# Courthouse wedding checklist > A courthouse wedding checklist for city hall, registry office or civil ceremonies: license steps, appointments, documents, photos and a simple day timeline. Source: https://readytoweddy.com/wedding-checklist/courthouse-wedding Publisher: ReadyToWeddy (https://readytoweddy.com) · Last updated: 2026-09-17 A courthouse wedding, also called a city hall, registry office or civil ceremony, strips planning back to the essentials: the legal paperwork, an appointment and the people you want beside you. This checklist keeps the tasks that still matter and adds notes on what to ask your local office. ## What do you need for a courthouse wedding? For a courthouse wedding you usually need a [marriage license or notice](https://readytoweddy.com/guides/apply-marriage-license), valid identification for both of you, an appointment at the civil office and, in many places, witnesses. Requirements, fees and waiting periods vary, so check with the official authority where you’ll marry. Then plan outfits, rings, a photographer if you want one and somewhere to celebrate afterward. ## What’s different about a courthouse wedding - **Paperwork is the plan:** The license, documents and appointment are the core tasks, so start with your local office. - **The office sets the limits:** Room size, slot length and rules on photos, music and confetti vary by office. - **Officiant usually included:** Most civil offices provide the person who conducts the ceremony. - **No wedding party needed:** Witnesses may be required, but attendants, outfits for them and parties are optional. - **A celebration, if you want one:** A nearby meal or a later party replaces a traditional reception venue. - **Short but timed:** A tight appointment means your day timeline needs a buffer around the ceremony. ## Start here The first two weeks - [ ] **Agree on your top wedding priorities** (Essential) — Agree on three to five shared wedding priorities before you book anything, so every later decision about budget, venue and vendors has a clear tiebreaker. - [ ] **Set your working budget** (Essential) — Set a working wedding budget before you contact venues or vendors: agree on a total, decide who contributes, keep a contingency, and split the rest by your priorities. - [ ] **Talk about family contributions** (Recommended) — Talk openly with family about any financial contributions early in planning, including how much, when it arrives, and whether it comes with expectations about guests or decisions. - [ ] **Estimate your guest count** (Essential) — Estimate your guest count before shortlisting venues, because the number of people you invite drives venue capacity, catering costs and most of your budget. *For a courthouse wedding:* The ceremony room sets your limit. Ask the office how many guests are allowed, including children and any photographer, before you invite anyone. - [ ] **Choose a season or date range** (Essential) — Choose a season or a range of possible dates early in planning, rather than one fixed day, so you have flexibility when checking venue and vendor availability. *For a courthouse wedding:* Ask which days and times the office performs ceremonies and how far ahead they release appointments. Popular dates, such as memorable numbers or Fridays, can fill quickly. - [ ] **Decide where you want to get married** (Essential) — Decide the general area for your wedding early, whether close to home, near family or a destination abroad, since location shapes your budget, guest list and legal steps. - [ ] **Decide what kind of ceremony you want** (Essential) — Decide early whether you want a civil, religious or symbolic ceremony, and whether the legal marriage will happen separately, since this shapes your venue, officiant and paperwork. *For a courthouse wedding:* Decide whether the civil ceremony is the whole wedding or the legal step before a later celebration. If you plan a bigger party or symbolic ceremony afterward, decide now which date you’ll treat as your anniversary. - [ ] **Decide whether you need a planner** (Recommended) — Decide early whether you want a full-service planner, a partial planner or a wedding-day coordinator, based on your time, budget and how complex your wedding will be. - [ ] **Set up a shared planning system** (Recommended) — Set up one shared place for your wedding budget, guest list, vendor contacts, contracts and tasks at the start of planning, so both of you can see what’s happening. - [ ] **Insure your engagement ring** (Optional) — Consider insuring your engagement ring soon after the engagement, either through a specialist policy or your existing home or contents insurance, so loss or damage is covered. - [ ] **Share your news the way you want to** (Optional) — Share your engagement news in whatever way feels right, ideally telling close family and friends personally before posting online, and without committing to wedding details yet. - [ ] **Draft your guest list in three tiers** (Essential) — Draft your guest list in three tiers, must