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How to get married at the Orlando Courthouse

As the busiest courthouse wedding photographer in Florida, I have a lot of information in my head about how to get married at the Orlando courthouse. So I’m sharing it all with you!

Quick links:

There are 2 Orange Counties—One in California and one in Florida. So if you’re looking for info about how to get married at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, you’re in the right place.

When you start thinking about getting married at the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando, the first thing you’re going to look for is “how to get married at the courthouse”.

white couple kissing in front of the orange county courthouse in orlando florida

My couples have told me that understanding all the information was difficult because government websites aren’t easy to use.

Here are answers to the things you might be wondering about exactly how to get married at the Orange County Courthouse.

How to get married at the Orange County Courthouse:

  1. Decide at which courthouse you want to get married.

    In Central Florida, there are many courthouse options available, so the Orange County Courthouse is not your only choice. On my website, I have a page that breaks down each courthouse with its pros and cons, as well as how it looks on camera. You can find it here.

  2. Complete the marriage license application

    To get your license for the ceremony, you can either go to the courthouse three days before the wedding or get it on the same day if you’ve taken an online premarital course and have a certificate to prove it.

    You can take these courses online, and they only take a couple of hours. Alternatively, you can make it a cute date and get your license together a few days before the wedding.

    If you and your fiance are not Florida residents, you don’t need to take the premarital course, and you can get your license and married on the same day.

    Before your appointment, you need to complete a digital application. Click here to complete it.

  3. Take the marriage license application to one of the courthouses

    To get your license three days before the wedding, you must bring your application, government-issued ID, and proof of social security number, and you both must be present.
    If you have children together who were born in Florida, you also need to complete this form.

    When you take your marriage license application to the courthouse, you will also be signing a statement that says you have read the Family Law Handbook. That’s available in English and Spanish.

    If you haven’t completed the premarital course, you will pay $86. On the other hand, if you have taken the online premarital course and have the certificate to prove it, you will pay $61. You can pay using cash, money order, credit/debit card, or cashier’s check (payable to the Orange County Clerk of Courts).

    Although walk-ins are accepted, the waiting time may be long. It’s recommended to schedule an appointment for your marriage license. You can bring your application, ID, money, and other forms to any of these Orange County Clerk branches:

    Orange County Courthouse: 425 North Orange Ave., Room 350
    Apopka branch: 1111 North Rock Springs Rd.
    Ocoee branch: 475 Story Rd.
    Winter Park branch: 450 Lakemont Ave.

  4. Schedule your ceremony appointment

    To have a marriage ceremony at the courthouse, you need to schedule an appointment whether you’re going three days ahead of time to get your license or doing it all on the same day. Click here for the link to schedule.

    You can only schedule an appointment up to two months in advance. If you want to plan further ahead, set a calendar reminder to schedule your preferred date two months before.

    The ceremony fee is $30, with an additional $3.50 fee if paying with a card.

  5. Book your photographer

    If you’re thinking about having photos of your courthouse wedding, I would love to do this for you! Please get in touch with me to talk about it. There is a lot of detailed information on this page about wedding photography at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando.

I hope that was helpful! 📸 💛 And now that you’ve read how to get married at the Orange County Courthouse, here are some Q&As.

Questions and answers about getting married at the Orange County Courthouse:

Do you need a witness to get married at the Orange County Courthouse?

No you don’t legally need witnesses although you can have one if you’d like. I often sign as a witness when couples want one.

What floor is for marriage licences and ceremonies at the Orange County Courthouse?

You can obtain a marriage license and/or have your ceremony on the 3rd floor of the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando in room 350.

How much does it cost to get married at the Orange County Courthouse?

The cost of a marriage license is $86.00. The cost is reduced to $61 if you’ve taken an online premarital course. The ceremony fee is $30.

What payment methods does the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando take?

They take cash, money order, cashier’s check (payable to the Orange County Clerk of Courts)
MasterCard, Visa, Discover or American Express. They have a $3.50 surcharge for all credit card transactions.

How many people can come to my courthouse wedding in Orlando?

This is a tricky question. When you get your license at the courthouse, they will tell you that 6 people are allowed. However, there are 12 chairs (the math ain’t mathing). Regardless, they can’t turn your guests away once they show up. The most I’ve seen crammed in that room was 28 people.

Can your photographer come with you into the Orange County Courthouse (Orlando)?

Yes! Some courthouses are less accommodating than others, but the Downtown Orlando location is very photography-friendly.

What is the best date and time to get married at the Orange County Courthouse (Orlando)?

The clerks take staggered lunch breaks from 11am-2pm and I’ve noticed that this is when they’re the most likely to be running late.

Fridays are busy as are dates that land on holidays (Valentine’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, St Patrick’s Day, etc). Dates that are like 2-2-22 are also popular.

In the summer, Florida has a storm just about every afternoon. So if you want to get married at 3pm in July, bring a cute umbrella or plan your time earlier if you don’t want photos in the rain. I can work in light rain (and it looks great on camera) but I can’t work in a storm.

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