated: 13 Jan, 2023

Table of Contents

Budget-friendly and simple options for a courthouse wedding let you save for your future while you celebrate love together.
Fast, discreet, intimate ceremonies let you begin your new life with your loved ones close by, prioritizing your relationship over a big guest list.
Centered on love and connection, courthouse weddings remind you to focus on what matters and invite you to feel seen and deepen your bond together.

Couples that want to get a courthouse wedding are becoming more and more increasing in their numbers. You can have hundreds of reasons to be getting married at the courthouse, some of which we will be discussing in this article.

It’s the 21st century now, and the taboo to get married at the courthouse has finally been lifted away from our current modern times. You can customize your courthouse wedding any way you like, with tons of courthouse wedding ideas out there to choose from.

But first, let’s find out how to have a courthouse wedding.

1. How to get married at the courthouse?

To get married at a courthouse, you’ll need:

both you and your partner’s IDs
birth certificates and social security numbers
apply for a marriage license at your local circuit court
call the courthouse and check if you meet the requirements needed for marriage
choose a date and make a reservation
find all the people you need (you need to have two witnesses), and then take the leap, make your vows, and let the judge declare you newlyweds!

2. How much does it cost to get married at the courthouse?

If you’re low on cash and worried about how much a courthouse wedding cost, leave all of your worries behind right now because this is one of the top reasons why couples opt for a courthouse marriage: it’s budget-friendly.

In the United States alone a regular wedding can cost up to $35 000, which is, to say, a lot. If you’re wondering how much a courthouse wedding costs (in terms of taxes), it’s somewhere between $30 and $80, but it all depends on the state or country in which you’re living.

3. It’s faster and more discreet

All right, so you’ve finally met that special someone with whom you have decided to be committed for the rest of your days on Earth. Naturally, you now have to have a wedding.

You check for venues and find out that most of them have already been booked, and an open date for the two of you is a couple of years away. With a regular wedding, you’d have to invite hundreds of guests and constantly worry about things turning out perfectly.

But by getting a courthouse marriage, you can get married right away, and in the presence of only the closest friends and family members.

Recommended – Pre Marriage Course Online

4. How does a courthouse wedding work?

Let’s see how does a courthouse wedding work. It’s fairly simple getting married in a courthouse. You first arrive in it with your spouse and close ones and go through a standard security check. Inform the people that you’re there to get married.

Depending on their schedule, you might have to wait, but when your turn comes, you’ll be walked into a small courtroom or office, where one of the presiding magistrates is working.

The magistrate will speak a few words, make you take your vows, ask you to sign the license along with your witnesses in front of him, and then declare you married.

Getting married through the court is an official and solemn ritual because legally speaking, you’re not alone anymore!

5. Can we customize the décor?

Sometimes you can, but you’ll have to speak in advance with the magistrate if you have some courthouse wedding ideas in terms of decorations.

Getting married at a courthouse means that you’ll be focusing only on what matters: you and your loved one.

If you marry at the courthouse, the photographer will only have you and your spouse insight. You’ll also have awesome pics, because most courthouses are historical, beautiful buildings.

If you’ve decided to marry at the courthouse, go for it! It’s a quick, affordable and discreet experience getting married through the court in the presence of only your friends and loved ones.

You get to focus on what actually really matters: love.

We hope you’ve learned a thing or two in this article on how to have a courthouse wedding, how to get you started on organizing one, and how to reap the benefits of having one at the max!

Helpful?

Take Our Pre-Marriage Course

Continue exploring this topic

Hi, I'm your relationship guide. What's on your mind?

YOU COULD START WITH

Share this article on

Share this article on

Marriage.com Editorial Team Relationship & Marriage Advice

The Marriage.com Editorial Team is a group of experienced relationship writers, experts, and mental health professionals. We provide practical and research-backed advice on relationships. Our content is thoroughly reviewed by experts... Read more to ensure that we offer high-quality and reliable relationship advice. Read less