invite, would like to invite and invite if space allows, so you can adjust numbers calmly once your venue and budget are set. - [ ] **Research and shortlist venues** (Essential) — Research and shortlist three to five wedding venues about 12–18 months before the wedding, filtering by guest capacity, budget, location and your preferred dates. *For a courthouse wedding:* You probably don’t need a wedding venue, but a nearby restaurant, café or private room for a celebration meal is worth planning. Check the walking or driving time from the office. - [ ] **Visit your shortlisted venues** (Essential) — Visit your shortlisted venues in person, ideally at the same time of day as your wedding, with a list of questions about capacity, rules, costs and backup plans. - [ ] **Book your venue** (Essential) — Book your wedding venue 12–18 months before the wedding, and earlier for popular dates, once you’ve compared quotes, read the contract carefully and confirmed your date. *For a courthouse wedding:* For a post-ceremony meal, reserve a table or private room close to the office and leave a buffer in case ceremonies run late. Ask whether they’ll allow a small cake or toast. - [ ] **Secure your ceremony location** (Essential) — If your ceremony will be somewhere other than your reception, such as a place of worship or registry office, secure that location around the same time as your venue. *For a courthouse wedding:* Book your ceremony appointment as soon as the office allows. Ask about the slot length, room capacity, whether photos and video are allowed, whether you can bring music or flowers, and when to arrive. - [ ] **Know what to check in every vendor contract** (Essential) — Before you sign any vendor contract, check what’s included, the payment schedule, cancellation and postponement terms, substitutions and, for photos and video, usage rights. ## The next few weeks Invitations, details and confirmations - [ ] **Confirm your date and tell key people** (Essential) — Confirm your wedding date once the venue contract is signed and ceremony arrangements are secure, then share it with close family, your wedding party and priority vendors. - [ ] **Consider wedding insurance** (Recommended) — Consider wedding insurance soon after booking your venue, checking what’s covered and excluded, and whether your venue requires liability coverage for you or your vendors. - [ ] **Start researching wedding outfits** (Recommended) — Start researching your wedding outfits 12 months or more before the wedding, setting a budget, checking production lead times and booking first appointments if needed. - [ ] **Book your wedding photographer** (Recommended) — Book your photographer 9–12 months before the wedding, after your venue and date are confirmed, or up to 18 months ahead for popular peak-season dates. *For a courthouse wedding:* Look for short coverage of one to three hours. Confirm the office allows photography inside, then plan portraits on the steps or somewhere nearby with better light. - [ ] **Decide on a videographer** (Optional) — Decide whether you want a wedding videographer around the time you book your photographer, and if so, book one whose style and deliverables fit your budget. - [ ] **Book your caterer** (Essential) — Book your caterer 9–12 months before the wedding, after your venue and date are confirmed, comparing complete quotes that include staff, equipment and service charges. - [ ] **Book your civil ceremony officiant** (Essential) — Book your civil officiant or registration appointment 9–12 months ahead, checking with the official authority where you’re marrying about availability and requirements. *For a courthouse wedding:* At most civil offices an officiant is provided with the appointment, so there may be nothing to book. Confirm this when you reserve your slot, and ask whether you can request a particular person. - [ ] **Book your florist** (Recommended) — Book your florist 9–12 months before the wedding, once your venue and color ideas are settled, so you can secure their date and plan around seasonal flowers. - [ ] **Create your wedding website** (Recommended) — Create your wedding website 9–12 months before the wedding, before save-the-dates go out, with the date, location, travel and accommodation details guests need to plan. - [ ] **Collect guest addresses and contact details** (Essential) — Collect mailing addresses, emails and phone numbers for every household on your guest list 8–11 months ahead, in one shared spreadsheet, before save-the-dates or invitations go out. - [ ] **Book an engagement photo session** (Optional) — Book an engagement photo session 9–12 months before the wedding if you’d like one, ideally with your wedding photographer, so the images are ready for save-the-dates. - [ ] **Check permits for a private or outdoor venue** (Recommended) — If you’re marrying at a home, park, beach or farm, ask the local authority and landowner 9–10 months ahead which permits, insurance and rules apply to your event. - [ ] **Book hair and