Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Memorable Civil Marriage Ceremony

Getting married doesn't need to be a large production filled with religious tradition and centuries-old customs. All you need to say "I do" is a quick civil wedding ceremony that marries you and your partner in the eyes of the law. A civil marriage is recognized exactly the same as those that come with a large celebration, and they save significantly when it comes to time, money and energy.

Civil weddings aren't one-size-fits-all, and couples can run with their vision, whether that's an elopement, a micro-wedding or a small wedding without any religious affiliation. But, often, these weddings are thought of as romantic city hall affairs."City hall weddings are super popular right now for a reason—you can customize the day exactly to your liking, and save the money you'd otherwise spend on a big wedding to do exactly what you want to do," says Jocelyn Voo, an elopement planner and photographer in NYC.

These weddings may include personalized vows, or they could simply follow the by-the-book legalities. "A great thing about civil marriages is that you can choose and create your own meaning for partnership that may fall outside of any religious meaning," adds Lensy Michelle, a Boston-based wedding photographer who specializes in elopements.

To help add color to what a civil wedding can look like, Voo and Michelle, along with Angela Tyler, Boston elopement photographer at Angela Tyler Photography, shared their experience with planning and photographing civil marriages, as well as their best tips for making the day your own.

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In this article: What Is a Civil Marriage Ceremony? | Civil Wedding Ceremony Guest Count | Civil Wedding Ceremony Cost | How to Find Civil Wedding Ceremony Officiants Near Me | How to Plan a Civil Wedding Ceremony | Civil Marriage FAQ

What Is a Civil Marriage Ceremony?

A civil ceremony marriage is a legally binding union that is recognized both at the federal and state levels. As Voo explains, "A civil marriage ceremony is a nonreligious marriage ceremony performed by a government-authorized official, such as a judge, mayor or a city clerk."

It's just as valid as a wedding that's held at a venue with a long guest list, but it can be quicker and less expensive to head to the courthouse to say "I do" than to spend months planning a large celebration. Many couples choose to have a civil marriage ceremony if they're trying to save money or they have a big destination wedding planned in the future, but they'd like to get the legalities out of the way.

What Happens During a Civil Wedding Ceremony?

Civil weddings are usually quick ceremonies where a legal officiant presides over all of the necessary components of a marriage. "They're usually under ten minutes and go through the introduction, vows, ring exchange and finally, pronouncing you married," Tyler says. "It's super quick and allows you to get married quickly, on a budget and—my favorite—keep it as low-key and intimate as you want." But, despite the abbreviated length, these ceremonies are still incredibly meaningful and are recognized exactly the same as a religious or larger ceremony.

Civil Wedding Ceremony Guest Count

If your ideal wedding has a small wedding guest list, then a civil marriage could be the big day you've been dreaming of. There could be just three people present—you, your partner and the officiant—or you could go for a micro-wedding size.

Voo explains, "How many guests you can invite to the ceremony is largely dictated by the setting. For example, in New York City, the city clerk currently only allows four adult guests to accompany the couple for the ceremony."

Some couples may choose to invite upwards of 10 or 15 guests if their chosen venue has space, but it all depends on their wishes for their ceremony and the space available.

Civil Wedding Ceremony Cost

While a civil wedding can be an affordable way to get married, it's not completely free. There are expenses, including the wedding officiant cost, the marriage license cost, wedding attire, a photographer if you choose to hire one and a celebratory meal afterward if you decide that's how you want to toast your next big chapter.

Elopement cost is generally less than a micro-wedding, but use The Knot Budget Advisor to learn more about the specifics of wedding costs in your region, as well as how they'll add up over the course of planning a wedding.

How to Find Civil Wedding Ceremony Officiants Near Me

Anyone who officiates a civil wedding must be a legally recognized officiant. This could be someone recognized by the government, like a judge or justice of the peace, or it could be someone who's gone through the process of becoming a legal officiant.

Finding a wedding officiant doesn't have to be a difficult process. You can also browse The Knot Vendor Marketplace for nonreligious or civil wedding ceremony officiants. And, since civil wedding ceremonies are nonreligious, you may be curious whether a religious leader can officiate. For example, can a practicing Catholic officiate at a civil wedding ceremony? The answer is yes, as long as they are legally recognized.

How to Plan a Civil Wedding Ceremony

Planning a civil wedding ceremony is simpler than planning a large wedding. There's no seating chart or wondering if you need to invite your second cousin twice-removed, but that doesn't mean there's zero planning. There are a few key steps you need to take to make sure that your wedding is legally recognized. From figuring out how to get a marriage license to making sure you've crossed off everything on your elopement checklist, here's what you need to know about planning a civil wedding.

