How to Elope at the Beverly Hills Courthouse

A Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding Story

T and L’s sweet elopement adventure started at the Beverly Hills courthouse. They walked in prepared, already wearing their dress and suit, and with T’s mom trailing behind them as a witness. Thinking they were about to have a small ceremony right there at the courthouse, they began putting the finishing touches on their outfits––T’s mom helped place the flowers on T’s suit, and in L’s hair. However, after speaking with a worker there, they received some bad news. It turned out they had only booked an appointment for a marriage license and not a ceremony. That meant the small ceremony they were hoping to have was no longer an option. This bit of bad news didn’t seem to ruffle T and L’s spirits in the slightest. They simply reevaluated their plan and chose a new course of action. Instead of getting frustrated, they chose to see it as beautiful because it was uniquely theirs. 

The lady working at the courthouse was kind enough to provide a list of nearby ordained ministers who could potentially help out in a situation like this. After speaking to a promising one on the phone, we headed over to her house which was only ten minutes away. Marilyn was the quirky, yet professional ordained minister every couple wants. Her adorable backyard was the perfect place for the ceremony. We pulled up to her cute green house and walked through the side yard and into the backyard. A small garden, flower bushes, and citrus trees filled the space giving it a magical look and feel. T and L said, “I do,” in front of one of those citrus trees, with Marilyn officiating in a signature green suit. Marilyn’s go with the flow energy was such a blessing in a spontaneous event like this. Leven wrote Marilyn a note apologizing for their ceremony being so last minute. Marilyn didn’t seem to mind a bit. “It’s all a part of your story,” she said. 

After sealing the deal with a kiss, we headed to a local park on Marilyn’s recommendation. The park was luscious and green, and the nearby golf course filled with golfers and their dogs made for an eclectic touch. This is where L did a bouquet toss, choosing not to sacrifice those little traditional wedding day rituals. We ended our time in the park with some photos on the picturesque benches. 

L was so excited to go to city hall after this because of its stunning and unique architecture. When we got there, we noticed there was some construction going on, which obscured about half of the building with scaffolding. Again, L and T’s positive and calm attitude about things not going exactly to plan was such a sweet thing to witness. We managed to avoid the construction site enough to keep it out of the pictures, and then we went over to the city plaza side. There we took some more photos on the staircase, under the arch, and in a little blue seating area, where other photographers were frequenting along with their subjects. There was a slight wind that was blowing L’s veil and dress, making her look like a windswept goddess––It could not have been more perfect. 

To end the elopement, we made our way across the street from city hall to a bridge where T and L cracked open a bottle of champagne to celebrate their new lives committed to each other. They were such a sweet and beautiful couple and it was so much fun to be there on their elopement day.

How to get married at the Beverly Hills courthouse

It’s quite simple and straightforward to have your elopement wedding at the Beverly Hills Courthouse, Follow these two steps to organize your special day.

Step 1: Marriage License

The first step is to secure an appointment to obtain your marriage license at the Los Angeles County Registrar within 90 days of your elopement/wedding date. Appointments may be scheduled up to two weeks in advance. The fee for your marriage license varies depending on the type you opt for: Public Marriage $91; Confidential Marriage $85. You have the option to also have a civil ceremony for an additional fee of $35.

Step 2: Photography Permit

Next, you’ll need a “Wedding/Group Photography Permit” to be able to have your photos taken on the property. You’ll want your photographer to submit this as the city requires proof of insurance. Beverly Hills City hall is where the architecture is breathtaking and makes for a beautiful wedding location. The permit grants you two hours to take photos around the property, which is plenty of time. There are large arches, staircases, palm trees, walkways, unique architectural deigns, etc. This is by far one of the most beautiful city halls!