District of Columbia
Elopement photography · Washington, DC
In short
Elopement photography in Washington, DC starts at $2,200: 4 hours on location with a photographer who works in Washington, DC, and 200 edited photos delivered to a private gallery within 3 weeks.
Why choose Elopement photography in Washington, DC?
An elopement in Washington, DC is a four-hour, two-person wedding with 200 or more retouched photographs, priced from $2,200. The District is one of the simplest places in the country to marry without guests: the DC Superior Court lets a couple name one of themselves as the officiant, requires no witnesses, and issues a $45 license that does not expire. That leaves the photograph as the main thing to plan — a monument ceremony site with its own Park Service permit, and a portrait walk afterwards that may need a second one.
Worth knowing about Washington, DC
A National Park Service wedding permit at the George Mason Memorial covers up to 100 people for one hour, setup included, with no sound system or musicians, and it includes hired photography only at the ceremony’s time and place. Portraits anywhere else on the Mall afterwards fall under the separate Filming and Photography Permit, so an elopement that moves to the Lincoln Memorial is planned for both.
What does the session in Washington, DC look like?
- George Mason Memorial
- A small garden memorial near the Jefferson Memorial and one of the National Mall’s permitted wedding-ceremony sites, kept simple with no equipment.
- The Tidal Basin path after the vows
- The Jefferson Memorial across the water for the first portraits as a married couple, a few minutes’ walk from the ceremony.
- Moultrie Courthouse, 500 Indiana Avenue NW
- For couples who take the Superior Court civil ceremony instead, with Judiciary Square outside for the first frames.
What does elopement photography in Washington, DC 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
FAQ — Elopement photography in Washington, DC
Can we marry ourselves without witnesses in Washington, DC?
Yes. The DC Superior Court Marriage Bureau lets one of the couple be listed as the officiant on the marriage license application, and no witnesses are needed. Both people apply in person with photo ID at the Moultrie Courthouse, the license fee is $45, and both must be physically present in the District of Columbia at the ceremony.
How far ahead should a Washington, DC courthouse elopement be booked?
At least ten business days after the license is issued, which is the notice the DC Superior Court Marriage Bureau asks for a civil ceremony with a court officiant. The photographer is booked for the confirmed date, and the four hours of coverage usually run from the courthouse to the monuments and on to a dinner.