Beverly Hills Elopement Photographer | An Intimate Courthouse Wedding

I first met Eunji and Min last December, when they invited me to document their engagement session in Long Beach. From exploring Retro Row and stopping for coffee to playing chess at Bluff Park and ending the evening on the beach, their session was less about taking photos and more about spending a really fun afternoon together.

So when they reached out shortly after receiving their gallery and asked me to photograph their wedding, I was so excited to hear from them again. There’s something really special about being invited back to document the next chapter of a couple’s story.

You can read more about their [Long Beach engagement session here].

This time, their story would take us to Beverly Hills for an intimate courthouse elopement surrounded by their closest family.

Planning a Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding

Planning a courthouse wedding comes with a slightly different timeline than a traditional wedding. One of the first things Eunji, Min, and I had to figure out was the date.

Beverly Hills courthouse ceremony dates are released only about three weeks in advance, so we talked through a few possible dates and then had to wait for the March dates to be released. Once their date became available, we were able to officially secure their ceremony and start working through the rest of the details.

One of those details was photography permits.

While we could photograph inside the courthouse during their ceremony, we also wanted to take advantage of the beautiful architecture and surrounding areas outside. Since we planned to spend time photographing around Beverly Hills City Hall and the courthouse, we needed to find out what permits were required.

Min and I both did some research and discovered that we needed a photography permit for the outdoor portions of their day.

Thankfully, the City of Beverly Hills made the process surprisingly easy. As the photographer, I needed to complete the permit application and provide proof of my business insurance. We then paid the permit fee, which is based on the number of hours we planned to photograph.

Once everything was submitted, the approval came back pretty quickly, and we were officially ready for their wedding day.

If you're planning your own Beverly Hills courthouse wedding and want to take portraits around the area, it's worth looking into the permit requirements ahead of time so you can build that time into your plans.

Wedding Portraits Around Beverly Hills City Hall

Finally, their wedding day arrived.

Before their family arrived for the ceremony, I met up with Eunji and Min to spend some time photographing just the two of them.

Beverly Hills City Hall, which sits just around the corner from the courthouse, was the perfect place to begin.

The building itself is beautiful, with large arched windows, detailed stonework, and greenery surrounding the property. It gave us so many different backdrops without needing to travel from one location to another.

But more importantly, this gave Eunji and Min a chance to slow down and enjoy some time together before the ceremony.

Rather than trying to squeeze all of their portraits into the few minutes after they said "I do," we were able to take our time, walk around, and let the photos happen naturally.

This is one of my favorite parts of photographing intimate weddings and elopements. You don't need a packed timeline to create beautiful photographs. Sometimes, having a little room to simply be together is all you need.

A Courthouse Ceremony Surrounded by Family

After portraits, it was time to head to the courthouse and meet their families.

Everyone gathered together, and we found ourselves packed into a tiny hallway waiting for their turn to go inside.

Even in that small space, you could feel how excited everyone was.

Their families were ready with their phones out, taking photos and capturing little pieces of the anticipation before the ceremony even began. It was one of those small details that made the day feel so personal. Everyone was genuinely excited to watch Eunji and Min get married.

Once it was their turn, we headed inside for the ceremony.

It may have been a courthouse wedding, but there was nothing impersonal about it. They were surrounded by the people who mattered most, and you could see how excited their families were to witness this moment.

Family Photos with a View

After the ceremony, we took family photos on the courthouse balcony, where we had beautiful mountain views in the background.

These portraits were important, but I also wanted to make sure we left room for the moments in between—the hugs, the congratulations, the laughter, and all of the little interactions that happen naturally after a couple gets married.

Once we finished the family photos, we made our way back toward the front of City Hall.

And of course, we photographed along the way.

Instead of treating the walk as simply getting from one location to another, we used it as another opportunity to document the afternoon. Walking together, talking, laughing, and taking in the moment became part of their story too.

A New Chapter for Their Family

There was another little detail that made this day even more special: Eunji and Min were already expecting their first child. Eunji was beginning to show, adding another layer of meaning to an already incredibly special day. They weren't just celebrating becoming husband and wife—they were also beginning this next chapter of their lives together as a family.

It made getting to photograph their day feel even more meaningful, especially knowing that these photographs will eventually become part of the story they tell their child about this season of their lives.

What to Know Before Your Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding

If you're considering getting married at the Beverly Hills courthouse, there are a few things I'd recommend keeping in mind when planning your day.

1. Be flexible with your ceremony date

Courthouse ceremony dates are released only a few weeks in advance, so you may not be able to choose your date months ahead like you would with a traditional wedding venue. If you're planning to have a photographer, make sure you talk through a few possible dates with them ahead of time so you know what might work once the schedule is released.

2. Plan time for portraits before the ceremony

One of my biggest recommendations is to give yourself some time before your ceremony for portraits.

For EunJi and Min, we met about an hour before they needed to be at the courthouse. That gave us time to explore Beverly Hills City Hall, take portraits, and actually enjoy some time together before meeting their families.

It also meant we didn't have to rush through all of their couple portraits immediately after the ceremony.

3. Look into photography permits

If you want to take professional photos outside of the courthouse, make sure you check the current permit requirements ahead of time. For EunJi and Min's wedding, we needed a photography permit for the outdoor portions of their day.

The process was fairly straightforward. I completed the application, provided proof of business insurance, and paid the required fee based on the amount of time we planned to photograph.

Requirements and fees can change, so I always recommend checking with the City of Beverly Hills for the most current information before your wedding day.

4. Don't underestimate a courthouse wedding

Just because you're getting married at a courthouse doesn't mean your wedding day has to feel rushed or impersonal.

You can still build a timeline that gives you time to take beautiful portraits, spend time with your family, explore the area, and actually enjoy the experience of getting married.

In fact, one of the things I love most about intimate weddings is that there is often more room to focus on the people and moments that matter.

5. Think about what you want your photos to remember

When planning an intimate wedding, it's easy to focus on getting the "must-have" photos—the ceremony, family portraits, and a few portraits of the two of you.

But don't forget about everything happening around those moments.

The walk to the courthouse. Your family waiting in the hallway. The hugs afterward. The excitement on your parents' faces. The two of you laughing together while walking around City Hall.

Those are the moments that will bring you back to how the day actually felt.

And those are the moments I want to photograph.

From Engagement Photos to Their Wedding Day

Getting to photograph EunJi and Min twice made this wedding especially meaningful to me.

I got to meet them during their engagement session, learn what mattered to them, and see how naturally they interacted with one another. Then, just a few months later, I was there to document them actually becoming husband and wife.

Their engagement session had already shown me that they didn't need a day filled with perfectly staged moments to create meaningful photographs. They just needed space to enjoy being together.

Their wedding day felt exactly the same.

Their wedding wasn't a huge production. It didn't need to be.

It was their people, their promises, and a day that felt completely like them.

And that's what I want my couples to remember when they look back at their photographs—not just what their wedding looked like, but what it felt like to be there.