This session was shot by GMP founder and Principal Photographer Elizabeth Millar
Olga and Stephen got married at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando with their two kids, bright spring florals, and lots of energy.
Olga told me that I appeared all over her TikTok feed after she and Stephen got engaged, and she looked my website up and down before reaching out. She’s Colombian and Stephen is Chinese American, and they just celebrated almost ten years together. Their two kids came along for their courthouse wedding and having them in the frame changed the whole feel of the day in the best way. This was a family getting married, not just a couple.
The Orange County Courthouse in Downtown Orlando
The Orange County Courthouse is where I work more than anywhere else. I’m there a few times a week and I’ve photographed hundreds of weddings in that building. If you’re planning a courthouse wedding in Orlando, I know it well enough to tell you exactly where to stand and what time of day will treat you best.
One exciting update: Olga and Stephen’s photos show the old ceremony room. The courthouse has since renovated the space, so if you want to see what it looks like now, have a look at this gallery. The wooden arch and the new lighting are a real improvement.
Editorial Flash Shots in the Elevator
I have to talk about the elevator. The Orange County Courthouse has one that is perfect for editorial flash portraits, and we have fun with it every single time. Hard light, clean lines, a bit of drama. It’s one of my favorite spots in the courthouse and it always surprises couples who assume a courthouse wedding means there’s only one boring room and that’s it.
One Property, So Many Photo Locations
This session is a good example of something I tell couples often: if you’re looking to save time and get creative, you don’t have to go anywhere else. Every portrait from Olga and Stephen’s day was captured on courthouse property. The waiting room with all that window light, the corridors, the elevator, the exterior with its columns and steps and that long walk from the road that lets me shoot from a distance with a long lens. The building gives you range if you know how to use it.
If you do want a second location, downtown Orlando is right there and we can absolutely turn it into a photo adventure (like we did for Christian and Lindsey.) But it isn’t required, and on a day with small children it’s often better not to stretch things.
Bringing Your Kids to a Courthouse Wedding
Courthouse weddings are small by nature, which makes them a good fit for including children. There’s no long ceremony to sit through, no reception timeline to manage around nap schedules, and the whole thing is over quickly enough that nobody melts down. Olga and Stephen’s kids were part of the portraits throughout, and those photos really capture the genuine excitement and energy from the day. If you’re weighing whether to bring your kids along, I’d say do it. I’ve photographed weddings with kids a number of times, including this Scottish family elopement, and it always works.
FAQ: Getting Married at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando
A valid government photo ID for each of you, either a driver’s license or passport, and your Social Security number if you have one. You don’t need the physical card. If you’re international and don’t have a Social Security number, that’s fine. Both of you need to appear in person together to get the license. Get your marriage license first, then book your ceremony appointment.
The Florida marriage license is $86, or $61 if you complete the online premarital course. The ceremony fee is $30 for a clerk to perform it. A Florida license is valid in all 67 counties, so you can get it in one county and marry in another. Read my full walkthrough of the process at the Orange County Orlando courthouse to learn more.
You’ll check in, take a ticket, and wait to be called to a window for paperwork. Then you’ll wait again for the ceremony room. The ceremony itself runs about five to ten minutes and includes a vow and ring exchange if you want one. Budget around 90 minutes to two hours from arrival to being finished with photos.
If both of you are non-residents with out-of-state or out-of-country ID, there’s no waiting period at all. Florida residents need to complete a four hour premarital course to skip the three day wait.
Yes, and the clerks there are lovely about it. Flash isn’t allowed in the general public areas but it is allowed in the ceremony room. Traditional tripods usually won’t make it through security, though small bendy-legged ones are generally fine.
Meet Your Orange County Courthouse Wedding Photographer
I loved reading Olga’s response after they received their gallery: “I just wanted to take the time to thank you from the bottom of our hearts—the pictures are breathtaking. They are exactly what I expected when I decided to book with you. I had been following you for a little while and kept daydreaming of having you as our photographer and I’m so glad we were able to have you at our special day.”
Congratulations, Olga and Stephen, and thank you for having me. If you’re planning a courthouse wedding in Orlando and want someone who knows the building inside out, get in touch.
Wedding Team:
Hair and makeup: Faces by Shannon
Florals: Affordable Wedding Flowers
