Courthouse wedding
 

My better half wants to get married in a courthouse (WA), so I'm just wondering how fancy a courthouse wedding can be? I'm not a big wedding-y person, but I would like a little bit of fuss, what can I say? :p I'm guessing it varies from state to state, but I just need a general idea as to how personal it can be.

So some questions...
Any rules on my style of dress?
Any requirements for what shoes I need to wear?
Can I have a bouquet of flowers?
Can I have a couple of bridesmaids?
Can my hubby have a best man?
Are rings a requirement?
Do I get the opportunity to have music?
How many seats will be available for guests?
Are we allowed to read our vows?
Are we allowed to have photos taken? Would we have to book a photographer?
What kind of room does the ceremony happen in? An actual courtroom?
As soon as the ceremony is done, do we have to leave, or do we get some time to dance, talk to guests, etc?

Any other info would be great too!

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

No.
No.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
No.
?/ Probably not
?/ Depends on the building - certainly a few, probably not more than a couple of dozen or so.
?
Yes/Yes
?/ Probably not
Probably/Probably not - I'd book a banqueting room at a restaurant or hotel.

Overall it might just be easier to find a JP or minister to conduct the ceremony and do the whole thing in a banqueting room at a hotel, then you can do pretty much whatever you want.

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

It's in a regular courtroom. You can have bridesmaids, best man and guests. You all need to leave right after the ceremony, but you could have a reception elsewhere. You can wear whatever you want. You might be able to bring s portable thing to play done soft music, but no room or time for dancing. Rings are not required.

That said, you can hire the Justice of Peace to come out to any location to perform the marriage. It doesn't have to be inside the courthouse.

Rene

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

I agree with answers above.

I had a simple courtroom wedding, done in an actual courtroom with 4 other members of family present.

We didn't exchange rings, but had some flowers for decoration.

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

Thanks all. So the guests will just be sitting in the main seats of the courtroom? But if we have to leave straight after the wedding, at which point are we allowed to pose for photos? Hubby has his heart set on a courthouse wedding and I'm happy to oblige. We'll probably have 12 guests at most.

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

Yes, they sit on the courthouse benches. You probably have 10 minutes or so to take a few photos. Probably don't want to hire a photographer for that. But you can go anywhere afterwards and take photos there...at a reception hall, outdoors somewhere, your choice.

I also did a courthouse wedding with 3 guests. We wore jeans and t-shirts, very casual. Exchanged vows and rings, then went out for steak dinner.

Rene

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

For us the courthouse wasn't busy and no one had the room after us. We took a few photos there and then some in a nearby park area.

I didn't comment on dress above. I wore khakis and a shirt, the Mrs wore a regular dress. Nothing fancy.

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

Ah, I was under the impression there was a minimal standard of dress. So we will take some photos in the courtroom before we are actually married, then go outside the courthouse and take some more pictures. I want to make sure we have enough pictures in case they ask me for marriage evidence during the process.

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

Photos are pretty much worthless as evidence when you have a marriage certificate. I didn't submit any photos of our wedding, or indeed any other photos either, when I applied for my CR-1.

I suspect that you have read too many on-line accounts of either K-1 fiance visa applications, where you have to prove that you have met, or unmarried partner visas (for the UK, Canada, Australia etc.) where you have to prove that you are "a couple".

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

Why not just get a friend to do it?
Then you can custom it to just the way you want it.
The great thing about law, is that it can work for you.
Pick your friend, then pick their religion - can legally be witch or atheist.
Tell them what you want them to do. Let them do it.
WA law allows this, ordained ministers of ANY religion can marry people. American sense of freedom of religion means there are really no restrictions on this. No actual paperwork of ordination needed in WA, but this can be picked up online anyway if wanted (or print your own).

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

They won't ask for any more evidence of marriage than the marriage certificate.

Rene

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

Get a friend to do it, find a nice secluded place and have a nude wedding, apparently they are all the rage

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

Well, not needing photos is a relief. I was looking into K1 for a long time, so I'm pretty obsessed with collecting evidence! As I've already said though, hubby wants to have a courthouse wedding, so doing it elsewhere is not an option. Thanks everyone :D

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

A "courthouse" wedding just means a JP (Justice of Peace) is performing the wedding, and can be held inside a courtroom. There is nothing special about the inside of a courthouse. That same JP can be booked to come to your home, or a hotel, or a reception hall, or outside in a park.

When your fiancé says "courthouse wedding", maybe he just means something simple, without the big fancy stuff, and not in a church performed by a religious person. Not necessarily that he's absolutely set on literally getting married inside a courtroom.

Might be something you guys can discuss.

Rene

Re: Courthouse wedding
 

We did the K-1 visa and still had no photos of our courthouse marriage. It wasn't a problem.

Rene