How to Elope in Florida: A Complete Guide for 2026

If you want to elope in Florida, then this guide was designed to walk you through exactly how. As a Florida elopement photographer, I’ve helped dozens of couples create fun and unique Florida elopement adventures. But the number one thing that overwhelms couples is figuring out exactly what they need to do to elope here.

This guide will walk you through the legalities of how to elope in Florida, the best time of year to elope in Florida, the best places to elope in Florida, some activities and ideas for your Florida elopement, photography coverage expectations, and frequently asked questions.

Jump to what you’re looking for…

• How to Elope in Florida
  • Florida Marriage License Requirements
  • Who Can Legally Marry You?
  • Do You Need Witnesses?
  • Do We Have to Get Married at the Courthouse?
• Best Time to Elope in Florida
  • Weather By Season
  • Hurricane Season
  • Avoiding Bugs
  • Avoiding Crowds
• Where to Elope in Florida
  • Can You Elope on a Florida Beach?
  • Are There Any Locations that Aren’t on the Beach?
• Unique Florida Elopement Ideas
• Florida Elopement Timelines
  • 4-Hour Elopement
  • 6-Hour Elopement
  • 8-Hour (or More) to Multi-Day Elopement
• Florida Elopement Photography Packages
• Meet Your Florida Elopement Photographer

How to Elope in Florida

Getting legally married in Florida is super simple! Here’s what you need:

Florida Marriage License Requirements

• Apply at any Florida Clerk of Court. Some counties offer online applications to speed up the process, but you’ll still need to show up in person to finish the application process and provide legal documentation.
  • Non-Florida residents: There’s no waiting period. You can pick up your marriage license and get married the same day you apply.
  • Florida residents: There’s a 3-day waiting period unless you take a premarital course. Once you apply in person at the Clerk of Court, you’ll need to wait 3 days before you can pick up your marriage license. Online applications do not start this waiting period.
• Marriage licenses are valid for 60 days from issue.
• Marriage licenses cost around $80.
• No blood test or witnesses required.
• Marriage licenses must be returned within 10 days of signing to the original Clerk of Court.

Who Can Legally Marry You?

You’ll need an ordained officiant, judge, or notary to legally marry you in Florida. And finding a photographer that can marry you? Jack pot. That’s why I’m a Florida notary – so I can legally marry my couples AND take photos while adventuring around together. One less vendor to worry about booking or coordinating.

Do You Need Witnesses?

Florida doesn’t require witnesses. But there’s space for two witnesses on your marriage license. You can either leave this blank, have two of your best friends (or random strangers) sign, or even leave a paw print from your pup.

Do We Have to Get Married at the Courthouse?

Not at all! In fact, many of my couples will pick up their marriage license at the Clerk of Court and bring with them on their adventure. While the Clerk of Court does offer a service to get legally married at the courthouse, you do not need to get married there. You can take your marriage license with you anywhere in the state and get married as long as you have someone that is legally allowed to marry you perform the ceremony. Once they’ve signed it, you just need to return the marriage license back to the original Clerk of Court within 10 days for it to be official.

Best Time to Elope in Florida

Florida has a tropical climate all year long, but each season has big differences that can impact your elopement plans. As a Florida elopement photographer and native to the state, I highly recommend eloping between late November and early April for the best weather.

Weather By Season

• Spring (March through May): Warm and sunny. Perfect for beaches and springs. Just expect some wind and rain by late May. Keep in mind that March is spring break season so prices tend to be more expensive and there’s lot more people around.
• Summer (June through August): HOT, humid, and buggy, which makes summer by far the least comfortable time to elope especially if you’re not used to hot weather. Afternoon storms are like clockwork, which makes planning afternoon elopements more difficult. If you’re eloping in the summer, consider sunrise since the rain chances are much lower and adding a water activity to cool off during the day.
• Fall (September through November): Still pretty hot and humid during this time with late season hurricane activity. Temperatures tend to cool closer to late November.
• Winter (December through February): Cooler, fewer bugs, minimal rain chances, and earlier sunsets. This is the most ideal time for a Florida elopement.

Hurricane Season

Hurricane season runs from June through November with peak hurricane activity from mid-August to early November. If you’re planning to elope during these months, I recommend getting travel or wedding insurance and having a backup plan! If you want to avoid hurricanes all together, opt for an elopement date between late November and early April.

Avoiding Bugs

While bugs are typically all year long, Florida mosquitos and no-see-ums are most brutal in the summer. If you want to avoid bugs, plan for a late fall/winter elopement between late November and February. But if your elopement falls into bug season, consider that these bugs are worst at dawn/dusk. No-see-ums prefer sandy, coastal locations, whereas and mosquitos are everywhere. You can keep the no-see-ums at bay using Skin So Soft and mosquitos at bay with any bug spray.

Avoiding Crowds

Since Florida is a popular tourist destination all year long, there’s a few things you can do to avoid crowds:

• Choose an elopement date within off-season months (April through November)
• Elope on a weekday
• Get an early start at sunrise.
• Avoid major holidays and weekends.

Regardless of season, always check if there are any large events in your elopement location to avoid paying more for travel.

