Illinois
Elopement photography · Chicago
In short
Elopement photography in Chicago starts at $2,200: 4 hours on location with a photographer who works in Chicago, and 200 edited photos delivered to a private gallery within 3 weeks.
Why choose Elopement photography in Chicago?
An elopement in Chicago is a four-hour, small-ceremony wedding day that delivers more than 200 retouched photographs, with guidance on any permit the location needs, priced from $2,200. Chicago suits a city elopement better than a wilderness one: the ceremony can happen at the Marriage and Civil Union Court in the County Building, and the remaining hours go to the river, the lakefront and a celebratory dinner. The Cook County paperwork is fast but strict about place and timing. The ceremony date, the license date and the county line all have to line up, so the route is planned against them first.
Worth knowing about Chicago
A Cook County marriage license costs $60, is issued in person to both partners, takes effect one day after issuance and is valid for 60 days. The Cook County Clerk states that it is valid only for ceremonies performed in Chicago and suburban Cook County, so a Chicago elopement that moves the vows to The Morton Arboretum in DuPage County or to the Indiana Dunes needs that county’s license instead.
What does the session in Chicago look like?
- Marriage and Civil Union Court, 119 West Randolph Street
- A Cook County judge, six days a week, and the Loop outside the door for the first portraits.
- The Chicago Riverwalk
- A five-minute walk from the court, with bridges stacking up behind the couple.
- North Avenue Beach
- The skyline across the water for the late-afternoon frames, by Chicago Park District permit.
What does elopement photography in Chicago include?
- 200+ retouched photographs
- Four hours of coverage
- Guidance on which permit you need, where and when to apply
- Location and timing planned around sunrise or sunset
- Private online gallery within 3 weeks
- Print release for personal use
Permits at these locations: North Avenue Beach: Professional photography on Chicago Park District property requires a permit.
FAQ — Elopement photography in Chicago
Can we get our license and elope in Chicago on the same day?
No. A Cook County marriage license takes effect one day after it is issued, so a couple who collect the license on a Monday can marry in Chicago from Tuesday onward, within 60 days. The license costs $60, both partners appear in person with ID to receive it, and the elopement date is set at least one day after the Clerk visit.
Who can marry us at a Chicago elopement without our own officiant?
A Cook County judge at the Marriage and Civil Union Court, 119 West Randolph Street on the lower level of the City Hall–County Building, which the Cook County Clerk lists as holding ceremonies six days a week. Opening hours are confirmed with the court before the elopement day, and the photographs continue on the Riverwalk afterwards.
Can we hold an elopement ceremony at the Chicago Botanic Garden?
Not as a small standalone ceremony. The Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe allows ceremonies only when they are hosted with a catered reception arranged in advance through its Private Events team, so an elopement there is limited to portraits under a $250 photography permit, with the vows held somewhere else in Cook County.