Courthouse Wedding Invitations: Wording for the Ceremony, the Party and the Announcement

A courthouse wedding invitation is short and practical: who's marrying, the courthouse address, the exact appointment time, how early to arrive, and what happens afterward, whether that's lunch, a dinner or a party months later. Most courthouses limit guests, so name exactly who is invited and send it two to four weeks ahead.

This guide is for civil ceremonies at a courthouse or city hall. For a small wedding at a restaurant, home or garden, see intimate wedding invitations.

Featured TwistInvite DesignsSimple Wedding InvitationsVellum, wax seals, pressed petals and soft blue botanicals. Choose a design in the TwistInvite app and share it by text or link.

Decide Who Gets Which Message

Courthouse weddings usually involve up to three groups, and each gets different wording:

• Ceremony guests: the handful of people who come to the courthouse. They get a real invitation with the appointment details.
• Celebration guests: everyone invited to a lunch, dinner or party afterward, the same day or later.
• Everyone else: friends and colleagues who get a marriage announcement after the fact.

Sorting this out first prevents the awkward moment when a coworker asks why they weren't invited to something that seated six.

What to Include

• Names of the couple.
• Date and appointment time, plus an arrival time: "Ceremony at 11:15 a.m., please arrive by 10:45."
• Courthouse name, address and room, if you know it, and where to park.
• A note on security: many courthouses screen visitors at the entrance, which takes time.
• Who is invited. Name the guests, because seats are limited.
• What happens after: "Lunch to follow at [Restaurant]," or details of a later party.
• Dress code, if you have one. Guests often aren't sure how dressy a courthouse is.
• RSVP date, short for a small group: a week or two before.

Where to use these lines: a short version fits in the message you send with the invitation link, and the spoken lines make a good 15-second video message. Use the full versions on a printed card if you're mailing one.

Courthouse Ceremony Invitation Wording

Simple

• We're making it official.
  [Name] and [Name]
  Thursday, March 11 · 11:15 a.m.
  [County] Courthouse, Room [Number] · [Address]
  Please arrive by 10:45 for security
• Just us, a judge and the people we love most.
  Join us at City Hall
  Friday, May 7 at 2 p.m.
  Lunch after at [Restaurant]

Formal

• [Name] and [Name]
  request the pleasure of your company
  at their civil ceremony
  Friday, the seventh of May, at two o'clock
  [City] City Hall, [Address]
  A luncheon will follow

Playful

• Short ceremony, long lunch.
  We're getting married at the courthouse on [Date] at [Time]
  and then eating our weight in pasta at [Restaurant]
  You're one of the few. Please come.

Pair it with: Something Blue. A pale blue envelope, a white wax seal and an embossed card with blue botanicals that reads "You're invited." It's clean, simple and suits a city hall morning.

Say it in your 15-second video message: "We're getting married at the courthouse on May 7, and you're one of the few people we want in the room. It's at two, so please get there by 1:30 for security."

Wording for the Celebration Afterward

Same day

• We said "I do" at City Hall. Now let's celebrate.
  Dinner and drinks for [Name] & [Name]
  Saturday, May 8 · 7 p.m. · [Venue]
• The paperwork is done. The party isn't.
  Join us at [Bar] after our courthouse wedding
  Friday, 6 p.m. onward

Months later

• We got married at the courthouse in March.
  This summer, we're throwing the party.
  [Name] & [Name] · Saturday, August 14 · 6 p.m.
  [Venue], [City]
• Married in spring, celebrating in fall.
  Please join us for a reception in honor of [Name] and [Name]
  Saturday, October 9 · [Venue]

Pair it with: Ivory Bloom. Two wedding rings rest on layered vellum tied with ribbon and two wax seals, then the scene moves to champagne coupes. Its soft ivory palette works for both the ceremony invite and a later party. For more reception-only wording, see wedding reception invitation wording.

Marriage Announcement Wording

An announcement goes out after the wedding to people who weren't invited. It shares the news; it doesn't ask for anything.

• We eloped!
  [Name] and [Name] were married at [City] City Hall on May 7, 2027.
  We can't wait to celebrate with you soon.
• Small ceremony, big news.
  [Name] and [Name] are happily married.
  May 7, 2027 · [City]
• [Name] and [Name]
  are pleased to announce their marriage
  on Friday, the seventh of May, two thousand twenty-seven
  [City], [State]

Pair it with: Pressed Petals. A deckled card with pressed pink flowers among lace and vellum. Gentle and personal, a good fit for news shared after the fact. Vellum & Wax, an ivory envelope with an embossed wax seal and satin ribbon, is the more classic alternative.

Courthouse Wedding Etiquette

• Check the guest limit with your county clerk or city hall before inviting anyone. Rules vary widely.
• Expect delays. Courthouses run on schedules. Tell guests to plan for an hour even if the ceremony takes minutes.
• Witnesses: some places require them. If you're asking two guests, tell them privately before the invitation goes out.
• Gifts: guests at the ceremony often bring a card. Don't mention a registry on the ceremony invite; put it on your website if there's a later party.
• Dress code: say "dressy casual" or "come as you are" so nobody overdresses or under-dresses.
• A later party is fine. It's common to marry at the courthouse and host a reception weeks or months later. Invite anyone you like to the party, even if they weren't at the ceremony.

Short Versions to Send by Text

• "We're getting married at City Hall on May 7 at 2! Only a few of us, and we'd love you there. Details here:"
• "Courthouse wedding Friday, lunch right after. Can you make it?"
• "Here's the invite for our celebration party in August. We were married in March, now we're making up for it."
• "Not sure yet? Answer Maybe in the link and let us know by April 30."

When to Send

Sending It as a Video Invitation

1. Pick a template in the TwistInvite app. The stationery-style designs above suit a courthouse wedding.
2. Add the event details: date, appointment time, address and RSVP date. You can add your own photo or video, such as the two of you outside City Hall, and import audio.
3. Hold to record a short message of up to 15 seconds on the free plan.
4. Share the link by text. Guests open it in a browser and answer Going, Can't make it or Maybe, no app or account required, and you see who's coming in the app.

A small group reads a personal video more closely than a big wedding list, so the recorded message carries more weight here. Get the TwistInvite app. For more on etiquette when you invite by phone, read how to send wedding invitations by text.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Inviting more people than the room allows. Check first.
• Giving only the ceremony time. Add an arrival time for security and check-in.
• Mixing announcement and invitation. If someone isn't invited to anything, send them the announcement afterward.
• Leaving guests unsure about the party. If there's a later celebration, say "details to follow" so ceremony guests don't wonder.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many guests can come to a courthouse wedding?

It depends on the courthouse. Some allow only the couple and witnesses, others a small group. Check with your county clerk or city hall before you invite anyone.

Do you send invitations for a courthouse wedding?

For the few people coming to the ceremony, yes, even if it's a text and a link. Everyone else can get an announcement afterward or an invitation to a later party.

Is it okay to have a reception after a courthouse wedding?

Yes. Many couples hold a dinner the same day or a party weeks or months later, and can invite a larger group than the ceremony allowed.

What should guests wear to a courthouse wedding?

Usually dressy casual or business attire. Put a short dress code on the invitation so guests know what to expect.

Should I mention a registry on a courthouse wedding invitation?

Not on the ceremony invitation. If you're hosting a later party, put registry details on your wedding website.

Can guests RSVP to a TwistInvite courthouse wedding invitation without the app?

Yes. The couple creates the invitation in the TwistInvite app; guests open the link in a browser and reply Going, Can't make it or Maybe without an account.