If you’re planning a simple wedding, a courthouse ceremony, then taking pictures in a nearby beautiful location is ideal. In this article, I’ll share how to get married at the courthouse in Colorado and unique ways to make your wedding day special.
Colorado is one of the easiest places to get married and have a courthouse ceremony. You can also have your ceremony anywhere in Colorado since you can self-solemnize your own wedding, which I’ll discuss more below.
Learn the steps for getting married in Colorado, how much a courthouse wedding costs, fun ways to celebrate, and more.
Is getting married at the courthouse considered a wedding?
Getting married at the courthouse is legally considered a wedding. It’s a non-religious ceremony that allows you to get legally married to your partner.
Although a courthouse wedding is non-traditional, it can still be a special experience. It’s the start of a new chapter, and you can celebrate just as you would any wedding.
How to Get Married at the Courthouse in Colorado
With straightforward steps and the option to self-solemnize, Colorado is one of the easiest places to get married.
Step 1: Get your marriage license
To get your marriage license, you’ll complete an online application for the clerk and recorder’s office in the county where you want to get married. For example, you’ll complete your marriage license application with the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder if you want to get married in Colorado Springs.
Step 2: Make an appointment
You need to make an appointment at a County Clerk’s Office to pay your marriage application fee of $30 and receive your license.
You’ll also submit the following documents:
- Valid identification (e.g., driver’s license, military ID, passport, etc.)
- A birth certificate if your ID doesn’t show your date of birth
- Proof of divorce or being widowed, if applicable
Step 3: Have your ceremony
If you want to have your ceremony at the courthouse, you’ll need to make an appointment at one of the Colorado courthouses that perform weddings.
You can complete steps two and three at the same time, but you’ll need to make your ceremony appointment and your marriage application appointment beforehand. You’ll also need to have your marriage license in hand at the time of the ceremony.
In Colorado, you can self-solemnize your own wedding, so you don’t have to have an officiant or other ordained person to witness your marriage. That said, you can skip the courthouse ceremony and instead have a special vow exchange and sign your license in a beautiful spot in nature.
Step 4: Return your marriage license
You must get married within 35 days of receiving your marriage license. Then, you’ll have 63 days from your wedding day to return your marriage certificate and license for recording.
Can you get married the same day in Colorado?
There’s no waiting period for getting married in Colorado, so you can get your marriage license and have your ceremony on the same day.
How much does a courthouse wedding cost in Colorado?
It costs $30 to get your marriage license, and you’ll pay an additional fee if you want to have a ceremony at the courthouse with an officiant. Officiant fees vary but are usually a couple of hundred dollars.
If you prefer to skip the officiant fee, you can pay for your marriage license and then have your own ceremony at a beautiful, free location like Garden of the Gods.
How to Make a Courthouse Wedding Special
Whether you want to get married at the courthouse in Colorado to save money, avoid the stress of wedding planning, or say “I do” quickly, there are still fabulous ways to make your big day special.
Write personalized vows
Personalized wedding vows are a fun way to express your promises to each other. Write vows that share your commitment and love while showcasing your personality. Your vows can be short, long, funny, serious – whatever best suits your style and relationship!
Hire a professional photographer
Capture your special day with professional photos you can cherish forever and share with loved ones. As a Colorado-based photographer, I not only take wedding day photos, but I can also help you plan the big day. I can help with the logistics of your courthouse ceremony or answer questions if you’re considering exchanging your vows elsewhere and signing your own marriage license.
Plan a post-ceremony photoshoot
After your ceremony, take an adventure with your new spouse for a post-ceremony photoshoot. Colorado has so many stunning places for wedding photos, especially in nature. Some of my favorite places for photographing couples and newlyweds are Rocky Mountain National Park, Brainard Lake, and Lake Isabelle.
Have a first dance
You don’t have to have a traditional wedding to celebrate with a first dance! I love exploring beautiful places with couples as they find the perfect spot for their first dance. This is a great way to tie in wedding traditions to your special courthouse marriage.
Include your pet
Colorado is one of the most pet-friendly places to get married. Whether you want to elope with your dog or take photos with them after your ceremony, there are many accessible places to have them join you.
Celebrate with loved ones
While your wedding day can be a just-us experience, you can also celebrate with loved ones afterward. For example, you might FaceTime them during or after your ceremony. You can also send an announcement with professional photos of your wedding day to friends and family afterward.
Let’s Plan Your Colorado Wedding
I hope you found this article helpful and are excited about getting married at the courthouse in Colorado. As a Colorado elopement photographer, I’ve worked with many couples who want to have a unique wedding experience. I’d love to help you do the same!