makeup** (Optional) — Book hair and makeup artists 9–12 months before the wedding if you plan to use them, since good artists take limited bookings on busy weekends. - [ ] **Book your getting-ready space and wedding-night stay** (Recommended) — Book your getting-ready space and wedding-night room about 9 months ahead, choosing somewhere near the venue with good light and room for hair, makeup and photos. - [ ] **Set up your registry** (Optional) — Set up a registry around 9–12 months before the wedding if you want one, so guests invited to early celebrations have options. Include items, experiences or funds that suit you. - [ ] **Order your wedding outfits** (Essential) — Order your wedding outfits 9–12 months before the wedding, since made-to-order pieces can take several months to arrive and alterations need time afterward. *For a courthouse wedding:* Wear whatever feels like you, from a suit or dress to something casual. Ready-to-wear works well here, and it’s worth checking the weather for any outdoor photos. - [ ] **Book your cake or dessert supplier** (Optional) — Book a cake or dessert supplier about 9 months before the wedding if you want one, after confirming what your venue or caterer already includes and allows. - [ ] **Research marriage license requirements** (Essential) — Research marriage license requirements around 9 months before the wedding with the official authority where your legal ceremony takes place, so you know when to apply and what to bring. *For a courthouse wedding:* Ask the office directly what you’ll need: documents for each of you, fees, any notice or waiting period, how long the license is valid, whether witnesses are required and whether you both must attend. - [ ] **Send save-the-dates** (Recommended) — Send save-the-dates 6–8 months before the wedding, or 8–12 months ahead for destination or holiday weddings, with your names, date, location and website. - [ ] **Book the remaining vendors** (Recommended) — Book any remaining vendors around 6 months before the wedding, choosing only the services that support the priorities the two of you agreed on at the start. - [ ] **Review your budget against real quotes** (Recommended) — Once your main vendors are booked, compare your original estimates with real quotes and deposits paid, add hidden extras, and decide where to trim before the final months. - [ ] **Decide on plus-ones and children** (Recommended) — Agree on a clear plus-one policy and whether children are invited before save-the-dates or invitations go out, then show it through how you address each invitation. - [ ] **Plan the ceremony structure** (Essential) — Plan your ceremony structure around 6 months before the wedding with your officiant, including the order, readings, music, processional and roughly how long it will last. *For a courthouse wedding:* Civil ceremonies are usually short, with set wording. Ask whether you can add a reading, personal vows or a piece of music, and what time limit applies. - [ ] **Plan your honeymoon** (Optional) — Plan your honeymoon around 6 months before the wedding if you’re taking one soon after, so you can book flights and stays and check passport and entry requirements in time. - [ ] **Request time off work** (Recommended) — Request time off work about 6–7 months ahead, covering the final days of preparation, the wedding, a day or two to recover and any honeymoon travel. - [ ] **Review accessibility and guest needs** (Recommended) — Review accessibility and guest needs around 6 months before the wedding, checking step-free access, seating, hearing support and a quiet space, so every guest can take part comfortably. - [ ] **Book transport for the two of you** (Recommended) — Book transport for the two of you around 6 months before the wedding, covering getting to the ceremony, moving between venues and leaving at the end of the night. *For a courthouse wedding:* Check parking or public transport near the office, and allow time for security screening and finding the right room. Plan how you’ll get to the celebration meal afterward. - [ ] **Decide your dress code** (Recommended) — Decide your dress code about 6–7 months ahead, choosing a clear term that fits your venue and season, and share it on your website and invitations with a short, friendly explanation. - [ ] **Plan a rehearsal or welcome dinner** (Optional) — Plan a rehearsal or welcome dinner around 6 months before the wedding if you want one, deciding who’s invited, who’s hosting and where it will be held. - [ ] **Sketch the reception flow** (Recommended) — Sketch your reception flow around 6 months before the wedding, deciding roughly when the entrance, meal, speeches, first dance and dancing will happen. - [ ] **Buy your wedding rings** (Essential) — Start shopping for your wedding rings about 3–4 months before the wedding to leave time for sizing, engraving and insurance. Allow 4–6 months for custom designs or engraving-heavy orders. *For a courthouse wedding:* Ask whether a ring exchange is part of the civil ceremony at your office. If