Civil wedding photography in Downtown Sarasota
Sarasota Courthouse Wedding Photographer
I photograph short civil weddings at the Sarasota Historic Courthouse - the ceremony if you want it, family and guests, and portraits downtown right after. One-hour coverage starts at $400.
Ceremony
Sarasota Historic Courthouse
2000 Main Street, downtown.
Just Married Portraits
$400
One hour after the ceremony.
With the ceremony
$500
One hour in total, ceremony included.
Gallery
Ready in 2-5 days
No big schedule. No rush.
Courthouse weddings move quickly, so I keep the photography simple. I photograph family while everyone is still together, then use the courthouse arches, courtyard and downtown streets for portraits of the two of you.
The Historic Courthouse already gives us most of what we need in one place: Mediterranean Revival architecture, shaded arches, tile, palms and the courtyard. If you want water or sunset too, we can plan the last part around downtown or Lido Key.
How courthouse wedding coverage works
01Before the day
Choose Just Married Portraits or Ceremony and portraits, pick a weekday date and the time you expect to be at the courthouse, sign the short agreement and pay the 30% deposit online. If you are getting ready at a hotel nearby or need more than an hour, send me the plan with the longer-day form instead.
02At the courthouse
I photograph you arriving, the ceremony if you want it covered - the vows, the signatures, the rings and the first kiss - and then your family and guests together while everyone is still there. The Clerk allots about 10 minutes for the exchange of vows, so most of the hour goes to what happens around them. If you want the ceremony photographed, please confirm with the Clerk that photography is allowed for your ceremony and take care of any required permission or fee directly with them. I don't arrange that part.
03After the ceremony
We walk through downtown for portraits of the two of you: the courthouse courtyard and arches, the palms, the little streets. Nobody has to pose for long. If you want the water in the photographs too, the beach on Lido Key is a short drive away.
From the moment the camera came out, Yuri made us forget he was even there.
Getting married at the Sarasota courthouse
The Sarasota County Clerk performs civil ceremonies at the Historic Courthouse, 2000 Main Street in Downtown Sarasota, and at the South County Courthouse in Venice. A deputy clerk officiates. At the Historic Courthouse the ceremony can take place in the historic courtroom, in the sunken garden courtyard or in a small marriage parlor.
The building is from the 1920s, with arches, tile and an inner courtyard, and it is a big part of why the photographs look the way they do.
Before you go
- Marriage services run Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Clerk holidays.
- No appointment is needed.
- The Clerk allots about 10 minutes for the exchange of vows. If you are getting your marriage license the same day, allow an additional 30 minutes before the ceremony.
- The courthouse ceremony fee is $30.
- Bring your marriage license if it was issued earlier. Certified copies are $3 each after the ceremony.
The marriage license
- You can start the eMarriage application online, but both of you finish the license in person at the Clerk's office, each with a photo ID.
- The license costs $86. Florida residents who bring a certificate from a four-hour premarital course with a registered provider save $25 and pay $61.
- If neither of you lives in Florida, there is no waiting period. You can get the license and get married the same day.
- If one of you lives in Florida, there is a three-day wait, unless you took the premarital course.
- The license is valid for 60 days. Florida does not require witnesses.
Parking
- On-street parking on Main Street and on Ringling Boulevard.
- The county surface lot across Main Street, at the corner of Main Street and U.S. 301 / Washington Boulevard, entered from Fletcher Avenue.
- The Sarasota County Parking Garage, 2150 Ringling Boulevard, one block east of the courthouse.
Accessible spaces and the full list are on the Clerk's location page.
Courthouse rules and fees can change. I keep this page updated, but check the Sarasota Clerk website before your wedding day for the current official details. Updated September 2026.
Where we take photos after the ceremony
01
The courthouse
The Mediterranean-style building on Main Street is the first background: the arches, the columns, the iron gates and the courtyard. We start right there, while you are still holding the license.
02
Downtown streets
Main Street, the palms and the little side streets, all within a short walk. Downtown light in the late afternoon is soft and warm, and this is where most of the walking portraits happen.
03
The bay or the beach
Sarasota Bay is close to the courthouse. If you want sand and sunset, Lido Key is a short drive away, and we can time the portraits for the last light.
04
Places that need a permit
Selby Gardens does not allow portraits from a wedding held somewhere else, and The Ringling needs a paid permit booked at least a week ahead. I plan around places that need no permit, unless you want one of those and arrange it.
Bringing family and guests
Some couples come alone. Others bring the whole family. Both are a courthouse wedding.