Here’s what the process of working together looks like:
- Contact – We’ll communicate via email or a meet-and-greet phone call to discuss what you have in mind for your wedding day.
- Book – If you decide I’m the right elopement photographer for you, we’ll book your big day and start planning.
- Plan – I’ll share a detailed guide to help you every step of the way. I’ll also work on my end to scout locations for your photos and help you plan your day-of timeline.
- Wedding – When it’s time for your wedding day, I’ll help make the experience stress-free and fun while capturing all the big and small moments.
- Photos – You’ll get sneak peek pictures within 48 hours. Then, I’ll finish preparing your custom online gallery, so you’ll have gorgeous photos to cherish for a lifetime.
kinsley + caden
“Brooke was the perfect choice for our wedding day! We had a micro wedding at Sapphire Point in August. I had never been to Sapphire Point and Brooke was so helpful suggesting vendors, picture locations, parking, marriage license info etc. She was so kind and helpful before and during the whole process and was a large part of why the day went so smooth. She does so much more than just show up and take pictures, Brooke will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect! The photos are gorgeous and I keep getting so many compliments! I truly cannot recommend her enough!”
"Brooke was a large part of why our day went so smooth and will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect!"
We chose Brooke to capture our Colorado elopement and she did exactly that and more. She made it easy to plan our day out with locations and timelines so that we could focus on ourselves. We decided last minute to change our afternoon/evening elopement to a 6am sunrise one so beat the heat of the day. Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise. She was kind and understood what we wanted in terms of our elopement and we are so grateful to have her capture the day. Our photos turned out beautiful and truly helped us relive the day. I would recommend Brooke to anyone wanting their special day photographed.
"Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise."
erica + stacy
kirstie + colin
Brooke not only photographed our mountain elopement beautifully, but she put so much thought into the details and knew all of the answers the questions I didn’t even know to ask. She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had. She even helped pick the perfect spot for us and advised us on the logistical details like securing a reservation at the mountain lake where we wanted our ceremony. She is SO easy to work with and very friendly and chill. My husband and I are super awkward in front of a camera but she made it so natural and easy - and the shots came out better than we could have imagined.
"She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had."
amanda + jace
Brooke is many things; talented, calm, flexible, experienced/ knowledgeable, patient, incredibly responsive, organized, resourceful in a pinch, supportive, creative, professional yet a blast to work with, and goes above & beyond w her clients. Our wedding was a spectacular dream and we couldn't be more grateful that she made that single day last forever. Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be. We couldn't recommend her more and we look forward to booking with her for all of our vow renewals, seasonal and family pictures for as long as she'll have us.
"Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be."
linden + brent
Working with Brooke was a dream come true! Before we even met, my husband Brent and I were impressed by her portfolio. After meeting, we were even more convinced that her photography skills and knowledge, and her fun and easygoing personality were exactly what we were looking for in an elopement photographer. Brooke was able to take our vision and facilitate everything so that it worked out beautifully, especially when it came to finding the perfect location (the incredible mountains surrounding Ouray). Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible, and made it clear that her goal was for us to be 100% happy. In the end, her creativity and our happiness totally shine through in every single photo.
"Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible."
lauren + branden
I can't begin to express my gratitude for the intimacy and beauty behind Brooke's photographs. In capturing our wedding day, she went above and beyond to document our story, our families, and the depths of our love in ways that I'll forever be grateful for. Brooke has an eye for not only capturing the adventure and magic of your love, but deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way. She is truly an artist and tells your story in an authentic and creative way for you to look back on for years to come. We are forever grateful to Brooke for spending the time to get to know us, our story, and capturing the memories that we'll relive for years to come.
"Brooke deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way."
heather + jedd
“If you're contemplating which photographer to go with, THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO CHOOSE BROOKE!!!! She is so so so talented and was able to capture our elopement exactly how I pictured and wanted! We eloped in Ridgway, CO this past September and she was so helpful figuring out picture locations, recommendations of timeline for the day, and just made the whole day feel so smooth. She schedules multiple check ins, phone calls, etc., leading up to the big day to ensure everything is as you want it. Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever after just the first time of meeting."
"Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever."
christy + austin
Brooke is the absolute best. She truly went above and beyond for my fiancé and I to be able to get our engagement photos taken with the fall colors. Brooke is so sweet, fun, personable and incredibly talented. We could not be more in love with our engagement photos! Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever.
"Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever."
