New York City is one of the most iconic elopement locations in the world. For couples drawn to the city, it becomes more than just a backdrop. The energy and charming unpredictability become a central character in the story of the day, an irreplaceable part eloping in the city that makes each celebration feel unique.
Whether you choose the Manhattan Marriage Bureau on Worth Street or the Brooklyn Courthouse on Joralemon Street, each offers its own distinct atmosphere and pace. Deciding where to elope is an intentional choice, one that can set the tone for your entire day.
A NYC elopement doesn’t have to just be the trip to the courthouse. It isn’t just paperwork. It’s about walking through the streets together, upcycling your mother’s vintage gown, and watching the city unfold in front of you with strangers’ congratulations and a bustling pace. This guide will show you how to elope at the City Clerk’s Office in New York City step by step – from choosing between the Manhattan or Brooklyn courthouse, to navigating the ceremony and creating a day that feels elevated, effortless, and entirely your own.
How to Plan a NYC Courthouse Elopement
New York City’s marriage license requirements are fairly straightforward but knowing each specific step ahead of time is helpful. This allows you to begin thinking about what happens between now and the scheduling of the actual marriage appointment (the day you sign the certificate and have your ceremony). It is also important for the process to run smoothly so you’re able to stay fully present with your partner.
Here is my step-by-step elopement guide on the full process, how to approach your elopement day, and everything you need to know ahead of time for your courthouse elopement in NYC!
Step 1: Apply for Your Marriage License
- Begin with Project Cupid, New York City’s online portal for marriage licenses and ceremony appointments.
- Provide a valid ID and pay the marriage license fee.
- Review the full NYC marriage license requirements for specific details, and any other requirements that may apply to you two as a couple.
- Your license becomes valid 24 hours after it’s issued and remains valid for 60 days.
- Apply virtually or in person at the NYC Marriage Bureau, with offices in:
Step 2: Book Your Marriage Ceremony Appointment at the Courthouse
- Appointments are required; no walk-ins are allowed.
- Use Project Cupid to schedule your ceremony at either courthouse.
- Be prepared with the proper documentation and a credit card or money order to cover the $25 fee.
- For fewer crowds, aim for Monday through Wednesday. Thursdays are busier, and Fridays are the most popular.
Step 3: Plan the Details
- Witness: At least one witness is required (up to two allowed). Your photographer can serve as witness for an intimate occasion. It’s a privilege to be a part of my couples’ day in this way!
- Guests: As of January 2025, Manhattan allows up to four adult guests, plus a limited number of children. Your photographer counts toward the total.
- Rings & Vows: Rings may be exchanged, but personal vows are not part of the official script. Many couples choose to read vows privately afterward, at a place in the city that feels more personal.
- Paperwork: Bring your IDs, your marriage license, and a clean folder or bag that complements your look so nothing distracts from your images, and you keep things organized.
Step 4: Arrive at the Courthouse
- Arrive about 30 minutes early. Even with appointments, the office can run behind. You also don’t want to feel rushed with any photos taken beforehand.
- Go through security, show your IDs (your witness will also need their ID), and receive a number.
- Wait in the lobby for your number to be called –
- Manhattan: The infamous green couches.
- Brooklyn: A quieter lobby, for quieter moments.
- Use this time to take in the anticipation, enjoy those fleeting quiet moments, and capture candid portraits.
Step 5: The Elopement Ceremony
- Once your number is called, finalize paperwork at the counter. This is when your witness will sign!
- Wait in a secondary area until your names are called for the ceremony.
- Enter the ceremony room. The ceremony lasts less than five minutes.
- Exchange rings.
- Speak your declarations.
- You’re married!
- The Marriage Ceremony Information page shares other official details, but what makes it memorable is the presence you bring to it.
- Afterward, you’ll receive your marriage certificate and step outside into the city as a married couple!
Step 6: Celebrate Your Elopement in NYC
- The courthouse appointment is only the beginning. The rest of the day is yours to celebrate together!
