This session was shot by GMP founder and Principal Photographer Elizabeth Millar
Chris and Natalie’s Glamorous Family Elopement at the Osceola County Courthouse in Kissimmee, Florida
I say this a lot: the courthouse is just a canvas. What you bring to it is entirely up to you.
Chris and Natalie flew over from England, pulled up to the Osceola County Courthouse in Kissimmee in a chauffeured black SUV, and had a red carpet rolled out on the pavement before the doors opened. Natalie stepped out in a white off-the-shoulder mini dress and heels, holding a vivid mixed bouquet of red, orange, yellow, and white blooms from Affordable Wedding Flowers. Chris was in a black tuxedo. Their kids were dressed up and ready.
This was a Florida courthouse elopement—and it was also glamorous. Those two things are not mutually exclusive, and Chris and Natalie are proof.
About the Osceola County Courthouse in Kissimmee
The Osceola County Courthouse is one of the lesser known courthouse locations in Central Florida, and I don’t think it gets enough credit (watch my full review video here).
Ceremonies are held in the Jon B. Morgan Courthouse in Kissimmee, and the inside of this building is really nicely designed for photography in a way that not all courthouses are. It’s well-lit, with windows everywhere. The ceremony room has more natural light than any other courthouse ceremony room I’ve worked in. The hallways have wood-paneled walls that makes for dramatic portraits. And there’s an elevator that’s fun to explore for high-flash editorial shots.
Outside, right next door, is the reason this courthouse is truly special: the original 1889 Osceola County Courthouse—Florida’s oldest courthouse. Built in Romanesque Revival style, this stately building with red brick exterior and white trim is in the National Register of Historic Places. It is beautiful, grand, and makes an extraordinary backdrop for portraits. When couples ask me which Florida courthouse has the best exterior photo opportunities, this one is always at the top of my list.
Beyond the buildings themselves, the setting is worth mentioning. I often describe Osceola as having a more laid-back, small-town feeling than the downtown Orlando courthouse. Downtown Kissimmee is easy to navigate with real parking that doesn’t involve garages or city-block security checks. There’s a marina nearby if you want a coastal feel in your portraits. And it’s very close to Disney—for UK couples especially, if you’re staying near the parks, this courthouse is just as accessible as the downtown Orlando courthouse, with a lot less fuss.
As Chris and Natalie showed: the courthouse venue is just the setting. The vibe you bring is entirely your own.
The Flowers: Delivered to the Courthouse Steps
The bouquet in these photos is one of my favorites—a rich, vibrant mix of yellow sunflowers plus red, orange, and white blooms that popped against Natalie’s white dress and the courthouse’s red brick exterior. It was made by Joyce at Affordable Wedding Flowers, who is one of the sweetest vendors in the Central Florida wedding world. She delivers directly to the courthouse steps at no additional fee, which makes her an ideal vendor for elopements where you want beautiful florals without the logistics of picking them up or coordinating a separate delivery. If you’re planning an Osceola courthouse wedding and need flowers, she’s who I’d call.
The Portraits: Inside and Out
Some of my favorite images from this day are the black and white editorial portraits inside the courthouse. The dark wood-paneled hallways gave us this moody, almost cinematic quality. The overhead stairwell shot, looking down from above, is a particularly memorable shot. The courthouse gave us a lot to work with, and they were completely game for all of it. Outside at the historic 1889 building, the red brick exterior and the Florida light created something that doesn’t look like a courthouse wedding at all. The kids were in every bit of it, and the whole day felt like exactly what it was: a family celebrating something real.
Eloping in Florida as a UK Couple
A good portion of the couples I photograph at Florida courthouses come from the UK, and it’s not hard to understand why. Getting married in Florida as a British couple is pretty simple, all things considered. You just bring your passports. There’s no waiting period if neither of you is a Florida resident—which, if you’re flying in from England, you’re not. You can get your marriage license and get married the same day.
For UK couples specifically, the Osceola Clerk of Courts in Kissimmee is worth considering over the downtown Orlando courthouse. It’s closer to the Disney-area hotels where most visiting couples stay, parking is easy, and the process moves quickly without the city traffic and multi-floor parking garages that come with the Orange County Courthouse.
Once you’re back home, your Florida marriage certificate is valid in the UK—there’s no re-registration required. You’ll just need to notify relevant bodies like HMRC and anywhere you want to update your name if you choose to.
For everything else UK couples need to know about eloping in Florida, I’ve put together two full guides: Easy Orlando Elopements for UK Couples and the UK Couples FAQ. Both are worth a read before you start planning.
FAQ: Getting Married at the Osceola County Courthouse in Kissimmee
You need a valid government photo ID (a passport works perfectly for UK couples) and your Social Security number if you have one. You don’t need the physical card. Both parties need to appear together in person to purchase the marriage license. You can also get your Florida marriage license online ahead of time (I share detailed instructions here).
The Florida marriage license is $86, or $61 if you’ve completed the online premarital course. The ceremony fee at the Osceola County Courthouse is $30, performed by a clerk. So the total cost for the ceremony itself is under $120, not including photography or flowers.
The full appointment—paperwork, ceremony, and photos outside—typically runs about 90 minutes to two hours. The ceremony itself is brief, usually five to ten minutes. Most courthouse weddings are complete in 1.5 hours, though I always build in two hours just in case.
The Osceola County Courthouse ceremony room accommodates up to 10 guests. It’s an intimate space, which suits most elopements well—especially family-focused ones like Chris and Natalie’s.
The ceremony fee is $30, payable to the Osceola Clerk of Courts. Appointments are required and can be scheduled at osceolaclerk.com. Ceremonies are available Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 3:30pm.
The Jon B. Morgan Osceola County Courthouse is located in downtown Kissimmee, easily accessible from the Disney area and most vacation rental corridors south of Orlando. Parking is free and straightforward—no garages, no meters.
Yes. There is no residency requirement to obtain a Florida marriage license. UK couples just need to bring their passports for ID. As non-residents, there is no three-day waiting period—you can get your license and get married the same day.
Yes. The UK legally recognizes marriages validly performed overseas, including in Florida. Your official Florida marriage certificate is your proof of marriage back home. You’ll want to keep it safe, and getting a couple of certified copies at the time of issue ($3 each) is worth it.
More Osceola County Courthouse Weddings
Want to see more from this courthouse? Here are a few other weddings I’ve photographed at the Osceola Courthouse:
- Glamorous Osceola County Courthouse Wedding for This UK Couple
- Golden Hour at Osceola County Courthouse
- Osceola County Courthouse Micro Wedding
Find Your Central Florida Courthouse Wedding Photographer
I’ve photographed hundreds of courthouse weddings across Central Florida—and the Osceola County Courthouse is one I genuinely love working in. Whether you’re flying in from the UK, driving down from Orlando, or staying just down the road near the parks, I’d love to be your Florida courthouse wedding photographer. Fill out my inquiry form and let’s talk about your day.