1. Make Sure the Legal Requirements Are in Place

Before you can get married, you need to make sure you've met all the legal requirements. Showing up without a marriage license to your civil marriage appointment will send you right back to the drawing board to try again. "A civil wedding needs to follow all governmental requirements for marriage in that locality," says Voo. "Typically, this includes filing paperwork, obtaining a marriage license and booking an appointment for the ceremony time."

2. Choose a Venue

The requirements for where you can have a civil wedding ceremony vary state-by-state, but many couples either get married in a government building or with a legal official at another destination. Voo says, "The ceremony itself can be at the city clerk's office, where it's typically a very brief encounter, or can be performed outside city hall with a registered official."

3. Decide How You Want the Day to Unfold

A civil wedding gives you the freedom to choose your own adventure. Think about what you want the day to look like and what will be the most meaningful for you and your partner. This might lead you down a road of figuring out how to elope, or you may decide that you want to have a small celebration. "Almost all of my city hall couples get ready in a hotel, take photos at multiple spots around the city, and cap the day with some snacks and a celebratory glass of champagne, just like any other wedding couple," Voo explains.

4. Book Your Vendors

Every civil wedding is going to have a different lineup of vendors because every civil wedding is different. You may need a photographer, a videographer, a florist for a bouquet, a wedding coordinator, or a hair and makeup artist. Even with a small wedding, there could be lots of talented vendors involved in bringing the vision to life.

"If you're having a civil ceremony at city hall or eloping somewhere outside of city hall, I would reach out to a photographer who specializes in city hall weddings and elopements three to six months before your anticipated date," says Michelle. However, she adds that larger civil weddings may benefit from a planner who's booked a year out.

5. Invite Your Guest List

What is a micro-wedding? It's a small wedding with just a handful of guests, and that's often what civil wedding ceremonies look like. But that doesn't mean zero guests—you can invite the people that mean the most to you. "Most of the couples I work with, it's just them, but sometimes they'll bring parents or a friend. I think one of the best parts is how it can be something that's truly just for the two of you," Tyler says.

Civil Marriage Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you're planning a courthouse wedding or you're dreaming of a tiny but romantic ceremony without a religious angle, a civil marriage is often the best option. It is a legal marriage that works for elopements and small weddings alike. Here are a few things you need to know when considering a civil marriage.

Can You Have Both a Civil Ceremony and a Religious Ceremony?

A civil ceremony is all you need to get married, but even if you choose to have a civil ceremony, you can also have a religious ceremony later. Just know that only one is your official "I do." However, Voo explains, "Your legal marriage ceremony can only be performed once, so you can choose to have a civil ceremony or a religious one."

For some couples, a civil ceremony and a religious ceremony are necessary due to the timing of their larger wedding or the location (maybe they'll have trouble finding a legal officiant or their backyard wedding isn't legally recognized!). As Tyler says, "Many couples I work with opt to do a small civil ceremony first, followed by a larger ceremony later. Sometimes that's to do a destination wedding, sometimes it's to do a religious ceremony."

What Do You Say in a Civil Wedding Ceremony?

There's no one-size-fits-all civil wedding ceremony script, though the legal entity marrying you will have generic civil wedding ceremony text they can fall back on. As Michelle explains, "The great thing about a civil marriage ceremony is that you have a ton of freedom with what happens and can really customize the ceremony to suit you!"

Most couples choose a nonreligious wedding ceremony script, but Michelle adds that some couples choose to exchange more personal vows. "Others opt to keep it short and sweet, with the officiant simply reading a more generic 'no union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family,' which is from the Obergefell v. Hodges decision."

Is a Civil Marriage the Same as Other Marriages?

A civil marriage is a legally binding marriage that is recognized in the eyes of the law. This is the only wedding ceremony you need to get officially married! It's a quick process that doesn't involve the pomp and circumstance of a larger or religious wedding, but it gets the job done.

To give the day a more sentimental feeling (if that's what you want!), Tyler suggests, "Do a first look beforehand or spend an hour or so around the city to take photos, followed by lunch or dinner. Or, in the case of one couple I just photographed, they actually went ring shopping after their ceremony, which I thought was a really cute idea!"

What Is a Civil Marriage vs. a Civil Union?

While a civil marriage is a legally binding marriage that is recognized on a federal level, a civil union is a designation that a couple has the rights of a married couple within their state. There is often no ceremony with a civil union. It's simply a couple deciding to make their status legal according to state requirements so they can take advantage of certain rights, protections and benefits of married couples. A civil marriage is a legally binding marriage.