This session was shot by GMP founder and Principal Photographer Elizabeth Millar
John and Mary Grace got married at the Winter Park courthouse with three locations, two little ring bearers, and one story that started 8,000 miles away.
Mary Grace and John started as friends in 2021, connected across the distance between the Philippines and the United States, and spent years talking about food, travel, culture, and life before anything shifted between them. He jokingly said once that if they both turned 40 and were still single, they should date each other. They laughed about it. Then in 2024 a work opportunity brought Mary Grace to the US, and by October 2025 John had asked her to date him. Three months later, he proposed.
They found me on TikTok, which I love, and their April wedding was joyfully chaotic in the best way. Three locations, five people total, two very energetic little boys, and a day that moved fast and felt like a lot. I loved every minute of it.
Getting Ready at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando
Getting ready happened in a beautiful suite at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, which is built to look like the Italian seaside village of Portofino and does a convincing job of it. The rooms are warm and well-lit, the architecture gives you archways and soft European details wherever you look, and it’s a beautiful place to start a wedding morning.
Mary Grace got ready in the suite while John and her brother Ronald helped the boys into their Barong Tagalog, each one embroidered and customized with their names on the lapel. Then the whole family walked out through the hotel lobby together to their car.
How an Experienced Wedding Photographer Works with a Height Difference
Mary Grace mentioned when she booked that she’s 5’0″ and John is 6’7″, and wanted to make sure I had experience working with couples who have a significant height difference. I do, and I don’t see it as a disadvantage, I just see it as a creative opportunity. The courthouse corridors, the flower arch in the ceremony room, and Hannibal Square all gave us angles that made the difference feel like part of their story rather than something to manage around.
Celebrating Filipino Wedding Traditions
The Barong Tagalog worn by John, Ronald, Connor, and William was one of the most meaningful elements of the day. It’s a traditional Filipino formal garment, typically made of sheer fabric and worn untucked, and seeing it on both the Filipino and American members of the family was a quiet and beautiful way of honoring where Mary Grace comes from. The boys wore theirs with obvious pride.
Courthouse Ceremony at the Winter Park Clerk of Courts
The Winter Park Courthouse, technically the Orange County Clerk of Courts office in Winter Park, is a great option for a Central Florida clerk of courts marriage ceremony. The ceremony room fits about 16 guests with room for a few more standing, which was more than enough for this group of five.
The ceremony room had a floral arch set up, greenery and white blooms framing the couple. Connor and William took their ring bearer duties seriously, which is to say they were very energetic about it. Capturing their excitement, the anticipation, the participation, the moments where being seven and nine years old shows up completely, was exactly what this day called for.
Winter Park Courthouse Wedding FAQ
If both parties are non-Florida residents, there is no wait. If you are a resident, you must take a 4-hour premarital course to skip the 3-day waiting period.
The Winter Park courthouse specifically takes appointments up until 3pm as opposed to the downtown Orlando location where the latest appointment time is 2pm. Every Florida courthouse I have worked in allows walk-ins without an appointment. But you’ll want to make an appointment to make the most out of the time you have with me.
The grace period for Orange County including Winter Park and downtown Orlando locations is 15 minutes while it’s just 5 minutes at the downtown Tampa courthouse. If you’re there past the grace period, you will sign in as a walk-in and still be able to get married but you might just wait a few minutes longer.
Yes! Clerks allow for a vow and ring exchange and encourage photography.
Hannibal Square Portraits in Winter Park
The Winter Park courthouse doesn’t have grounds for photos, which is actually fine because it gives us an excuse to take the photo adventure elsewhere. You can read about all the nearby portrait options on my Winter Park Courthouse page. John and Mary Grace chose Hannibal Square, which was the right call.
Hannibal Square is a few minutes from the courthouse and one of the more versatile spots in the Winter Park area. Brick sidewalks, independent shops, murals, tree canopy, and the Florida afternoon light that makes everything look good. You can see more of what we’ve done there in this Winter Park elopement and this Winter Park courthouse wedding.
The whole family came along for portraits, then we found a few minutes for just John and Mary Grace, and finished with the cake cutting they’d planned. An unhurried ending to a day that had moved quickly from the start.
Congratulations, John and Mary Grace, and Connor and William, who were absolute characters from start to finish. Thank you for having me.
See More Winter Park Elopements & Courthouse Weddings
- A Filipino-American Wedding at the Winter Park Courthouse | Portofino Bay & Hannibal Square
- An Intimate Wedding Under the Dome at The Alfond Inn in Winter Park
- Mead Botanical Garden Sunrise Elopement
If you’re interested in planning a Winter Park courthouse wedding or elopement, start the conversation here and tell me about your vision!
