Considering an elopement over a big wedding? Boston City Hall is a great option for an urban and intimate ceremony. A prominent example of Brutalist Architecture, Boston City Hall has a unique style with large concrete forms meant to symbolize transparency and accessibility. Get this, Boston City Hall was recently ranked the fourth ugliest building in the world! And yet, it’s, low key, one of my favourite buildings. This will be a guide to help you elope at Boston City Hall.

As a Boston based film and digital wedding photographer who has been part of countless wedding and elopement celebrations, I am here 1) to guide you through the entire process of eloping in this incredible city and 2) to show the world why Boston City Hall is actually a diamond in the rough.

Suggested Post: Boston City Hall Elopement

Table of Contents

1. Step 1: Make an Appointment to File your Marriage Intention (a.k.a Marriage License)
2. Step 2: Go to Your Appointment to Finish Filing your Marriage License
3. Step 3: Pick up your Marriage License and Plan for your Ceremony
4. Step 4: Hire Zhaun Frias Photography for your Boston City Hall Elopement
5. Step 5: Make a Day Out of It! The Day Carries More Than Just The “I Do”

Step 1: Make an Appointment to File your Marriage Intention (a.k.a Marriage License)

Before you “tie the knot” at Boston City Hall, you’ll need to book an appointment that will allow you to apply for a marriage license, also called a marriage intention. You can book an appointment by calling them directly (617-635-4175) OR through their website using their online booking system. Once you make an appointment, you will be emailed a Marriage Intention Form to complete.

Important note: You can apply for a marriage license in any city or town in Massachusetts. It does not have to be from Boston City Hall, even if you plan to get married there, BUT you do have to get married within the state of Massachusetts.

Fun Fact: You don’t have to be a US citizen to get married at Boston City Hall, apparently, they’ve done ceremony for couples form every continent except Australia (so, you know, if you’re Australian, you can make history here!)

Step 2: Go to Your Appointment to Finish Filing your Marriage License

If you made your appointment at Boston City Hall, the appointment will take place in the Registry Division – 1 City Hall Square, Room 213, Boston, MA 02201-2006. It will be either Window 24 or 25 on the 2nd floor. At the appointment, you will review, edit and sign the necessary paperwork – it should only take a few minutes. 

Both you and your partner must be present at your marriage license appointment. Don’t forget to bring your Marriage Intention Form. Boston City Hall is located in the heart of Government Center, so it’s easily accessible by taking the T as well as having several parking garages nearby. 

What you will need for your appointment

1. $50 in cash for the application fee (there is an ATM there if you need)
2. Marriage Intention Form
3. Proof of your age (Birth Certificate or Passport)
4. Your SSNs
5. The name you’ll use after the wedding if either of you decide to change it

Once all your paperwork is finalized, there is a state mandated 3-day waiting period before you can pick up your physical marriage license. Every city/town clerk’s office may handle’s this differently, so be sure to ask about specific timing for picking up your marriage license when you are at the appointment. Side note: At Boston City Hall, you can waive the 3 day waiting period by applying for a “Marriage Without Delay Waiver” at a probate or district court which comes with a $195 fee. Once you file your Marriage Intention form, simply ask the clerk which court you need to go to waive the 3 day waiting period.

Your marriage license is only valid for 60 days from the date your file and sign your marriage intention. It will expire after the 60 days so be sure to be married within the 60-day period to avoid applying again. Read the FAQs about applying for your Marriage Intentions.

Step 3: Pick up your Marriage License and Plan for your Ceremony

After your 3 day waiting period, arrange a time to pick up your Marriage License. Make sure to do this within the 60-day waiting period. Also ensure that you do this before your ceremony, as you’ll need it for your ceremony.

When & Where: Now let’s schedule your elopement ceremony! You have two options for where you can have your ceremony at Boston City Hall, 1) City Clerk’s Office on the 6th floor, Room 601 or 2) the Registry Department on the 2nd floor, Room 213. Ceremonies take place between 10 – 11:30 a.m. and 2 – 3:30 p.m. Ceremonies typically last 15 minutes and can include exchanging rings and personal vows.

