Number of Guests

Q: How many people can come to a courthouse wedding vs a sign and go ceremony? 

Required witnesses; Usually 1-3 guests depending on your officiant’s guidelines

Required witnesses; Each courthouse makes its own rules, expect 0-10 guests allowed 

Witnesses provided

Q: How many witnesses are allowed / needed, and are they provided? 

You usually need to bring your own witness/es (if required); Some officiants may provide witnesses for an added fee

You usually need to bring your own witness/es (if required); Some offices may provide witnesses for an added fee

Location & Hours

Varies; Your officiant may have an established office or chapel with set hours, or they may meet you at a time and location of your choosing

Office at the local courthouse or city hall building during set hours; A few jurisdictions may offer virtual appointments

Average cost

Q: How much does a courthouse wedding cost vs a sign and go elopement? 

Varies by officiant: $0-150*, does not include cost of the marriage license

*Friends can officiate for free; professional officiants charge $100-150 on average

Varies by location: $30-120+, does not include cost of the marriage license

Unique benefits

Q: What are the unique benefits of a courthouse wedding vs a private elopement? 

More private and intimate; can be scheduled at any time of day or on a weekend; can be performed at any location or at home; can ask a friend or relative to officiate

Feels ‘official’ and you will not need to find an officiant; can file paperwork immediately after ceremony

Wait time

Varies: Depends on the marriage waiting period in your state and officiant availability

Varies: Depends on the marriage waiting period in your state and clerk availability

Marriage license

Q: How to prepare for a courthouse wedding vs a sign and go elopement?

You will need to apply for a marriage license separately before your ceremony

You will need to apply for a marriage license separately before your ceremony

Exchange Rings

Q: Do you exchange rings at a courthouse wedding or a sign and go ceremony?

Up to you! Traditional but not legally required

Up to you! Traditional but not legally required

Custom ceremony script

Q: What does the officiant say at a civil ceremony or elopement? 

No: Your officiant will read from a standard wedding script 

No: Your officiant will read from a standard wedding script

Custom written wedding vows

Q: Do you say vows at a courthouse wedding or a sign and go ceremony? Can you say your own vows / custom vows? 

Varies: Some officiants will encourage you to exchange personal vows during your license signing, others will stick with a standard declaration of intent

Varies: Some officials will allow you to exchange personal vows during the civil ceremony, others will stick with a standard declaration of intent

Religious or non religious

Up to you: Your officiant will read from a prewritten script, but may offer religious or nonreligious variations to choose from

Nonreligious: Weddings at a courthouse are civil ceremonies and usually avoid religious wording

Length of ceremony

Q: How long does does a courthouse wedding take vs a sign and go license signing? 

Varies; The shortest possible ceremony can be finished in just a minute or two; the average sign and go wedding lasts 5-15 minutes.

Varies; The average courthouse wedding / civil ceremony lasts 10-15 minutes.