Planning to get married at the Santa Barbara Courthouse? Well, you have chosen one of the most beautiful places in the world to tie the knot. Below is our Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Checklist: What You Need to Know for the big day (or little hehe). Having an intimate day at the courthouse is such a stress free, gorgeous and romantic way to say your I DO’s and we are here for it!

1) OBTAIN A MARRIAGE LICENSE

Where: Any California county clerks office should be able to help you obtain this prior to your big day
Pricing: It cost’s about $100 for the marriage license
What do I need: You will need both people getting married present, each of your IDs

You can apply for a marriage license up to 90 days in advance of your special day

2) CONFIRM BOOKING OF YOUR CEREMONY:

There are many options at the Santa Barbara Courthouse for wedding ceremonies. Below are a few of the most popular ways to get married at the Santa Barbara Courthouse.

*A civil ceremony through the officiant at the Santa Barbara Courthouse– they typically hold these ceremonies right outside with the courthouse as the backdrop- they are always so special!
*Private ceremony with your own officiant– for this type of ceremony, you may need to look into purchasing a permit
*Mural Room– this is perfect for couples who want a few more people in attendance (up to 100) and costs around $700. Here is a wedding that we shot at the Santa Barbara Courthouse to give you an idea of the Mural room.
*Sunken Gardens- this is also an option for those want a few more guests attending and would like an outside scenery. This option is roughly about $1200 to reserve.

To learn more about where you can get married and photos of the courthouse outside, check out my blog here!

With any of the options above, you truly can’t go wrong!

3) BE PREPARED FOR THE DAY OF:

You will have a lot going on the day of I am sure, even with a smaller day, those nerves are persistent. Below are some of the things I always like to tell our couples to make sure they have:

*Marriage license and valid photo IDs*A witness- we can also act as your witness if you want to elope and keep it super private
*Confirmation of your ceremony permit and any necessary documents
*Your wedding rings!
*Cash payments option- just in case they cannot take your card (I have had a couple who could not pay with their CC due to an error that day)
*A bouquet!- this might be my number one tip for your courthouse wedding, making sure you have something to hold onto that give s a little character in your photos. Check out this amazing florist here located in Santa Barbara if you are still needing to purchase a bouquet (https://alphafloralsb.com/santa-barbara-alpha-floral/simply-sweet.html)
*Finally, any little heirloom items that you would like photographed, these little details add a lot to this special day and are so fun to look back on!

4) PARKING:
Parking is generally pretty easy at the Santa Barbara Courthouse. I always recommend parking in the parking garage on Anacapa St. (City Lot #7).
There is also street parking around the courthouse but it is limited to 75 minutes

5) CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY:
Finally, even if it is a smaller day, capturing it with a professional photographer is going to make looking back on those memories even more special. We specialize in courthouse weddings and are extremely familiar with the Santa Barbara Courthouse and all the beautiful spots for photos. Let’s connect at the bottom of this blog!

One thing to keep in mind that is so awesome at the Santa Barbara Courthouse is it’s proximity to beautiful restaurants, hotels and other gorgeous views like the beach! This couple in this blog decided to take their photoshoot beyond the courthouse and head to where they were staying at the Bacara Resort to capture moments there as well.

Hope that this Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Checklist: What You Need to Know for the big day was helpful in getting you started on planning for your special day! If you are looking to capture your special intimate day at the Santa Barbara Courthouse, let’s get in touch below!