it is, keep the rings with one person, since there’s rarely time to search pockets. - [ ] **Design and order your invitations** (Essential) — Design and order your wedding invitations about 3–4 months before the wedding, agreeing the wording and RSVP method, so there’s time to proof, print and send them 6–8 weeks before the day. - [ ] **Finalize your menu and tasting** (Essential) — Finalize your wedding menu about three months before the wedding, ideally after a tasting, including dietary alternatives, children’s meals and any late-night food. - [ ] **Plan the bar and drinks** (Recommended) — Plan your wedding bar about three months ahead: choose a drinks package or supplier, add good alcohol-free options, and confirm licensing and service rules with your venue. - [ ] **Finalize flowers and décor** (Recommended) — Finalize your wedding flowers and décor about three months before the wedding, confirming quantities, setup, cleanup and whether any arrangements will move between spaces. *For a courthouse wedding:* A bouquet and a couple of buttonholes are often all you need. Check whether the office allows petals, confetti or bubbles outside before you bring any. - [ ] **Choose a guest book or keepsake** (Optional) — If you’d like a keepsake of guests’ messages, choose a guest book or alternative about 3 months ahead and decide who looks after it on the day. - [ ] **Buy shoes and accessories** (Recommended) — Buy wedding shoes and accessories about three months before the wedding, so you can bring them to your first fitting and your outfit is altered to the right length. - [ ] **Agree on a wet-weather plan** (Essential) — Agree on a wet-weather plan about three months ahead, confirming an indoor or covered backup, any tent or heating costs, and how guests will stay comfortable in rain, wind or heat. - [ ] **Confirm transportation details** (Recommended) — Confirm wedding transportation details about three months ahead, giving the company every address, pickup time, passenger estimate and a wedding-day contact who isn’t you. - [ ] **Decide how guests will share photos** (Recommended) — Decide how guests will share wedding photos about three months before the wedding, choosing one simple method, such as a shared album or QR-code upload, so candid shots end up in one place. - [ ] **Decide on an unplugged ceremony** (Optional) — Decide whether you want an unplugged ceremony, where guests put phones away, about three months ahead so you can tell guests kindly and plan where photos will come from. - [ ] **Choose your key music moments** (Recommended) — Choose the music for your key wedding moments about three months ahead, including the processional, recessional, first dance and last song, so musicians have time to prepare. - [ ] **Schedule hair and makeup trials** (Optional) — Schedule hair and makeup trials about 2–3 months before the wedding, ideally after choosing your outfits, so you can test the look and adjust it in good time. - [ ] **Write your vows** (Optional) — Start writing your wedding vows about 2–3 months before the wedding, after checking what your officiant allows, so you have time to draft, rest and revise without pressure. *For a courthouse wedding:* If personal vows aren’t possible in the ceremony, consider sharing them at lunch or dinner afterward, or privately before you arrive. - [ ] **Decide who will give speeches** (Optional) — Decide who will give wedding speeches about three months ahead, and let each speaker know their slot, order and a suggested length of a few minutes. - [ ] **Attend your outfit fittings** (Essential) — Attend your wedding outfit fittings starting about 2–3 months before the wedding, bringing your shoes, undergarments and accessories so alterations match exactly what you’ll wear. ## The final month Turn plans into confirmations - [ ] **Send your wedding invitations** (Essential) — Send wedding invitations about 6–8 weeks before the wedding, or 8–12 weeks ahead for destination weddings or when many guests travel, with an RSVP deadline about 3–4 weeks before the day. *For a courthouse wedding:* A personal message or simple digital invitation is usually enough. Include the office address, where to wait, the ceremony time and your plans for afterward. - [ ] **Track RSVPs as they arrive** (Essential) — Track wedding RSVPs in one list as they arrive, recording attendance, meal choices, dietary needs and access requirements, so final numbers are ready when vendors need them. - [ ] **Apply for your marriage license** (Essential) — When to apply for your marriage license depends on where you marry. Check the official authority for the application window, any waiting period and the expiry date, then apply within that window. - [ ] **Finalize ceremony details** (Essential) — Finalize your ceremony details about 6–8 weeks before the wedding with your officiant: readings, participants, music cues, processional order, microphones and any legally required wording. - [ ] **Create your wedding-day timeline** (Essential) — Create your