- In Manhattan: Wander into Tribeca, Chinatown, Little Italy, or Soho within minutes. The Brooklyn Bridge is steps away for a walk or a quick taxi into Williamsburg with skyline views.
- In Brooklyn: Enjoy quieter streets, historic brownstones, and the waterfront just blocks away.
- Add your own flair: hop in a taxi, grab a hot dog, or settle into a pizzeria. The opportunities are endless. You can even rent a vintage taxi for a ride around the city and a unique photo opportunity!
Manhattan vs. Brooklyn Courthouse Elopements
When planning your NYC courthouse elopement, the first big choice is where to exchange your vows: the Manhattan Marriage Bureau at 141 Worth Street or the Brooklyn Courthouse at 210 Joralemon Street. If you have thought about, dreamed of or researched having a city hall wedding in New York, you’ve no doubt seen both locations… and for good reason. Each has its own character, pace, and energy that make it uniquely iconic.
Manhattan Marriage Bureau | 141 Worth Street
The Manhattan Courthouse is instantly recognizable. The green couches in the lobby. The unmistakable heavy doors as you exit the building. The bustle of to-be-wed couples arriving throughout the day. It’s busier here than Brooklyn, but for many, that is part of the charm. If you thrive on the classic NYC energy, this is where you’ll find it.
Want to see more? Check out my Manhattan Courthouse inspiration here.
Step outside and you’re in the heart of Lower Manhattan. Tribeca, Chinatown, Little Italy, and Soho are only blocks away, and the Brooklyn Bridge is just down the street. Christine and Zero made the most of this, wandering into Old Friend Photobooth on the Lower East Side after finishing up their appointment. Sofija and Mario chose the West Village, where we captured one of my absolute favorite images: Sofija stands in front of a bright red car and taxi while Mario admires her, both taking in the charm of the neighborhood. Romina and Gian hopped in a taxi across the bridge, taking in the sunset from Williamsburg with the Manhattan skyline behind them. That’s the beauty of a Manhattan courthouse elopement: in minutes, you can step into neighborhoods that feel like entirely new backdrops for photographs.
If crowds aren’t your thing, timing matters. Monday through Wednesday is calmer. Thursday draws more couples, and Friday is typically the busiest day of all.
Brooklyn Courthouse | 210 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn offers a different pace for the ceremony appointment. The courthouse building itself is larger, and the flow of couples often doesn’t feel as rushed as in Manhattan. For those who want a calmer ceremony appointment and admire the architectural differences in the buildings, this is the right choice.
Outside, the streets carry their own kind of charm. The waterfront and the Brooklyn Bridge are right around the corner, but the neighborhoods surrounding Downtown Brooklyn offer a quaint charm with townhouses and local restaurants, bars, and more. A Brooklyn courthouse elopement feels slower, more intimate, and especially fitting for couples who hold the borough close to their hearts.
NYC Courthouse Elopement Inspiration: Real Couples
A NYC courthouse elopement is about prioritizing intention and presence in the moment. Fewer guests. Less formalities. Space for fashion, where your unique style and story take center stage. The details you choose (your wardrobe, accessories, the way you move through the city) are what make the day feel charming and distinctly yours.
Sarah and Ben began at The Bowery, where the large corner suite gave them room to breathe. Natural light spilled through the many windows as they spent the morning getting ready together without losing a sense of personal space and privacy. Staying the night before and after allowed them to skip the stress of check-outs or morning travel. It felt more like a staycation than a logistical choice, and at the same time elevated their day without overloading on stress. Their subway ride downtown wasn’t just about getting from one place to another. It was about moving through the city with the same authenticity they were promising each other. That kind of intimacy can’t be scheduled. It unfolds when you let the city lead.
What I admire most about Christine and Zero’s approach to the day was how the priority was on the things they got to do together on their day. Christine wore a Danielle Frankel gown, carrying an effortless elegance through every portrait. They wanted their elopement to feel like a day they lived fully, not just an appointment at the courthouse. There is no “wrong” way to elope at the courthouse, but I love that they were true to what felt most like them. The best part? Letting spontaneity take the wheel. A ferry ride that hadn’t been planned. A corner bar near the Brooklyn Bridge that felt like it was waiting just for them. Even a stop at Old Friend Photobooth on the Lower East Side. With only the two of them and me, the freedom to follow those impulses turned the city into their playground.
