Courthouse Weddings Make Getting Married Fun + Easy
Planning a wedding can get overwhelming QUICK!
Too many decisions to make, when the only decision you need to make is to say "I DO".
San Diego County courthouse weddings have made getting married fun and easy! The only other decision you need to make is, which of their beautiful locations you wish to book your ceremony at!
My top 3:
San Diego | Santee | San Marcos
Let's turn your civil wedding into an adventure! The fun doesn't stop after your ceremony. We can take your formal portraits to any beach, park, neighborhood your hearts desire! Make your couple portraits about YOU and what represents you both as a couple!
San Marcos
Courthouse
Santee
Courthouse
San Diego
Courthouse
If you are looking for a nature escape then consider the Santee location! The ceremony location has a minimal desert vibe. We then head to nearby boulders for your couple portraits.
If you are looking to time travel back to the 1940s, surrounded by greenery + water, then the San Diego location is for you!
We head down the road to a location that gives you a variety of backdrops. From enchanted forest vibes to minimal city feel, the San Marcos location is for you.
You can still apply "traditional wedding" customs or activities to your courthouse wedding!
Did you know?
Vows:
Walk down the Aisle:
First Look:
Although you do recite the vows given to you by the county officiant, you can still say your own vows to each other later on, in private, during your couples portrait section.
Want to walk down the aisle with your parent? Let me know ahead of time, and we can make sure to make that happen!
Want that element of surprise? You can have a first look with your partner 15 minutes before your ceremony. We will pick the location ahead of time.
"Melissa was an amazing photographer! Her service was fantastic throughout the entire process, even when I was just first asking questions. Her response time was quick, I had first emailed her after hours 2-3 weeks out from the ceremony, and had gotten a response 3 hours later that night. Melissa eased the stress and worries about what we had to do on our ceremony day; she gave us a walkthrough inside the San Diego administration building on what to expect the day before, and showed us where our shots would be taken around the building. The day of the ceremony, she took pictures at every possible moment and guided us on how to pose. She queued our families when it was their turn to take group photos and took lots of photos of us with them within the 30 minutes before our portrait shots. When it came to our shots together, it was honestly a fun time and Melissa made the time go by an instant. My husband and I made a request when we had first emailed to get shots taken at the Midway statue, and with the last 15-20 minutes with her, she drove us down to the Midway and took amazing shots of us. We loved the service we got from Melissa and we definitely loved all the photos that she took of us. I would 100% recommend Melissa to photograph your special day!"
- Aliza M.
San Diego Courthouse Wedding
HOW IT WORKS...
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Contact Me
Courthouse Weddings: Even though the county does not let you book your appointment until 7 weeks out, you can still reach out to see if I am available. In those circumstances, we leave the time as TBC. Once you confirm the appointment, we update the booking. If you already have your appointment day and time booked, then you can simply reach out for my availability.
Elopements: These aren't like the old days where elopements were a last minute idea (although they still can be). Elopements are planned in advance. Whatever dates you have in mind, it's always a good idea to reach out and check availability. Suggestions can also be made on timing for ceremony and day, especially if you are planning a beach elopement.
BOOK
Once details have been worked out, I will send you both an electronic contract to sign via DocuSign. At the time of signing, I do require a 50% retainer to confirm booking. We also confirm a date for what I like to call, a wedding walk thru. This is not obligatory, but something I like to offer to you. We meet within a week or two of your wedding date, on site, to review final details and I give you a tour of how the day will go. This helps alleviate some nerves as you will feel more prepared for the big day!
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Wedding Day
Yay!! The day is finally here! I will be at our location 15 min prior to start time. We will follow the timeline we had previously discussed. I will help coordinate the family portrait section. If you have a group bigger than 5 guests, I will usually have you write out a family combination list. For your couple portrait section, I will help guide you with poses as well as capture natural candids.
Post Wedding Day
As you bask in your wedding bliss, I will work on editing some sneak peeks for you. You should expect some within 48-72 hours. With the remaining gallery being complete within 3 weeks. You will get all the edited photos uploaded to a private , online gallery. From there you can download your wedding photos in both high res (printing) + web size (social media). You can also order prints, albums, canvases, etc directly from the gallery too! The gallery stays online for 10 years.
