Seattle Municipal Court Wedding Guide
How to Get Married at the Seattle Courthouse
A Seattle courthouse wedding is a simple and meaningful way to get married without planning a large traditional celebration.
Located in downtown Seattle, Seattle Municipal Court offers weekday civil marriage ceremonies for couples who want an intimate wedding experience with their closest family members and friends.
Although the ceremony itself is short and straightforward, there are several important steps to complete before the wedding day. You will need to request your ceremony, obtain a valid Washington State marriage license, bring the required documents and witnesses, and arrive early enough for check-in.
This guide explains how a Seattle Municipal Court wedding works, what to bring, how many guests can attend, and how to plan your courthouse wedding photography.
This guide was last updated in July 2026.
Court procedures, fees, room assignments, ceremony locations, and photography rules may change.
Always follow the instructions in your personal confirmation email from Seattle Municipal Court.
Where Is Seattle Municipal Court?
Seattle Municipal Court is located inside the Seattle Justice Center in downtown Seattle:
Seattle Municipal Court
600 Fifth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
The building is located near the corner of Fifth Avenue and James Street.
Seattle Municipal Court is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is closed on weekends and holidays.
Recent ceremony instructions sent directly by the court asked couples to check in at: Room 1037
There is a doorbell located to the left of the door. Only the couple should enter the room for check-in. Guests, witnesses, and the photographer should wait in the hallway unless court staff provide different instructions.
Room assignments may change, so always use the room number listed in your own confirmation email.
Step 1: Request Your Seattle Courthouse Ceremony
Seattle Municipal Court judges perform courthouse marriage ceremonies at approximately 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
The courthouse is closed on weekends and holidays. There are a limited number of ceremonies available each day, so your preferred date may not always be available.
You cannot submit a ceremony request more than 8 weeks before your requested wedding date.
After submitting the online request form, a Judicial Assistant should contact you within ten business days with availability and the next steps.
Submitting the form does not mean that your ceremony has been officially confirmed. Wait until you receive confirmation from the Judicial Assistant before treating the date as final.
When should you contact your photographer?
You do not have to wait for the eight-week court booking window to contact a photographer.
You can inquire earlier with your preferred date and several possible backup dates. However, the ceremony time should not be considered confirmed until you receive the court’s confirmation.
Step 2: Get Your Washington State Marriage License
Before your Seattle Municipal Court ceremony, you must obtain a valid Washington State marriage license.
Seattle Municipal Court does not provide marriage licenses. You must apply separately and bring the complete marriage license packet with you on your wedding day.
Couples getting married in Seattle can apply through the King County Recorder’s Office. The current application fee is $169.
Washington State has a mandatory three-day waiting period after the license is issued. The waiting period cannot be waived.
After the waiting period, the marriage license remains valid for 60 days. Your ceremony must take place during the valid dates shown on your license.
Do not wait until the day before your courthouse wedding to obtain the license because it will not yet be valid.
At the same time, do not obtain it so early that it expires before your ceremony date.
What is included in the marriage license packet?
The packet includes the official Certificate of Marriage that must be completed during the ceremony.
Immediately after the ceremony, the couple, the judge, and two witnesses sign the certificate. The judge or officiant is then responsible for returning the completed document for official recording.
The decorative certificate a couple may hold for photographs is not necessarily the same as the official document contained in the marriage license packet.
What Time Should You Arrive?
Recent 2026 ceremony instructions from Seattle Municipal Court asked the couple to check in at 4:15 p.m.
The ceremony was expected to begin sometime between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.
The actual start time may depend on the judge’s regular court schedule and the number of ceremonies taking place that afternoon.
Do not assume that your ceremony will begin at exactly 4:30 p.m. Avoid scheduling a dinner reservation or another time-sensitive activity immediately afterward.
The doors to the Seattle Justice Center lock at 5:00 p.m. Everyone attending the ceremony should enter the building before then.
Always use the check-in time and ceremony window provided in your own confirmation email.
Where Should You Park?
Recent ceremony instructions from Seattle Municipal Court recommend the SeaPark Garage, located on Sixth Avenue between Cherry Street and James Street.
The court does not validate parking.
Street parking and additional paid parking garages are also available around downtown Seattle.
Weekday traffic and parking can be unpredictable.
Allow enough time to:
Find parking
Walk to the Seattle Justice Center
Enter the building
Pass through security
Find the correct room
Complete photographs before check-in
Arriving exactly at 4:15 p.m. without additional time is unnecessarily risky.
What Should You Bring?
Couples should bring:
The complete Washington State marriage license packet
At least two adult witnesses
$150 in cash for the ceremony
The ceremony confirmation information
Wedding rings, if you plan to exchange them
Any identification requested in the confirmation email
Do not leave any part of the marriage license packet at home. Seattle Municipal Court does not provide a replacement packet on the wedding day.
Bring $150 in cash
Recent Seattle Municipal Court instructions require couples to bring $150 in cash (exact amount only; no change available) for the ceremony.
The court does not accept credit cards or checks for this payment, and there is no ATM available inside the courthouse.
Bring the full amount before entering the building.
