Are you wondering, can you get married at the Santa Barbara Courthouse? The answer is yes! This blog will help you figure out all the details of what getting married at the Santa Barbara Courthouse entails. It is such a gorgeous courthouse and makes for the most beautiful photos, truly a great choice for your special day!

SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO GET MARRIED AT THE SANTA BARBARA COURTHOUSE!

Is your ideal wedding one that consists of a small intimate group of people that’s both romantic and sweet? If so, the Santa Barbara Courthouse is the perfect choice! If a small intimate wedding is something you’ve always dreamed of, read on for more details on how to get married at the Santa Barbara Courthouse.

1)WHAT MAKES A CEREMONY OFFICIAL IN CALIFORNIA?

A marriage license!

There are two ways of getting your marriage license-

*Apply during the week at your county’s clerk office before your wedding day

OR

*Do it all together, i.e book a 60 minute appointment on your actual wedding day and you can apply the same day + get married, you can do so right here.

A MARRIAGE LICENSE:

*Within 90 days of buying your marriage license, say “i do” . As long as it’s within state lines, you’re golden.

*A county clerk, priest, rabbi, minister, judge or civil marriage commissioner will make it official by signing the license.

MAKING IT OFFICIAL:

You will need to bring your marriage license back to the county it was issued in so they can record it and make it official! After that, you can request a copy.

2) WHEN AND WHERE CAN I HAVE MY CEREMONY AT THE SANTA BARBARA COURTHOUSE?

At the Santa Barbara Courthouse, they do offer weekend ceremonies however it does tend to get busy. The weekdays are the best as there are less ceremonies happening which makes for even better photos.

There are so many gorgeous spots, 8 to be exact, where you can hold your ceremony. Below is a really awesome layout of the Santa Barbara Courthouse that will help you understand where each spot is located.

3) HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET MARRIED AT THE SANTA BARBARA COURTHOUSE?

Marriage license:
$100 (public)
$111 (private)

Civil ceremony: $23

Civil clerk to officiate on the premise: $104
Civil clerk to officiate in the Sunken Gardens or Mural Room: $116

Here is another blog that may also be useful for pricing!

4) WHAT SHOULD WE BRING WITH US ON THE DAY OF THE WEDDING?

*A valid state-issued form of ID
*Form of Payment
*A witness (no witness needed if you plan to get a private marriage license)
*Your Marriage License, unless you are getting it that day
*Rings!!
*Bouquet- I always recommend a bouquet even for a smaller day like this, it truly makes your photos-here are a few awesome florists in the Santa Barbara area- Bésame Florist and Alexis Ireland Florist are just two in the general SB area.
*Any other heirlooms, vows, details you’d like your photographer to capture that day so they can capture the details to tell your story!

5) ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GETTING MARRIED AT THE SANTA BARBARA COURTHOUSE?

Parking for the day:

There is both garage parking as well as street parking for the courthouse.
Street parking has a limit of 75 minutes
Garage parking located on 1115 Anacapa Street with a free 75 minutes and an additional $2.50 per hour after that

Other useful links that will be helpful in preparing for your special day at the Santa Barbara Courthouse:
Apply for a marriage license here!
Reserve the Sunken Garden’s room or Mural Room here!
For additional links and info, check out the Santa Barbara County website here!

6) What does your photography package include when I hire you to photograph our ceremony and portraits?

Our customizable package options are able to fit perfectly with your special day. Check out more details and information by clicking here

*An hour of coverage is usually perfect to capture your time at the courthouse for a simple ceremony. If you want to capture any memories before/after the ceremony and would like to add additional coverage beyond an hour, that is an option too!

If you were wondering, can you get married at the Santa Barbara Courthouse? I hope this blog helped you start to plan your special day.

See below to inquire!

For another beautiful intimate courthouse wedding, check out this gorgeous Beverly Hills Courthouse wedding here!