Where to Elope in Florida

Now that you know how to legally elope in Florida and you’ve picked a date, the next step is choosing where to elope in Florida! Whether you’re envisioning a laid-back beach day, adventuring in crystal clear blue springs, or exploring popular cities, Florida has something for everyone.

As a Florida elopement photographer, here are a few of my favorite:

• Florida Springs: Kelly Park Rock Springs in Apopka
• White Sand Beaches: Clearwater, St. Pete Beach, Rosemary Beach
• Tropical Paradise: Key West, Islamorada
• Historic Charm: Saint Augustine, Key West
• City/Urban Energy: Tampa, Orlando, Miami
• Intimate Coastal Towns: Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Stuart, Jupiter
• Brewery & Foodie Lovers: Tampa, St. Augustine, Orlando
• Epic Boating Days: Florida Keys, Key West, Fort Pierce

Want to see more locations? Read through my guide on where to elope in Florida!

No matter where you choose, remember that some spots might require permits for weddings or photography regardless of guest count. This is where working with a local Florida elopement photographer comes in handy since we can help with navigating these logistics.

Can You Elope on a Florida Beach?

Yes! You can absolutely elope on the beach in Florida. With hundreds of miles of coastline, you have endless location possibilities for your beach elopement. Read through the list of top beaches for your Florida elopement! Keep in mind that some beaches might require permits for weddings or photography regardless of guest count.

Are There Any Locations that Aren’t on the Beach?

Of course! There’s tons of spots that don’t involve sand. I’ve complied a list of unique Florida elopement locations that don’t involve the beach!

Unique Florida Elopement Ideas

Now that you’ve got a good game plan for your Florida elopement, it’s time to think of ways to up the ante and bring the adventure! With a never ending supply of warm weather, adventuring comes easy in this state. While you can read through my full guide on 50+ Florida Elopement Ideas, here are a few of my favorites:

• Get married at a spring head and kayak to the Emerald Cut
• Explore downtown Orlando and grab cocktails at a swanky bar
• Relive your first date and vacation together in Key West
• Go horseback riding on the beach followed by a luxury picnic
• Horsesback ride the Florida Cracker Trail ending the night campfire side playing card games and drinking hot toddies
• Visit some breweries, eat some sushi, and run through fountains
• Sunrise ceremony over the ocean followed by outfit change into swimsuits for fishing and shotgunning
• Rent a charter boat, pop champagne, then meet friends and family for brunch
• Visit Night of Lights during Christmas and drink martinis
• Play video games, eat pizza, and jump in a pool
• Island hop, mix cocktails, eat PubSubs, and jump in the water

As you can see, there’s endless opportunities to make your Florida elopement fun and exciting!

Florida Elopement Timelines

You now know the who, what, where, when, why, and how of eloping in Florida! Your next step is to figure how how the day will flow. Since your Florida elopement can be as epic as you want, you need to know how exactly does that look time wise? Below are examples of what you can include in a standard elopement package, but I highly recommend working with a Florida elopement photographer to help customize your timeline to your vision and logistics.

4-Hour Elopement

This type of coverage is best described as a highlight reel. It will include all the essential parts of the day: details and getting ready, ceremony, portraits, and a quick one to two hour adventure like celebratory cocktails, visiting a museum, or stopping for a distillery tour. This timeline is generally fast paced and great if you want something very simple.

6-Hour Elopement

This type of coverage is best for enjoying your activities and having buffer time. It will include all the major parts of your day like details and getting ready, ceremony, and portraits. But this length of coverage gives you more flexibility for your adventures. You could include a few quick adventures (like celebratory cocktails, visiting a museum, and stopping for a distillery tour) or opt for a longer adventure (like a sunset cruise). This timeline is perfect if you want to experience a bunch of different things or have more breathing room in your day.

8-Hour (or More) to Multi-Day Elopement

This type of coverage is best for a full day adventure. It will include all the major parts of your day like details and getting ready, ceremony, and portraits. But this length of coverage gives you more time for your adventures. You could include a bunch of adventures (like celebratory cocktails, visiting a museum, sunset cruise and stopping for a distillery tour). However, this timeline is best for having two days worth of adventures (like day one dedicated to you as a couple, then day two dedicated to celebrating with family and friends), long adventures like renting a yacht for the entire day for celebrating with friends and family, or kayaking the entire Emerald Cut after your ceremony.

Florida Elopement Photography Packages

If you’ve read through this and got excited to elope in Florida, but realized it’s still a ton of work, don’t worry! I’m here for you.

As a Florida elopement photographer, my mission is to help couples dream up and plan their most epic elopement day! From helping you find the perfect location for your ceremony to resources to help guide your way to countdown and packing checklists. I’m here for you every step of the way. An experience designed to keep you present on your elopement day and having the time of your life with your person.

That’ why every Florida elopement photography packages includes:

• Photography coverage to capture every fun adventure
• Planning guidance through recommendations, check ins, and checklists to keep you stress-free
• Custom timeline creation so you know when and where you need to be on your day
• Permit guidance so you don’t have to worry about getting kicked out during your ceremony
• Location recommendations from a local expert
• Vendor recommendations for florals, food, hair/makeup, and more so you don’t need to worry about googling a million things

Meet Your Florida Elopement Photographer