Sarah and Gustavo leaned into New York’s love of reinvention through thrifting and secondhand fashion. Sarah’s dress was sourced from vintage bridal salon Happy Isles, a piece that carried history and style in equal measure. Upcycled, borrowed, or reimagined pieces often feel the most personal, and in their case, gave the day a fashion-forward edge without losing its roots. As seen in Vogue, the Happy Isles showroom “looked like Carrie Bradshaw’s closet, but better” — proof that secondhand has never looked more stylish. Their confetti exit down the courthouse steps gave the celebration its punctuation, joyful and chic all at once. Looking for confetti that’s both stylish and city-friendly? Here’s the link to my favorite confetti that I always suggest for my couples.
“Blake’s work transcends wedding photography, it’s art. He captured emotion, story, and style all in one.” — Sarah & Gustavo
Sarah and Tom’s elopement reminded me that the city writes its own story, fresh each day. Their NYC courthouse elopement happened to fall on a rainy day. Instead of fighting the weather, Sarah and Tom embraced it. The rainy streets turned cozy, umbrellas became part of the plot, and by the time we reached a pizzeria near Washington Square Park, the day had taken on a warmth that only New York can deliver in the rain.
Fashion, intention, and the freedom to move at your own pace. These are the hallmarks of a courthouse elopement in New York. Whether it’s a designer gown or a reimagined vintage dress, your wardrobe also becomes a part of the style and energy of the day.
Being in the moment is easier when you have someone who knows the city walking alongside you. My role isn’t just to photograph, but to guide. Orchestrate without managing. To know which subway stop feels most cinematic. Which corner café will welcome us in the rain. Which side street catches the light at this time in the afternoon. That kind of knowledge creates freedom. It allows you to move through the day unplanned, unprompted, carefree. And that freedom is one of the best parts of an elopement, something you can’t always find in a bigger wedding.
Why Choose a Courthouse Elopement in NYC
There’s a reason so many couples are drawn to a New York City courthouse wedding. The city offers romanticism, style, and unpredictability in equal measure. The formality of tradition can give way to something more personal. Focused solely on each couple and the love they share.
The energy of an elopement in New York is magnetic. Streets lined with a bustling crowd of strangers that honk their horns and yell “Congratulations!”. Subway entrances. Rain-slick sidewalks. Historic, timeless buildings that ingratiate themselves into the story of the day. It all blends to create an editorial, almost cinematic elopement experience.
Sarah and Ben getting ready in their Bowery suite.
Christine arriving in her Danielle Frankel gown.
Sarah and Gustavo’s families showering the courthouse steps in confetti as they exit the iconic yellow doors.
Sarah and Tom letting the rain guide them into a cozy pizzeria.
Ready for Your Elopement?
Whether you’re drawn to the Manhattan Marriage Bureau with its iconic energy or the Brooklyn Courthouse character and pace, an NYC courthouse elopement gives you something few other cities can. A day that feels intimate, stylish, and alive.
Your courthouse elopement isn’t just about getting this “over with”… It’s about whatever you want it to be. Your unique love story, your fashion, your details, your experience throughout the streets of New York City.
I am a photographer who guides and elevates your celebration into something artful. I’m happy to be with you throughout the process. I know what to anticipate, when to step in and help, and when to pause. It’s an expertise and skill that I bring to each elopement I photograph. My work is not just about the photos to remember your day, but also ensuring a seamless one-of-a-kind elopement experience at the courthouse and beyond.
I also offer content creation services as an add-on to my photography so that you can have video at the courthouse ceremony, since the guest count is rather limited. Just mention that you’re interested when you inquire!
If you’re planning a courthouse wedding or elopement celebration in NYC, I’d love to photograph the day. Get in touch to book your NYC courthouse elopement photography with Blake!