Book your Wedding Ceremony Here:

• Registry Department (Room 213)
• City Clerk’s Office (Room 601)

Officiant: If you are getting married at the Registry Division on the second floor, you’ll be married by the lovely and kind Paul Chong. If you are getting married at the city clerk’s office on the sixth floor, you will be married by esteemed Dassie Dheecham.

Cost: When you arrive and check in (come at least 15 minutes early), make sure you have $75 for the ceremony fee. They only accept cash. You will also be charged an extra $25 if you are late.

What to Bring:  Both partners will need a valid picture ID (ie Driver’s License or Passport, your cash ceremony fee and your marriage license (and anything else you’d like at your ceremony). 

Guests: Your guest list can be determined by which room you are getting married in. The 6th floor is a smaller room and you can only have one or two guests present. The 2nd floor can accommodate a larger group, up to 8. To confirm, I’d recommend calling and asking to be certain.

Want to learn more? Click here to learn more about how to Elope at Boston City Hall from their website.

Step 4: Hire Zhaun Frias Photography for your Boston City Hall Elopement

One of the easiest ways to make a “day out of it” is to hire Zhaun Frias Photography! Would you like photos capturing all the anticipation you feel the morning of, as you get ready for your ceremony? Capturing the ceremony is non-negotiable, they are moments that need to be immortalized. How about photos of your friends and family afterwards? Perhaps we could stay around City Hall or adventure around Boston (hey, I’d even head out to wherever you wanted). Lastly, we could capture the end of the night, over a candle lit dinner or picnic by the ocean. Any case, finding a photographer who can capture your day the way you want it to be captured is important.

Along with photography, Zhaun Frias Photography can help you with timeline consultations, vendor referrals and any and all questions that come with wedding day planning. You may have never planned a wedding before, and that’s okay, we have photographed and therefore inadvertently planned countless wedding days, so we got you. Touch base here to see if Zhaun Frias Photography is available.

Step 5: Make a Day Out of It! The Day Carries More Than Just The “I Do”

Your elopement is not “just” a small wedding, it’s an incredibly symbolic time where you solidify your commitment to each other. It deserves just as much attention, and perhaps “glam”, as a big wedding day. So, whether it’s just you and your partner or 150 of your “closest friends”, it’s a special moment that deserves special reverence. It can be as simple as you want or as over the top as you want, in either case, your love deserves to be screamed from the rooftops and be filled with all of your favorite things.

Look, in my opinion, the best part of eloping is that you don’t have to abide by any one tradition or obligation that comes with larger weddings. Personalize the day to YOU and your relationship. Regardless, it will be a day your future family will give credit to.

So want to get a feeling of what that day can look like?

It’s the anticipation and the celebration that really round out the beauty of a your elopement ceremony. Whether you choose to get ready together at your home, or even a nearby hotel, or explore the wonders of the city, the possibilities are endless. What really matters, no matter what you do, you do what’s meaningful and valuable to you. Here are some recommendations for what you can do before and after your ceremony.

Before the Ceremony

• Stay in a nearby hotel to get ready with your partner or sipping coffee as the morning unfolds
• Go out and have a nice breakfast or brunch at a nearby cafe and reflect on all the reasons why you chose each other
• Take a walk together through the Boston Commons or Public Garden
• Pamper yourself! Get massages, nails done and professional hair and make up!

After the Ceremony

• Take photos around Government Center and Faneuil Hall
• Adventure a little bit deeper into the city to the North End, or Beacon Hill
• Head to a nice restaurant for a romantic candle lit meal. There are so many possibilities around the area.
• Go to a Red Sox game, or ride a Duck Boat! Be a Bostonian.

Suggested Post: Hartford City Hall Engagement

My hope is that this guide helps you navigate the process of eloping at Boston City Hall and eases some stress that comes with elopement planning. As a photographer, all the moments are beautiful to me and there’s nothing that brings me more fulfilment then taking photos of moments you’ll cherish forever. Feel free to reach out here.

Ready to book Zhaun Frias Photography as your Boston City Hall Elopement Photographer?

Inquire Here!