When one of my couples decided to travel internationally from Scotland to get married in Austin, they had no idea how to actually plan a courthouse wedding here.
I helped them schedule their ceremony, figure out the marriage license timing, coordinate photography, and make a plan that worked with their limited time in Texas. They got married at the Travis County Probate Court, and the entire experience was incredibly smooth.
This court is one of the coolest places for a courthouse wedding in Austin. Courtroom 1 has beautiful mid-century character, and there are plenty of places for portraits throughout the building and outside. Judge Nicholas Chu made the ceremony feel personal and genuinely celebratory, rather than like another appointment on the calendar.
Planning and capturing elopements and courthouse weddings in Austin is one of my passions. I would love to plan all of this for you so you can just enjoy getting married and having FUN! Explore your options for planning with me here.
But, if you’re trying to figuring it out on your own, this guide walks through the process we followed and what you should know before your own courthouse wedding.
Austin Probate Court Wedding at a Glance
Based on the information provided to us by Travis County Probate Court in 2026
Address: 200 W. 8th Street, Austin, TX
Email: ProbateTwoWeddings@traviscountytx.gov
When to Book: Up to 3 months in advance
Ceremony Details: About 5-15 minutes long depending on what you want included, witnesses are optional but allowed, photography and video/livestream allowed as long as it doesn’t delay the schedule or interfere with court operations.
Ceremony Location: Courtroom 1 (pictured above) is only available after 5PM on weekdays or on weekends
Fee (Exact Cash Only): Weekday During Hours = $200, Weekday After Hours = $300, Holiday/Holiday Weekend = $400
Marriage License Rules: Must be at least 72 hours old and no more than 90 days old unless an exception applies (like the Twogether in Texas completion)
Arrive about 10 minutes before your appointment (late arrivals may have their ceremony shortened or rescheduled)
Important: These details were provided to us while planning a September 2026 wedding and are included here to help couples planning for 2026/2027. Courthouse policies, fees, and availability can change, so confirm the current information directly with the Probate Court before making plans.
Why Get Married at the Travis County Probate Court?
If you’re picturing a fluorescent government office where you sign some paperwork and leave, Courtroom 1 is not that. It has beautiful wood tones, mid-century details, large windows, and enough character that the ceremony space actually feels intentional in photographs. The rest of the building gives us plenty to work with, too. There’s a marble staircase, vintage elevators, and even a cool wall installation about a block away that we used for portraits afterward.
Also, who marries you matters! We specifically requested Judge Nicholas Chu, even though Courtroom 1 isn’t his courtroom. He’s performed more than 5,000 weddings. Yet, he still seemed genuinely excited to be there for this one.
Before the ceremony, he took time to get to know my couple and gave us a mini history lesson about the courthouse and courtroom. He was also incredibly comfortable with the photography side of things and helped everyone understand where to stand and what would happen next.
The court lets couples decide what they’d like included in their ceremony, such as exchanging rings or sharing personal vows. My couple chose not to read personal vows during theirs. Instead, they exchanged letters privately another time, which gave them another meaningful memory without forcing it into the courthouse ceremony.
If you want something more intentional than simply signing paperwork but don’t necessarily want a traditional wedding, I think this courthouse hits a really nice middle ground. You still get the ease of a civil ceremony, but the setting and experience leave plenty of room to make the rest of the day feel like yours.
Step 1: Contact the Probate Court to Schedule Your Wedding
The first step is reaching out directly to the Travis County Probate Court. Wedding appointments can only be scheduled up to three months in advance. Unlike traditional weddings, you don’t need to have everything figured out six months or a year ahead of time.
For my couple, I handled this part of the planning for them. I emailed ProbateTwoWeddings@traviscountytx.gov with their preferred date, time, and courtroom.
Ask for Courtroom 1. This is the room you see throughout the photos in this post, and its mid-century design was one of my favorite parts of photographing here. Based on the scheduling information we received in 2026, Courtroom 1 weddings are available after 5 p.m. on weekdays or on weekends.
