Courthouse Ceremony—5 Stress-Free Casual Reception Ideas

Civil ceremonies take place in a courthouse according to municipal, county or state regulations, depending on the specific state.

It may also be officiated by a magistrate, country clerk judge, notary public, court clerk or justice of the peace. The official who performs the legal ceremony represents the jurisdiction to which they are assigned and employed.

A courthouse ceremony can be memorable and have a less formal atmosphere than ornate religious ceremonies.

Most of the planning for a courthouse ceremony depends on the procedures of the specific legal jurisdiction. Note in states like NJ and NV, you can be married within 24 hours of the time you filed a marriage license application in Atlantic City or Las Vegas. Each state has different courthouse ceremony procedures and regulations. Plan your reception accordingly. Once your courthouse ceremony is over, it is time to plan a stress-free, casual reception.

Courthouse Ceremony to a Stress-Free Casual Reception

In keeping with the casual atmosphere of a courthouse ceremony, there are five stress-free casual reception ideas to consider. Be mindful of the location and proximity of the ceremony to the reception site. The five ideas include:

• Casual catering that can deliver to a park, beach, or local scenic landmark.
• A reception location representative of the couple’s favorite sport or hobby such as a reception at golf country club. In most country clubs, private party rooms are readily available for casual receptions.
• Rent a yacht and boat captain for the reception complete with dining accommodations and a scenic evening sail.
• Boardwalk casino receptions are ideal for a stress-free casual reception since most boardwalk casinos offer private party room rentals.
• Backyard or patio receptions with BBQ menu is easy to arrange. Rent or borrow tables and chairs from a local church for seating, tables and other furnishings. Use slow cookers for roasts and borrow a smoker for stress-free home cooked meal for your small gathering.

Don’t forget many public sites also allow rental of private rooms for casual wedding receptions. These include museums and live theater sites. Museums offer guests museum tours.

Dinner theaters are a great way for guests to enjoy a casual wine tasting with a full compliment of hors d’oeuvres and a French patisserie with elegant desserts like Crown of St. Honore or mille-feuille. Book a matinee for your reception and enjoy the theater’s bar and menus.

One dessert in particular that is excellent for a wedding is Croquembouche, an extraordinary tower of chou pastries held together by gleaming threads of caramel. These can be ordered from any bakery if the dinner theater doesn’t already offer them from their patisserie.

Whether you choose a backyard, restaurant, museum, yacht, country club for sports people or dinner theater, minimize the amount of time and planning to enjoy a stress-free casual reception after the courthouse ceremony.