wedding-day timeline about 6–8 weeks before the wedding, building it around fixed moments like the ceremony, meal service and venue close, then adding buffer time. *For a courthouse wedding:* Build your timeline around the appointment: arrival well before your slot, the ceremony, signing, photos, then your meal. Offices can run behind, so leave a buffer before any restaurant reservation. - [ ] **Set up guest photo sharing** (Recommended) — Set up your guest photo-sharing method about 6–8 weeks before the wedding, test it on several phones, and add the link or QR code to your website and signs. - [ ] **List every final payment** (Essential) — List every final wedding payment about two months ahead, including vendor, amount, due date, payment method, who pays and whether gratuity is already included. - [ ] **Share a must-have photo list** (Recommended) — Share a short must-have photo list with your photographer about 4–8 weeks before the wedding, focusing on family groupings and key people they might not recognize. - [ ] **Arrange vendor meals** (Recommended) — Arrange meals for vendors working through the wedding about 4–8 weeks ahead, checking contracts for meal requirements and including them in your caterer’s final numbers. - [ ] **Prepare welcome bags or notes** (Optional) — Prepare welcome bags or notes about 4–8 weeks ahead if you’d like to greet traveling guests, with useful items like water, snacks, a local map and the weekend schedule. - [ ] **Buy gifts for your wedding party and parents** (Optional) — Buy thank-you gifts for your wedding party, parents and key helpers about 4–8 weeks ahead, leaving time for personalization and deciding when you’ll give them. - [ ] **Set the exact weather decision point** (Recommended) — Agree who will make the final weather call and by when, often the day before or morning of the wedding, so vendors know when your backup plan becomes the plan. - [ ] **Do a final venue walkthrough** (Essential) — Do a final walkthrough of your venue with your coordinator about a month before the wedding to check layout, power, access, storage and timings. - [ ] **Confirm guest accommodation details** (Recommended) — Confirm guest accommodation about a month before the wedding by checking room-block bookings, release dates and any shuttle or check-in arrangements with the hotel. - [ ] **Choose your wedding-day point of contact** (Essential) — Choose one wedding-day point of contact, a planner, coordinator or trusted friend who isn’t either of you, about a month before the wedding, and share their details with every vendor. - [ ] **Check mobile signal and Wi-Fi at the venue** (Recommended) — Check mobile signal and Wi-Fi in every part of your venue about a month before the wedding, since weak coverage affects vendor payments, guest photo uploads and coordination. - [ ] **Confirm vendor arrival and access times** (Essential) — Confirm when each vendor can access the venue, where they load in and park, and the setup and cleanup windows, about a month before the wedding. - [ ] **Assign wedding-day responsibilities** (Essential) — Assign wedding-day responsibilities about a month before the wedding, naming one trusted person for the rings, documents, gifts, vendor questions, rentals and end-of-night tasks. - [ ] **Follow up on missing RSVPs** (Essential) — Follow up kindly with guests who haven’t replied soon after your RSVP deadline, usually about 3–4 weeks before the wedding, so you can confirm final numbers and finish the seating plan on time. - [ ] **Approve signs and printed materials** (Recommended) — Approve the final proofs for signs, menus, programs and table numbers about 3–4 weeks before the wedding, checking every name, date and time carefully. - [ ] **Decide who looks after gifts and cards** (Recommended) — Decide who will look after gifts and cards at your wedding about a month ahead, and plan a lockable box, a supervised spot and a safe way to take them home. - [ ] **Create your seating plan** (Recommended) — Create your wedding seating plan once most RSVPs are in, usually 3–5 weeks before the wedding, grouping guests thoughtfully and allowing for access needs and family dynamics. - [ ] **Confirm your final guest count** (Essential) — Confirm your final guest count about 3 weeks before the wedding, once your RSVP deadline has passed, so your caterer, venue and rental suppliers can plan accurately. - [ ] **Test your printed QR codes** (Recommended) — Test every printed QR code on several different phones about 2–3 weeks before the wedding, so guests can open your photo-sharing page or website without trouble. - [ ] **Prepare your own thank-you words** (Optional) — Prepare a short thank-you, usually 2–4 minutes, a few weeks before the wedding if the two of you plan to speak, covering guests, family and anyone who helped. - [ ] **Finalize the ceremony and reception layout** (Recommended) — Finalize your ceremony and reception floor plans about 2–4 weeks before the wedding, after your seating plan is drafted, so the venue and