Courthouse Wedding vs. Private Ceremony: What’s the Difference?
Maybe you know you don’t want a big wedding.
No ballroom. No 150-person guest list. No months of debating seating charts and centerpieces.
You just want to get married.
For couples looking for something simple, two options often come up: getting married at the courthouse or having a small private ceremony with an officiant.
Both can get you to the same place: legally married. But the experience can feel very different.
If you’re trying to decide which one feels right for you, here’s what to consider.
What Is a Courthouse Wedding?
A courthouse wedding is typically a short civil ceremony performed by a clerk, judge, or other authorized official.
The focus is simple: completing the legal requirements necessary to get married. Depending on the courthouse, you may be able to bring a small number of guests, exchange rings, or say brief vows, but your options may be limited.
For some couples, that’s exactly what they want.
You make an appointment, bring your marriage license and identification, say “I do,” sign the paperwork, and go celebrate.
Simple. Legal. Done.
What Is a Private Wedding Ceremony?
A private ceremony can be just as simple, but you have much more freedom over what the experience looks and feels like.
Instead of getting married inside a courthouse, you choose the location and hire an officiant to perform your ceremony.
It could be just the two of you in your backyard.
A few family members gathered beneath the trees at your favorite park.
Your kids standing beside you.
Your dog carrying the rings.
A sunrise ceremony followed by breakfast.
A private ceremony doesn’t have to turn into a “wedding wedding” unless you want it to. It can still be short, relaxed, affordable, and uncomplicated.
The difference is that you get to decide what matters.
Courthouse Wedding vs. Private Ceremony
The Location
With a courthouse wedding, the location is chosen for you.
With a private ceremony, almost anywhere can become your ceremony space. Your home, a garden, a beach, a park, a favorite restaurant, or another place that has meaning to you can become the backdrop for your vows.
If you’re considering an outdoor ceremony, just remember that some public spaces require permits.
The Ceremony
Courthouse ceremonies are generally designed to be brief and standardized.
A private ceremony gives you room to personalize the experience.
You can write your own vows or skip personal vows entirely. Include a reading. Add a handfasting or unity ritual. Incorporate your culture, spirituality, children, pets, or chosen family.
Or keep the whole thing beautifully simple.
Personalized doesn’t have to mean elaborate.
The Timeline
Courthouse ceremonies generally happen during available courthouse hours and may require an appointment.
A private ceremony gives you more control over the date and time.
Want to get married at sunset on a Saturday? On the anniversary of your first date? At 10 a.m. followed by brunch?
You have options.
The Guest List
If you want it to be just the two of you, either option can work.
But if there are a handful of people you’d really like standing beside you, a private ceremony usually gives you more flexibility.
And remember: small doesn’t mean less meaningful.
Sometimes having six people there instead of sixty means you actually get to experience the moment instead of feeling like you’re performing it for a room.
The Photos and Memories
There’s nothing wrong with courthouse photos. In fact, they can be incredibly sweet.
But choosing your own ceremony location gives you the opportunity to create a setting that feels more like you.
You can hire a photographer, ask a friend to take a few photos, or put your phones away completely and keep the moment for yourselves.
Again, there are no rules here.
Is a Private Ceremony the Same as an Elopement?
Sometimes!
The word “elopement” used to imply running away to get married in secret. Today, it often describes an intentionally small wedding with few or no guests.
A private ceremony might be an elopement with just the two of you, a mini ceremony with your immediate family, or something somewhere in between.
You don’t have to worry too much about the label.
What matters is creating the kind of wedding experience you actually want.
What Do You Need to Get Legally Married in Florida?
Whether you choose a courthouse wedding or a private ceremony, you’ll still need a valid Florida marriage license.
Florida gives couples quite a bit of freedom when it comes to the ceremony itself. Your wedding does not need to include specific religious language or traditional vows to be legally valid.
Your ceremony simply needs to meet Florida’s legal requirements and be performed by someone authorized to solemnize marriages in the state.
As both a wedding officiant and Florida Notary Public, I can perform your ceremony and take care of the legal filing afterward.
If you’re still figuring out the paperwork, read my How to Get Married in Florida: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide next.
So, Which One Should You Choose?
Think less about what you’re “supposed” to do and more about how you want the moment to feel.
If you genuinely want to walk into a courthouse, handle the legal part, and head out for margaritas afterward, wonderful.
But if the courthouse feels a little too transactional for you, that doesn’t mean you need to plan a traditional wedding instead.
There’s a whole beautiful middle ground.
You can have a ceremony that is tiny without feeling insignificant.
Simple without feeling impersonal.
Meaningful without becoming complicated.
Sometimes all you need is the two of you, a place you love, a few good words, and someone there to make it official.
Quick Answers About Courthouse and Private Weddings
-
No. Once you have a valid Florida marriage license, an authorized officiant can perform your ceremony outside the courthouse.
-
Absolutely. Florida does not require witnesses on the marriage license, so your ceremony can truly be just the two of you and your officiant.
-
Yes. A private ceremony can include no guests, a few loved ones, or a small group. You decide what feels right.
-
Yes. Your vows can be personal, traditional, funny, short, or somewhere in between. You can also choose not to read personal vows at all.
-
Absolutely. Homes, parks, gardens, beaches, restaurants, and other meaningful locations can all work for intimate ceremonies, although some locations may require permission or a permit.
Want Something Simple, but Still Meaningful?
You don’t need a big wedding to have a ceremony worth remembering.
My Elopement/Mini Ceremony is designed for couples who want something intimate, relaxed, and personal without turning their wedding into a production.
We’ll create a ceremony that fits the two of you, I’ll perform it wherever you’ve decided to say “I do,” and I’ll handle the notarization and legal filing of your Florida marriage license afterward.
Schedule a free discovery call and tell me what you have in mind.
Jennie Landau is a Wedding Officiant, Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant®, and Florida Notary Public based in Orlando, creating inclusive, personalized ceremonies throughout Central Florida and beyond.