You can also ask whether a specific judge is available. We requested Judge Nicholas Chu, even though Courtroom 1 isn’t his usual courtroom. Judge availability can vary, so I wouldn’t plan your entire date around a particular judge until the court confirms it.
Once you’ve started the scheduling process, the court will walk you through what they need from you based on your date and appointment time.
Step 2: Get Your Texas Marriage License
Scheduling your ceremony and getting your marriage license are two separate steps.
Your marriage license can be issued by any county in Texas, so it does not have to come from Travis County. If you have questions about the license itself, the Probate Court directs couples to the Travis County Clerk’s Office (512-854-9188).
The biggest thing to pay attention to is timing. Your marriage license needs to be more than 72 hours old but no more than 90 days old when you get married. You can waive the 72-hour waiting period if you complete the Twogether in Texas pre-marriage course, however. This became especially important for my couple because they were traveling internationally. They were able to get their license after arriving in Texas and still keep the courthouse wedding date we had planned.
If you’re traveling to Austin for your wedding, especially from another country, I would figure out your marriage-license timeline before booking flights. Don’t assume you can land in Austin, pick up a marriage license, and get married the following morning without proper planning.
Step 3: Drop Off Your Marriage License and Payment
For weekday weddings during regular hours, the information we received listed the ceremony fee as $200, paid in exact cash.
For after-hours courthouse weddings beginning after 5 PM, the fee was $300. Holiday and holiday-weekend ceremonies started at $400. Schedule a drop-off appointment and submit your marriage license and payment at least three business days before the wedding.
Because our ceremony was at 5:15 p.m. on a Thursday, it counted as an after-hours wedding. My couple brought their marriage license and $300 cash to the Probate Court office on the fourth floor. Your wedding is confirmed once the court receives both. The court kept their marriage license until the wedding so Judge Chu could complete it after the ceremony.
Your Courthouse Ceremony Can Be Just One Part of the Day
A courthouse wedding might only take 15–20 minutes, but that doesn’t mean your entire wedding experience has to.
After their ceremony, my couple spent time taking portraits around the courthouse. You could also head somewhere meaningful for photos, grab a drink together, meet your family for dinner, or explore Austin. The courthouse takes care of the legal part. Everything around it is where you get to make the day feel like your own.
My couple’s timeline looked like this:
4:00 PM – Bought records for each other at Waterloo Records Store
5:00 PM – Check in at Probate Court
5:15 PM – Ceremony
5:35 PM – Portraits around the courthouse
6:15 PM – Portraits around South Congress Ave
7:00 PM – Grab a drink at a local bar
Planning Your Own Austin Courthouse Elopement?
Here’s what Nick and Jo had to say about their experience eloping with me at the Probate Court in Austin:
She instantly understood our vision, and speaking with her felt completely effortless. Because it was just going to be the two of us, Brooke was not only our photographer but also our only guest, so finding someone we genuinely connected with was really important to us. She was a huge help with logistics too – including coordinating directly with the court clerk and judge’s office to keep the timeline on track – which secured us access to the gorgeous interior of the Probate Court. The day itself was pure fun from start to finish, and Brooke was an absolute joy to spend it with as we explored the city and ticked off every spot on our wishlist. To top it off, our sneak peeks were delivered amazingly quickly, and we were completely blown away by the quality of her work. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience or a better person to capture our elopement.
You don’t have to figure all of this out by yourself. My couple here didn’t know how to navigate the process from abroad. I helped communicate with the Probate Court, scheduled their ceremony, and created a custom timeline full of activities that felt perfectly tailored to them.. I can do the same for you.
If you’re planning an Austin courthouse elopement and want someone who can photograph the day and help you navigate what comes before it, I’d love to help.
Inquire about your Austin courthouse elopement here!
