Rather than having a large traditional wedding, Laura and James opted for an intimate ceremony at the Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse Precinct 5 in Downtown Austin, Texas, surrounded by immediate family and a few friends.
Fun Fact: They were married on their actual dating anniversary!
I love how much love and support there was in this one room!
And James and Laura are officially married!
Memories at the Travis County Courthouse
Marrying at the Travis County Courthouse is AMAZING! It gives you access to beautiful architecture with plenty of places for photos before and after the ceremony. This allows you the opportunity to capture all of your memories and the people special to you.
After their ceremony, Laura and James decided to skip the traditional capitol photos. Due to the scorching summer heat, they opted for more sentimental locations.
We started at their favorite local bar, Barton Springs Saloon, with a celebratory shot. A local saw that they were celebrating and offered to buy them both a drink. One of the big reasons as to why people love Austin: Southern hospitality!
After the shot, we got a quick iconic photo outside of the bar:
We then headed across the street to P. Terry’s milkshakes, a place they love to go for a sweet treat.
I can’t help but love a good shoe moment!
P.Terry’s, their signature Teal, and their delicious milkshakes?! Yes, please!
From there, we continued the tour of their relationship to their home to get a few photos with their dog.
Laura and James first met while working at neighboring restaurants through a mutual friend before going out on their first date at the Frost Bank Tower. Which is the reason they chose to celebrate their wedding reception the next day at the Thompson hotel. It has the best views of the bank tower.
One of the benefits of a smaller, less traditional courthouse wedding is the ability to make it uniquely yours.
Capturing all of the special places Laura and James fell in love was something we were able to do because their wedding was intimate. We were able to spend quality time just the three of us, traveling downtown Austin. Big weddings don’t give you that opportunity. That’s what makes elopements so special.
Planning a wedding at The Travis County Courthouse in Downtown Austin, TX
While couples opt for courthouse weddings because they are a lot more simple, they are still special. They still require planning and forethought!
Book your date and time at The Precinct 5 Courthouse well in advance.
First, secure your marriage license at least 72 hours before your wedding, but no more than 90 days prior. Instructions on how to get your license can be found here: https://www.traviscountytx.gov/
When booking your courthouse appointment, you’ll want Precinct 5 because it’s historic and centrally located.
This is the courthouse everyone sees on social media (and in the photos on this blog post!). To schedule your appointment, you can call (512) 854-9049 or email JP5Weddings@traviscountytx.gov.
If you’re planning on bringing guests, make sure to inform the courthouse in advance so that accommodations can be made. Depending on the number of guests, you may be married in an alternate courtroom.
I typically recommend scheduling your ceremony for either first thing in the morning or during one of the last time slots of the day. This way you can avoid the Austin heat in the middle of the day.
If you schedule in the morning, then we’ll have a better chance of getting photos without the streets being so crowded!
It’s $140 in cash to get married at the courthouse. There is an ATM on property. However, you would need to exit the courthouse, go to the jail, and then re-enter through security to access it. It’s much easier and more convenient to bring cash with you.
Reach out to your photographer to plan your timeline
Your ceremony will be short (around 15 minutes) but we will want to plan for photos before and after!
Because of the security of the courthouse building, I recommend arriving around 45 minutes early to your appointment to take photos inside of the courthouse. We definitely want to take advantage of the gorgeous architecture, staircase, and gazebo in the garden area!
After the ceremony, we can take photos with your family and friends that attended, then focus on the locations outside of the courthouse. This keeps us from having to go back and forth through the security to get different locations.
Find an elopement photographer that fits your style
Like every wedding day, your photographer will be with you more than any other person or vendor. You want to make sure you like their personality and the way they take and edit photos!
Spending some time with them prior to your ceremony date will help you feel prepared and comfortable. I typically like to do this either with engagement photos or, at the very least, a call to talk through the timeline, details, and any special location or photo requests you have for the day-of.
Come prepared the day-of for parking
Arrive earlier than expected so finding parking isn’t stressful. There is street parking available along with parking garages. You’ll want close parking to avoid walking super far!
For portraits after the courthouse, I am happy to drive you around to different local locations!
Make your elopement a special event!
This is your wedding day! While it’s a smaller event, it is still a special one. Wear a fun dress, bring a floral bouquet, and hire a photographer because you will cherish these photos of this moment in your love story.
I offer specific elopement packages, designed for weddings that are two hours of coverage with twenty-five guests or less. You are welcome to customize your package with engagement photos, adding additional hours of coverage for a dinner or reception afterwards, and albums.
Elopements are fun because they allow you to create the timeline and spend the day exactly how you want to! As your photographer, I am here to help make the day special and capture all of the sweet memories.