rental suppliers can set up correctly. - [ ] **Send final numbers to vendors** (Essential) — Send your final guest numbers, meal choices and dietary needs to your caterer, venue and rental suppliers by their contract deadlines, usually 1–3 weeks before the wedding. - [ ] **Send the final timeline to vendors** (Essential) — Send your final wedding-day timeline to every vendor and key helper about two weeks before the wedding, with arrival times, addresses and your day-of contact’s details. - [ ] **Reconfirm every vendor** (Essential) — Reconfirm every vendor about two weeks before the wedding, checking the date, arrival time, address, services included and who their on-site contact will be. - [ ] **Prepare final payments and tips** (Essential) — Prepare final vendor payments and any tips about two weeks before the wedding, paying balances that are due and putting day-of amounts in clearly labeled envelopes. - [ ] **Attend your final fitting** (Essential) — Attend your final outfit fitting about 1–2 weeks before the wedding, wearing your wedding shoes and undergarments, and arrange when and how you’ll collect the outfit. - [ ] **Send music requests and a do-not-play list** (Recommended) — Send your DJ or band your key songs, a short request list and a do-not-play list about two weeks before the wedding, including timings for each music moment. - [ ] **Start packing for the wedding and honeymoon** (Recommended) — Start packing for the wedding and honeymoon about two weeks ahead, separating wedding-day items, overnight bags and travel essentials, and finish the honeymoon bag in the final week. - [ ] **Review your backup plans** (Recommended) — Review your backup plans about two weeks before the wedding, covering weather, power, transport and illness, and make sure your day-of contact knows each one. - [ ] **Book pre-wedding grooming** (Optional) — Book haircuts, nails and other grooming for the week before the wedding, sticking to treatments you’ve had before so there are no surprise reactions. - [ ] **Confirm rental and décor deliveries** (Recommended) — Confirm rental, flower and décor deliveries about two weeks before the wedding, checking quantities, delivery times, the drop-off point and when items will be collected. - [ ] **Send guests the final details** (Recommended) — Send guests the final details about 1–2 weeks before the wedding: timings, addresses, parking, dress code, weather advice, transport and your photo-sharing link. *For a courthouse wedding:* Tell guests which entrance to use, whether there’s security screening, where to wait and when to arrive. Offices often call couples in on time, so late guests may miss the ceremony. ## Wedding week Handoffs and essentials - [ ] **Gather your marriage documents** (Essential) — Gather your marriage license and required identification about a week before the wedding, check the details and validity dates, and decide who will bring them to the ceremony. *For a courthouse wedding:* Bring your license, the identification the office asked for and anything required for your witnesses. Check whether witnesses need their own ID and whether they must be a certain age. - [ ] **Check the rings are ready** (Essential) — Check your wedding rings about a week before the wedding: try them on, confirm the engraving is correct, and decide who will hold them until the ceremony. - [ ] **Stop making big changes** (Recommended) — In the final week, stop making big changes to the plan and only adjust what genuinely needs fixing. What you have now is ready. - [ ] **Pack a wedding-day emergency kit** (Recommended) — Pack a wedding-day emergency kit in the final week with sewing supplies, stain remover, pain relief you already use, bandages, chargers and snacks, and give it to a trusted helper. - [ ] **Save vendor contacts offline** (Recommended) — Save every vendor’s name, on-site contact and phone number offline in the final week, and give a printed contact sheet to your coordinator or day-of contact. - [ ] **Reconfirm pickup times and routes** (Essential) — Reconfirm transport pickup times, addresses and routes in the final week for the two of you and any guest shuttles, allowing for traffic, road closures and parking. - [ ] **Steam and prepare your outfits** (Recommended) — Steam or press your wedding outfits a few days before the wedding, then hang them with shoes, accessories and undergarments so everything is ready in one place. - [ ] **Plan food and water for getting ready** (Recommended) — Plan simple food and water for the getting-ready hours in the final week, so you and your helpers eat properly before a long day with little time to stop. - [ ] **Hand over vendor communication** (Essential) — Hand over vendor communication to your coordinator or day-of contact in the final week, and tell vendors to contact that person, not the two of you, from now on. - [ ] **Charge devices and power banks** (Recommended) — Charge phones, power banks, speakers, cameras and any other devices in the last few days before the wedding, and pack