Ready to make it legal here in the Triangle by eloping via a civil ceremony or holding a small outdoor wedding ?

Here is important info that will help you get started if you're looking to get married in the Raleigh North Carolina!

A quick note to my readers: Before you start scrolling down, please keep in mind that as of the publication time of this article at 9:10 am EST on March 25th, 2020 there is NO "shelter in place order" law in place. This status may change at anytime so the following information may not be accurate should the State of N.C. or Federal Government order us to stay in our homes. Of course, once the order is lifted things will go back to normal.

Here is where to go get your marriage license in the Raleigh area and where you could go to get married via a quick civil ceremony downtown.

I copied and pasted that information below from Wake County website.

Requirements to be Married in North Carolina
* Applicants do NOT need to be residents of North Carolina to marry in Wake County or North Carolina.
* A premarital medical examination is NOT required.
* Two witnesses are required for all marriage ceremonies.
* Marriages may be performed by an ordained minister of any religious denomination, a minister authorized by a church, a magistrate, or a federally- or state-recognized Indian Nation or tribe.
* Cost and Location to Obtain Marriage License
* Age Requirements.
* Applicants must show their valid Government-issued Photo ID (e.g., driver's license or passport),
* proof of social security and sign the marriage license at the Wake County Register of Deeds office.
 
Civil Ceremonies
* Civil ceremonies are performed by magistrates at the following times and locations:
    * Marriages are performed in the Wake County Justice Center by a magistrate Monday through Friday (except holidays). The fee is $50 (cash only) and no appointment is necessary. Marriage ceremonies are performed in courtroom 901 between 9:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
    * If you need further assistance, please call 919-792-4900 to leave a voicemail message for the magistrate. Someone will return your call.
    * If you wish to be married in the evening, the weekend or on a holiday, the Magistrate's Office within the Wake County Hammond Road Detention Center can provide this service. The Hammond Road Detention Center is located at 3301 Hammond Road in Raleigh NC. Weddings are performed at Hammond Road between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. weekends and holidays. Ceremonies are performed on a first-come, first-served basis, and no appointments are necessary. The marriage fee is $50, and must be paid in cash. If you need further assistance, please call 919-255-7700.

*Keep in mind that due to the Covid-19 virus, the Wake County Courthouse is closed at this time so odds are you will actually get married at the Magistrates Office within the Wake County Hammond Road Detention Center.

EDIT UPDATE/ 9:11 AM EST 3/25/20

I've also just received the following information a few minutes ago from one of my clients (a sweet bride who's scheduled to hold her wedding in May of this year who is now planning to elope here in N.C. sometime within the next few days). These are a few of her observations from her trip to downtown Raleigh yesterday morning (3/24/20) to obtain her marriage license which I thought would be useful to my readers...

UPDATE APRIL 1st, 2020

Instead of holding a civil ceremony downtown, perhaps you'd like to get married in your own backyard or in a public park. Here is more info about that...

Though you may not have originally planned to get married outside, an outdoor wedding in a pretty green outdoor space will definitely look better in your photos and may “feel” more like your wedding day than getting married in a magistrates office. The first thing you might ask is if this is even an option at this time with everything going on.

The answer is YES & NO!
 Restrictions vary from county to county. As of April 1st, 2020, Wake County does not allow for gatherings of any size but another county may be less stringent. Do your research before scheduling your elopement date. It may still be possible to hold a very small ceremony in a local park depending on the type of "stay at home orders" are out in place by the county the park is in. Even though a few public parks here in North Carolina are “shut down” this does not mean the trails are closed or that the parks are in inaccessible to visitors.
The part that is closed are the parks personnel offices. In many other regards, you may still gain entrance to these green spaces to hold an elopement or small ceremony. This does not apply to wedding receptions of course, just the ceremonies.

And last, but not least, I exclusively specialize in photographing outdoor ceremonies and receptions in North Carolina and Virginia. That being said, if you've poked around my website long enough, it's probably obvious that I am an outdoor nerd. But, don't forget I am a kickass indoor wedding photographer too, lol! I have all the best gear to capture GORGEOUS photos no matter where you decide to wed so don't worry too much about where your ceremony will take place. Don't forget, we can always walk around after your wedding takes place to capture some beautiful photos nearby if that is something that concerns you. Bottom line- weather you’re getting married in a courthouse or outside in your very own backyard, I want to be your wedding photographer!

My collections start under $1,500 for elopements and include ceremony coverage, formal portraits, digital downloads, printing rights, an online gallery, backup photographer guarantee and more.
Due to recent rescheduling, I now have availability this spring and can even take on some last-minute requests for Monday through Friday elopement dates.
Contact me today before your spring or summer 2020 wedding date is gone!

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PS. I know all of this stuff going on sucks right now. If you are dealing with guest cancellations, closed venues and frayed nerves, I completely understand.  When it all comes down to it, I know that for so many of you, your wedding plans are now gone or at least put on hold.

Yet, you understand exactly what is MOST important about the day you get married. It's not about a fancy venue, a 4 course meal, the cake, or even the dress,  It is about the moments that you decided to commit your lives together as one, and the reality of the situation is that nothing is more important than the love and devotion you share with your husband or wife. In times like these, perhaps there is simply nothing else that matters more. The big reception party with the cake, DJ, and dinner can wait, I promise you it will be worth it!

Please know that I am 100% committed to serving my couples with the greatest care and empathy to ensure an exceptional wedding day experience. Heck, if there are gathering restrictions as to how many people can witness for your ceremony, I will be happy to serve as legal witness for your wedding as well as being your wedding photographer. Whatever it takes, as long as I am legally able to do so, I will be there. If you need any help navigating this weird ass journey into the hell that is wedding re-planning right now, give me a call or shoot me a text anytime.

(919) 449-7331

PPS. As I've mentioned to all of my existing 2020 brides and grooms, I do not have all of the answers on what to do right now, but I do have a network of wedding professional friends (as well as strong relationships with past and current clients)  whom I can call upon to find out the answers that we are all trying to solve right now. I've been photographing weddings for 13 years and have never seen anything quite like this before. What I do know is that working together, we can get through this time with grace and a little help from our friends :)