Because fees may change, verify the amount and payment instructions in your personal confirmation email.
Do You Need Witnesses?
Yes.
You must bring at least two witnesses who are 18 years of age or older.
Immediately after the ceremony, the couple, the judge, and the two witnesses sign the official Certificate of Marriage.
Choose witnesses who will arrive on time and remain available throughout the ceremony and document-signing process.
Although a photographer may potentially sign as a witness, it is better to bring two dedicated witnesses. Your photographer needs to concentrate on documenting the ceremony.
How Many Guests Can Attend?
Seattle Municipal Court currently limits the wedding party to 8 people total, including the couple.
The two required witnesses are included within this group.
Children may attend, but they must remain supervised at all times.
Pets are not permitted inside Seattle Municipal Court.
Does the photographer count toward the eight-person limit?
At a recent 2026 Seattle Municipal Court wedding I photographed, the couple had eight people in their wedding party, including the couple and their guests.
I attended separately as their professional photographer and was not counted as one of the eight people. The couple was not charged an additional photography fee.
Because the public court website does not specifically explain how photographers are counted, it is still a good idea to mention your professional photographer when communicating with the Judicial Assistant.
What Happens During Check-In?
Recent court instructions asked only the couple to enter Room 1037 for check-in.
Guests, witnesses, and the photographer waited in the hallway.
There is a doorbell located to the left of the door that the couple should ring for entry.
Court staff may use this time to review the marriage license packet, confirm the ceremony details, and prepare the required documents.
The couple will also have an opportunity to speak with the judge before the ceremony begins.
Can You Choose Where the Ceremony Takes Place?
Recent Seattle Municipal Court instructions stated that couples may discuss their preferred ceremony location with the judge before the ceremony.
Depending on the weather, building access, courthouse operations, and the judge’s schedule, options may include an indoor courthouse space or the rooftop terrace.
A rooftop ceremony should not be treated as guaranteed.
Even when the rooftop is available, weather or courthouse operations may require the ceremony to take place indoors. Couples should be comfortable with both possibilities.
Can You Take Photos Inside Seattle Municipal Court?
Yes, but the timing is important.
Recent Seattle Municipal Court instructions allow photography in public areas of the courthouse before check-in. This may include the rooftop terrace on the twelfth floor.
The court recommended taking these photographs approximately 15 to 30 minutes before check-in, between 3:45 and 4:15 p.m.
Photography is also permitted during the marriage ceremony.
However, recent instructions stated that couples may not stay inside the courthouse for additional photographs after the ceremony.
For this reason, courthouse and rooftop portraits should be completed before check-in. Family photographs and additional newlywed portraits can continue outside after the ceremony.
A courthouse ceremony may be brief, but the wedding experience includes much more than the few minutes spent exchanging vows.
Seattle courthouse wedding photography can include:
Arriving at the courthouse
Wedding details and rings
Couple portraits before check-in
Photographs in the courthouse’s public areas
Rooftop portraits when access is available
Waiting for the judge
The marriage ceremony
Exchanging rings
The first kiss
Signing the marriage documents
Family and witness photographs
Newlywed portraits around downtown Seattle
I photograph Seattle courthouse weddings with a natural and relaxed approach. My goal is to document the ceremony honestly while also creating polished portraits that feel personal and intentional.
Because photography inside the courthouse is limited after the ceremony, planning the timeline in advance is especially important.
Sample Seattle Courthouse Wedding Timeline
Every wedding day is different, but a relaxed timeline may look like this:
3:30 p.m. — Meet outside the courthouse
Meet outside the Seattle Justice Center and take a few arrival photographs.
3:45–4:10 p.m. — Courthouse and rooftop portraits
Take couple portraits in public courthouse areas or on the twelfth-floor rooftop when access is available.
4:15 p.m. — Check-in
The couple checks in according to the instructions in their confirmation email.
Guests, witnesses, and the photographer wait in the hallway.
4:30–5:30 p.m. — Ceremony window
Meet with the judge, attend the marriage ceremony, exchange rings, and sign the documents.
The exact ceremony start time may vary.
After the ceremony — Family and newlywed portraits
Exit the courthouse and take family and group photographs outside.
Continue with newlywed portraits around downtown Seattle.
The final timeline should be adjusted according to the season, sunset time, weather, court instructions, and the amount of photography coverage selected.
Seattle Courthouse Wedding Checklist
Before your wedding day,
make sure you have:
- Submitted your Seattle Municipal Court ceremony request
- Received confirmation from a Judicial Assistant
- Obtained your Washington State marriage license
- Completed the mandatory three-day waiting period
- Confirmed that the license will remain valid on your wedding date
- Kept the complete marriage license packet together
- Chosen at least two adult witnesses
- Confirmed your wedding party size
- Mentioned your professional photographer to the court
- Checked the room number and arrival instructions
- Prepared $150 in cash
- Planned parking and transportation
- Allowed additional time for courthouse security
- Scheduled indoor and rooftop photographs before check-in
- Created a backup plan in case the rooftop is unavailable
- Avoided making a reservation immediately after the ceremony