the chargers and cables you’ll need on the day. - [ ] **Drop off décor at the venue** (Recommended) — Drop off your own décor at the venue in the final days, where the venue allows, in labeled boxes with setup notes and a plan for collection afterwards. - [ ] **Check in with your coordinator** (Recommended) — Check in with your coordinator or day-of contact the day before the wedding to run through the timeline, deliveries, open questions and who handles what tomorrow. - [ ] **Put rings, documents and outfits in one place** (Essential) — The day before the wedding, gather your rings, marriage documents, ID and complete outfits in one place, so nothing important has to be found on the morning itself. - [ ] **Hand over payment envelopes** (Recommended) — Give labeled final payments and any tips to your coordinator or a trusted person the day before the wedding, so vendors are paid on time without you handling money. - [ ] **Eat properly, drink water and rest** (Recommended) — The day before the wedding, eat regular meals, drink plenty of water and plan an early, quiet evening so you start the wedding day rested and steady. - [ ] **Set alarms and confirm the morning plan** (Recommended) — The night before the wedding, set two alarms and confirm the morning plan: wake-up time, hair and makeup order, breakfast, transport pickups and who arrives when. - [ ] **Write a note for your partner** (Optional) — If you’d like to, write a short note or letter for your partner the day before the wedding and ask someone to deliver it on the morning. ## Wedding day Nothing else to plan - [ ] **Keep your essentials with one trusted person** (Essential) — On the wedding day, give one trusted person your rings, marriage documents, vows, ID, phone, medication and room key, so the important things are always accounted for. - [ ] **Sign your marriage documents** (Essential) — Sign your marriage documents on the wedding day with your officiant and any required witnesses, and confirm who will return or register them afterward. *For a courthouse wedding:* Signing usually happens straight after the ceremony. Check the spelling of both names and dates before you sign, and ask what happens next with registration. - [ ] **Make sure you eat your meal** (Recommended) — On the wedding day, sit down and eat your meal before greeting guests, and ask your caterer to set aside a plate of anything you miss. - [ ] **Take a quiet moment together** (Optional) — On the wedding day, plan five to ten minutes alone together, often right after the ceremony, to take in the moment before rejoining your guests. - [ ] **Enjoy the wedding** (Recommended) — On the wedding day, let the plan work: the preparation is done, the people you trust have it handled, and the only task left is to enjoy it. Nothing else to plan. Go get married. ♡ ## After the wedding A few final things - [ ] **Collect and secure gifts and cards** (Essential) — Within a day of the wedding, collect all gifts and cards from the venue or your trusted person and store them somewhere secure until you can open them. - [ ] **Return rentals and borrowed items** (Essential) — Return rented outfits, décor and equipment by the date in each contract, usually within a day or two of the wedding, to avoid late fees and keep your deposits. - [ ] **Collect décor and personal belongings** (Recommended) — Collect your own décor, signs, guest book and personal belongings from the venue within the agreed pickup window, usually the night of or the day after the wedding. - [ ] **Check getting-ready and hotel rooms** (Recommended) — Before checking out after the wedding, check the getting-ready rooms and hotel rooms carefully for chargers, jewelry, outfit pieces, documents and gifts. - [ ] **Store your wedding outfits safely** (Recommended) — Within a day or two of the wedding, hang or lay your wedding outfits somewhere clean and dry, and note any stains before arranging cleaning or preservation. - [ ] **Confirm who has the marriage documents** (Essential) — Within a day or two of the wedding, confirm who holds the signed marriage documents and whether they have been returned or registered with the official authority. *For a courthouse wedding:* Ask when and how you’ll receive your official marriage certificate, and consider ordering extra certified copies if you plan to change names or update records. - [ ] **Download guest photos and videos** (Recommended) — Within a couple of days of the wedding, download the photos and videos guests shared, and send a gentle reminder to anyone who still has pictures to upload. - [ ] **Back up your photos and videos** (Recommended) — Back up your wedding photos and videos soon after the wedding by keeping at least two copies in different places, such as cloud storage and an external drive. - [ ] **Settle final charges and deposits** (Essential) — In the weeks after the wedding, pay any approved final charges, check invoices against your contracts and make sure damage or security deposits are returned. - [ ] **Send thank-you