Civil Ceremony At The Santa Clara County Clerks Office

Planning Tips For Your Civil Ceremony At The Santa Clara County Clerks Office

Tying the knot through a civil ceremony is a great option for a lot of couples. I recently had the opportunity to photography a civil ceremony at the Santa Clara County Clerks Office. And here are a few things to consider if you are planning on going this route.

The Ceremony Can Be Taken Indoors Or Outdoors

One of the really nice things about having your civil ceremony at the Santa Clara County Clerks Office is that it can be done at their indoor chapel or outdoors. Deciding on this is a personal preference. However, the best time for outdoor portraits is always going to be in the early morning or in the evening. At this time, the lighting is soft and flattering – which is ideal for your wedding portraits. If you are planning your wedding at a time of the year where there is a chance of rain, indoor ceremonies may be a good thing to consider.

Make Sure To Show Up Early – Just In Case There Are Back-to-Back Ceremonies

I recommend arriving to your ceremony at least 15-20 minutes before the ceremony is scheduled to start. Arriving early allows you to have a little wiggle room for unexpected changes. Depending on the day of your ceremony, there may be back-to-back ceremonies. If you accidently run behind, and they have another ceremony immediately after yours, you may be out of luck. Chances are they can squeeze you into another time on the same day. But doing this can cause problems if you have plans after your ceremony. I recommend arriving early, for a stress free wedding experience. The same goes for any guests that plan on attending. If you know that certain family members are chronically late, I recommend telling them that the ceremony starts earlier than it actually does 🙂

After Ceremony Portraits Can Be Taken On Location Or At A Nearby Location

Since your ceremony will only typically last between 5-10 minutes, there will be plenty of time to take portraits afterwards. If you would like to keep things really simple, there are places in the immediate area where pictures can be taken. However, you can also consider taking pictures at a nearby location. I recommend taking with your Photographer to see the best places to take these portraits. For example, the Municipal Rose Garden is a 10 minute drive from the County Clerks Office and would be great for after ceremony portraits.