Hi! I am so excited to work together and want to share all the details I can to help you guys along the planning and prep stages.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions after going through this. I'm always there for you and love being involved any way that I can be!
Eloping at the Buncombe County Courthouse
First and Foremost, obtain a Marriage License
- Where & When: Register of Deeds Office in Asheville, NC. Or you can bring your own marriage license from your local courthouse if you are coming from out of town.
- Requirements:
- Both partners present in person
- Valid government-issued photo ID (e.g. driver’s license or passport)
- Social Security card or a document showing your full nine-digit SSN (W-2, tax form, etc.)
- If either of you doesn’t have an SSN, you’ll fill out a notarized affidavit in office
- Fee: $60 (payable by cash, credit/debit, check, or money order)
What do you need for the ceremony?
Buncombe County Courthouse no longer accepts reservations, so it's a first come, first served basis. However, we are there often, and never have to wait more than ~30 minutes. We can use that time to do photos around the courthouse if we need to!
You'll need:
- Your marriage license
- Your ID's & SS Cards
- $50 Cash ONLY
- Two adult witnesses (I can be one of those!)
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The Timeline
- Getting Ready for the Day
Some of our couples choose to get ready separately and have a sweet little First Look right outside the courthouse doors. Others prefer to get ready together—maybe in a cozy Airbnb, a downtown hotel room, or even at home—and then ride over together for the ceremony. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, and we’re here to support whatever feels right for you both.
- Where We Meet
We typically meet at the parking garage right across the street from the courthouse. It’s convenient, easy to find, and only a quick walk away. From there, we’ll head into the courthouse together. After a brief security check, we make our way to the magistrate’s office.
- The Ceremony
The ceremony itself is short and sweet. You’ll stand in front of the magistrate, exchange vows (or not—it’s totally up to you), and just like that—you’re married!
- The Post-Ceremony Adventure
This is where the fun starts! We'll head straight into photos and hit up all our go-to locations for our Buncombe County Courthouse Weddings.
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Our Favorite Photo Locations around/near Buncombe County Courthouse
We love photographing in and around the Buncombe County Courthouse buildings-there’s so much character, history, and beauty tucked into this little corner of downtown.
Some of our favorite spots include:
-Inside the old courthouse with its gorgeous architecture and vintage vibes (Red & Gold galore)
-The newer courthouse building, especially in front of those tall glass windows if you're going for a more modern feel
-The steps and stone columns out front
-The old courthouse exit (some older architecture that has gorgeous tiling)
-Pack Square Park: There's a few water fountains and some grassy areas here
If you book us for extra time, we can keep the adventure going! We’ll head into downtown Asheville and explore some of our favorite hidden gems—alleyways, murals, mountaintop overlooks, and charming brick backdrops. You can check out more ideas in our engagement photo location blog post for inspiration.
Post-Elopement session at The Omni Grove Park Inn
Dinner Options
A lot of our elopement clients choose to have a courthouse ceremony and then make dinner reservations somewhere to share with family and close friends. Here are a few great spots we recommend for that:
- The Grand Bohemian Asheville- Red Stag Grill
- Twisted Laurel (Downtown)
- Capella on 9
- Or hit up one of the breweries and eat at a food truck. Some of our fav breweries are Hiwire, Highland Brewing, & New Belgium
If you are renting a BNB or VRBO and having dinner there, we recommend hiring a personal chef. Someone we highly recommend and work with often is Chef Andreas. Check out his work here: Chef Andreas | Private Chef - Asheville - Weddings - Private Events - Catering - Weekly Dinners
Red Stag Grill post-ceremony dinner
VENDORS
Here is a list of our absolute favorite vendors that we trust with our lives!
Planning/Coordination: Verve Weddings & Events
Hair: Brushes & Braids
Makeup: Liz Black Makeup
Florist: Preston K Flowers
Private Chef: Chef Andreas | Private Chef - Asheville - Weddings - Private Events - Catering - Weekly Dinners
Bridal Shop: Bloom Bridal
Other Fun Photo Ideas
I may be bias, but the more time we have for photos that show your true personalities, the better! The beauty of eloping is getting to do anything you want with your day, so our options are endless. Here are a few different ideas some of my past clients have had:
-Go to the ramen restaurant right by the courthouse and share a bowl of ramen
-Hit up the Biltmore grounds! The rose gardens and conservatory are a must-do.
-Go jump in Looking Glass Falls and do some waterfall photos
-Go back to the hotel room and get into your spa robes and do a lifestyle session
-Photos around the grounds of the Omni Grove Park Inn
-Have a private dinner and cake cutting at your hotel/bnb together
-Have a picnic and pop champagne
Whatever you choose, make sure it embodies the two of you as a couple and your personalities shine through! Don't hesitate to reach out and ask for help if you need some original ideas.
