Let’s just say it out loud:
If the thought of a big wedding makes your chest tighten, you’re not broken, you’re listening to yourself.
If you’ve been quietly wondering whether a courthouse wedding is “enough,” this is your permission slip to breathe. To unclench. To remember that love doesn’t need an audience to be sacred.
Eloping at the Tarrant County Courthouse isn’t about skipping meaning, it’s about choosing it on purpose.
Why a Courthouse Wedding Can Be Deeply Romantic
Hey boo I know your fears.
You want something intimate but you don’t want it to feel cold.
Simple, but not rushed.
Meaningful, without turning into a production.
A courthouse wedding can be quietly, devastatingly romantic, if you let it be.
Think:
marble floors echoing with your footsteps,
hands squeezing a little tighter before you say I do,
stepping back outside as newlyweds with the city humming around you like nothing just changed — except everything did.
It’s moody.
It’s grounded.
It’s love choosing itself without asking permission.
And no, it’s not “less than.”
It’s just less loud.
The Practical Stuff (So You Can Relax)
Because part of feeling emotionally safe is knowing what to expect, here’s exactly how it works — no overwhelm, no guessing. To elope at the Tarrant County courthouse here’s what you’ll need.
1. Apply for Your Marriage License
You’ll start at the Tarrant County Clerk’s Office.
- Where: 200 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, TX
- When: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
- Bring: Photo IDs + your partner (you both need to be there)
- Cost: $76
- Important note: Texas has a 72-hour waiting period after you receive your license before you can get married
This little pause? It’s not a buzzkill. It’s a breath. A moment to let it all sink in.
2. Schedule Your Courthouse Ceremony
- Call: 817-884-1111 to choose your date
- Ceremony fee: $100 (cash only)
- Guests: Yes, you can bring a few loved ones
- Photographer: Also yes. (Hi. That’s me. I got you, boo.)
The ceremony itself is short, sweet, and sincere. No fluff. Just vows, witnesses, and the quiet gravity of choosing each other.
“But Will It Feel Special?”
This is usually the real question.
And here’s the truth I wish more people said out loud:
What makes a wedding special isn’t the setting…it’s how safe you feel being fully yourselves inside it.
You can wear something that feels like you.
You can bring your people, or not.
You can step outside afterward, breathe in the air, laugh, cry, wander downtown, grab coffee, or toast with champagne in the car.
The courthouse is just the beginning.
The meaning is what you bring with you.
Why I Love Photographing Courthouse Elopements
Courthouse weddings strip everything down to what matters most, and that’s where my heart lives.
No posing for the sake of tradition.
No pretending you’re not nervous or giddy or emotional.
Just two humans choosing forever.
I’ll be there to hold space, guide gently, and document the in-between moments, the deep breaths, the nervous smiles, the way you look at each other like oh… this is really happening.
You don’t have to perform.
You don’t have to explain your choice.
You don’t have to make it bigger for it to be worthy.
A Gentle Reminder (In Case You Need It)
You are not “missing out” by choosing a courthouse wedding.
You are opting in…to presence, to simplicity, to love without spectacle.
And years from now, when you look back at your photos, I promise this is what you’ll remember:
how it felt to choose each other, quietly, boldly, and on your own terms.
Traditions be damned 🤍
If this kind of day feels like home, I’d be honored to walk it with you.