If family is coming, I photograph everyone together right after the ceremony, while nobody has left yet, then the smaller groups, and then I take the two of you away for portraits. Large family groups are a big part of my work on the beaches, so a group photo of a dozen people or more is something I know how to organize quickly. How I photograph large families.
Courthouse Wedding Photography Pricing
Just Married Portraits - $400
Ceremony and portraits - $500
Just Married Portraits is one hour right after the ceremony: the two of you at the courthouse, in the courtyard and on the streets downtown, and your family if they are there. Around 70 fully edited photographs.
Ceremony and portraits is one hour in total, with the ceremony inside that hour: the vows, the signatures, the rings and the first kiss, then family and portraits after. Photographing the ceremony adds $100. If you want the ceremony photographed, please confirm with the Clerk that photography is allowed for your ceremony and take care of any required permission or fee directly with them. I don't arrange that part.
- Family and guests photographed together
- Portraits of the two of you downtown or on the beach
- An online gallery, ready in 2-5 days
- No travel fee in Sarasota. The courthouse in Venice has a $50 travel fee
- A 30% deposit holds your date, the rest is paid on the day
- Online booking opens two months ahead. For a later date, send me the date and I will tell you when it opens
When you need more than an hour
Some couples plan a longer day, and I price it by the plan. For example, a plan with hotel details, the courthouse ceremony, about twenty family members and portraits afterward came to $900 for up to 2.5 hours.
Planning a full wedding day or reception? Visit Avisual Wedding.
Plan a longer day
Getting ready at a hotel, a bigger family, a second location? Tell me the plan and I will reply with the exact coverage and price, usually within a day.
Planning a small civil ceremony somewhere else?
Not every small wedding happens downtown. On Boca Grande I photographed a civil wedding next to a small white chapel, at the same calm pace as at the courthouse.
If your ceremony is somewhere else on the coast, tell me where. Outside Sarasota I add a travel fee that depends on the distance.
Courthouse Wedding FAQ
How much does a courthouse wedding cost in Sarasota?
The Clerk charges $30 for the ceremony. The Florida marriage license is $86, or $61 for Florida residents with a premarital course certificate. Photography is separate: $400 for an hour of portraits after the ceremony, or $500 for one hour that includes the ceremony.
Do we need an appointment?
No. Marriage services at the Clerk run Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no appointment needed. The Clerk allots about 10 minutes for the exchange of vows. If you are getting your marriage license the same day, allow an additional 30 minutes before the ceremony.
Can we get married on a weekend?
Not at the courthouse. The Clerk performs ceremonies Monday to Friday, except Clerk holidays.
Can we get married the same day if we are from out of state?
Yes. If neither of you lives in Florida, there is no waiting period, so you can get the license and have the ceremony on the same day.
What do we need to bring?
Your marriage license if it was issued earlier, and the $30 ceremony fee. If you are getting the license the same day, both of you come in person, each with a photo ID, and give your Social Security numbers or Alien Registration numbers.
Where do we park?
On-street parking on Main Street and Ringling Boulevard, the county lot across Main Street at U.S. 301, or the Sarasota County Parking Garage at 2150 Ringling Boulevard, one block east.
Do we need witnesses?
No. Florida does not require witnesses for a marriage ceremony.
How many guests can we bring?
It depends on the room, so ask the Clerk's office before the day. Some couples come alone, some bring the whole family, and I photograph both.
Can you photograph the ceremony itself?
Yes, that is the Ceremony and portraits option: the vows, the signatures, the rings and the first kiss, inside one hour in total. If you want the ceremony photographed, please confirm with the Clerk that photography is allowed for your ceremony and take care of any required permission or fee directly with them. I don't arrange that part.
Can we take photos on the beach after the courthouse?
Yes. Lido Key is a short drive from the courthouse. If you want sunset on the beach, tell me the time of your ceremony and I plan the portraits for the last light.
How far ahead can we book?
Online booking is open two months ahead. If your wedding is later than that, send me the date with the form on this page and I will let you know when it opens.
What if it rains?
Florida rain usually comes and goes. The ceremony is indoors or in the courtyard, and for portraits we wait out a passing shower or use the arches and covered spots downtown.
How do we book?
Choose Just Married Portraits or Ceremony and portraits, pick a weekday date and a start time, sign the short agreement and pay the 30% deposit online. The rest is paid on the day. For a longer day, send me the plan with the form on this page.
Ready to book your courthouse wedding?
Pick the hour that fits your ceremony, or tell me about a longer day.