Some of my favorite days to capture are the intimate ones, the ones where all you’re focusing on is the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with. A location that is beyond magical and sort of makes you feel like you are walking around in Europe is the Pasadena City Hall. I have had a lot of couples inquire about tying the knot here but are always curious how they would go about doing so. In this blog I answer some common questions as well as some other tips on how to have a wedding ceremony at Pasadena City Hall.

HOW TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL:

So you have decided to get married at the Pasadena City Hall but you aren’t sure how to go about having the ceremony here. At the Pasadena City Hall, they do not hold civil ceremonies, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have an intimate ceremony here. All of my couples who have gotten married here have hired a mobile officiant to meet us at the city hall grounds. This way, you pick exactly where you want to say “I do” and the officiant will meet us there. It always turns out so wonderful and is such a special ceremony. I have also had couples hire mobile officiants for other courthouse weddings, check out my blog here for another location in Los Angeles where we did this same exact thing!

Another awesome option is to get married at your local courthouse and save the Pasadena City Hall for your bride and groom photoshoot. I recently had a couple do an easy, stress free exchange of vows at their local courthouse and then the next day we did a gorgeous photoshoot on the Pasadena Courthouse grounds, it turned out fabulous!

ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL PERMITS OR PAPERWORK WE NEED TO GET TO HAVE PHOTOS TAKEN?

This is a question I get asked all of the time and it’s pretty simple. As long as your photographer has a business license for the city of Pasadena you are golden. There are not any special permits that are needed at the Pasadena City Hall.

In terms of the actual ceremony and the officiant, there is nothing needed between them and the courthouse. Of course they will need to be ordained to be an officiant but other than that there are not any special permits at this time that are needed from the Pasadena City Hall for an intimate small ceremony.

HOW DO WE GO ABOUT GETTING OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE?

Filing for your marriage license and making sure all of those items are checked off is pretty standard regardless of where you are getting married. I have included a link to where you would file for your marriage license, pick up etc. here! They also share some frequently asked questions on their site which are super helpful!

WHERE CAN WE GET MARRIED AT THE PASADENA CITY HALL?

There are TONS of places to hold your special ceremony at the Pasadena City Hall. It is seriously such a breathtaking building and there is always shade around which makes it an amazing place to exchange vows. Every corner has such beautiful architecture that will absolutely make the most amazing photos. Right next to the courthouse there is also a gorgeous church that some of my clients have utilized for a ceremony location and then walked around the City Hall to take bride and groom photos afterwards, it always turns out so perfect.

IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO BRING TO MY CEREMONY?

There is not much needed for an intimate day but there are a few things I always recommend on bringing, purchasing and not forgetting for the day. Below are my top things I always recommend:

• Marriage License– your officiant will also remind you but you can’t get married without it, so definitely don’t forget this important piece!
• A bouquet + boutonniere– Intimate celebrations don’t need a ton of decor etc. but I highly recommend a gorgeous bouquet to hold onto and a simple boutonniere for the groom to wear. When you don’t have one it can often make it feel like something is missing. It is the perfect thing to hold onto in your photos. It also adds so much character to your day and shows the personality of you both as a couple. Some amazing florists in the area are- Emblem Flowers, Chloe Rose,and Kelly Mark Florals. They all do such beautiful work and will make your photos look magical!
• Vow books/Special heirlooms– having an intimate day is so special, having vows written down makes the day so sweet. If your style is to write to each other, that works too! I love to capture these sweet books and any heirlooms that are special to you both- think of things like your grandma’s wedding band, a sentimental handkerchief, that something blue. Bring any of those items and I will make sure to capture them for your memories.

Having an intimate day is so amazing and can be such a wonderful way to wed! Just because you are having an intimate day doesn’t mean it needs to be or is going to be less beautiful or magical looking. Photography is so important because it’s one of the few things you can take with you from the day, other than your wife/husband :). Below are some more amazing images from one of my weddings at the Pasadena City Hall- this bride looked so fabulous, her bouquet was AMAZING and the images turned out stunning. If you have any questions about your intimate day at the Pasadena City Hall or any other venue, please reach out- I am here to help make this as simple as possible for you both! I hope these common questions were helpful on how to have a wedding ceremony at Pasadena City Hall. You can find an inquiry form below-say hello!

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