notes** (Recommended) — Send wedding thank-you notes within a few weeks of the wedding if you can, aiming to finish within about three months, naming each gift or kindness and adding a personal line for every guest. - [ ] **Leave reviews for your vendors** (Optional) — In the weeks after the wedding, leave honest reviews for the vendors who helped, mentioning specific details that will be useful to future couples. - [ ] **Clean or preserve your outfits** (Optional) — In the weeks after the wedding, take your wedding outfits to a specialist cleaner, then decide whether to preserve, alter, sell, donate or simply store them. - [ ] **Order certified copies of your marriage certificate** (Recommended) — Once your marriage is registered, order several certified copies of your marriage certificate from the official authority, and check every detail for errors as soon as they arrive. *For a courthouse wedding:* Ask the office whether you can order certified copies at the appointment or soon after, and how many you’re likely to need for name changes and records. - [ ] **Update your name, if you’re changing it** (Optional) — If either of you is changing your name, start once you have your official marriage certificate, updating core identity documents first and then accounts, following the official authority’s guidance. *For a courthouse wedding:* Wait until you have the official marriage certificate, then follow the guidance of the official authority where you live, starting with identity documents before accounts. - [ ] **Organize gifts and close your registry** (Optional) — In the weeks after the wedding, organize your gifts, handle any returns or exchanges, use remaining registry perks and close or update your registry. - [ ] **Share photos with your guests** (Optional) — Once you’ve collected guest and professional photos, share a selection with your guests through a gallery link, album or message, respecting your photographer’s usage terms. - [ ] **Update or close your wedding website** (Optional) — After the wedding, update your wedding website with a thank-you message and photos, or close it once you no longer need it. - [ ] **Follow up on photos, video and other deliverables** (Recommended) — After the wedding, track the delivery dates in your contracts for photos, video, albums and other items, and follow up kindly if anything is running late. - [ ] **Update finances, insurance and beneficiaries** (Optional) — In the months after the wedding, review your accounts, insurance, beneficiaries and emergency contacts together, and ask a qualified professional about anything that affects your taxes or legal situation. - [ ] **Choose photos for prints or an album** (Optional) — Once your full gallery arrives, shortlist favorite photos for prints, frames or an album, and check any album selection deadline in your photographer’s contract. ## What you can probably skip - Choose your wedding party - Choose wedding party outfits - Plan bachelor and bachelorette parties - Reserve accommodation for guests - Plan how guests will get around - Book rentals and equipment - Book your band or DJ - Decide on wedding favors - Hold your ceremony rehearsal - Print place cards and the seating chart - Plan signage and on-the-day stationery - Check venue rules for vendors and décor - Confirm your officiant can legally marry you ## FAQ ### How far in advance should you book a courthouse wedding? It depends on the office. Some release appointments weeks ahead, others months ahead, and popular dates go quickly. Check the office’s booking window and any notice or waiting period, then book as soon as both line up. ### Can you bring guests to a courthouse wedding? Usually, but room sizes vary and some offices limit the number of guests. Ask how many people are allowed, whether children count, and whether [a photographer](https://readytoweddy.com/guides/book-photographer) counts toward the total before inviting anyone. ### Do you need witnesses for a courthouse wedding? Many places require one or two witnesses, and some offices can provide them. Rules on witnesses’ age and identification vary, so confirm the requirements with the office where you’re marrying. ### What should you wear to a courthouse wedding? Whatever feels right for the two of you, from [a wedding dress or suit](https://readytoweddy.com/guides/order-wedding-outfits) to a smart everyday outfit. Check the weather for outdoor photos and choose shoes you can comfortably walk and stand in. ### How long does a courthouse wedding take? The ceremony itself is often short, sometimes around 10–30 minutes, but allow extra time for arrival, security, waiting and signing. Ask your office how long your appointment slot lasts. ### Can you have a reception after a courthouse wedding? Yes. Many couples book a restaurant meal the same day, or hold [a larger party](https://readytoweddy.com/wedding-checklist/reception) or symbolic ceremony weeks or months later. Leave a buffer between the appointment and any reservation in case the office runs late.