You see all the inspo, all the planning resources and all the posts saying “we eloped at the Indiana Statehouse”. But you want to see the real thing. The nitty gritty details of the Indiana Statehouse from start to finish. A real life elopement. The moments of seeing each other for the first time, the details of the ceremony, signing the marriage license and more.
I feel you! When researching and planning for your elopement, it can be hard to visualize what your day could look like by just looking at a few couples portraits.
In this blog you’ll get a real life elopement from start to finish at the Indiana Statehouse with resources to help you plan your own!
Let this blog post show you that there are endless possibilities when it comes to planning your elopement! Whether it’s a full day, half day, or just a few hours, you can truly make your day whatever you want!
6 Different Moments from a Real Life Elopement at the Indiana Statehouse
Getting Ready at Home
S and J chose to get ready at their home in Indianapolis prior to their elopement at the Indiana Statehouse. S went to get her hair and makeup done in the morning by Bridal and Glow by Em in Fishers and J got to chill around the house for the time being. They took their time getting ready and soaked up the moments with their dog and cat.
S put her dress (from The Wedding Loft) on in the spare bedroom while I documented the details in the gorgeous afternoon sun. Once dressed and ready, S and J did their first look in their backyard where they spend many hours together and love being at home with one another.
Family began to arrive as the party bus parked in the front yard. S did a first look with her father and then everyone boarded up to head downtown.
Transportation
S and J chose to transport everyone downtown because they just so happened to get married on the Final Championship game for basketball. (We had plan a, b and c ready for any traffic, weather, or building closures that might happen downtown). If you’re looking to elope on a weekend, you can find more pricing information about the Statehouse through their main website.
They shared special moments, had a drink to calm the nerves, and sat next to one another on the trip down. The energy was calm yet energized and excited.
Newlywed Portraits
Once we arrived at the Statehouse, family and friends made their way through security while S and J did some portraits around the building. We took a few family portraits prior to the ceremony and the rest after (because the marriage certificate was left on the bus- whoops!!!).
We ran around the 4th floor and documented the funny, tender, and sweet moments prior to their ceremony.
Just before the ceremony was to start, S and J signed their marriage license with Marry Me Indy to make everything official. Wooohooo!!!
The Ceremony
With the sun beaming through the atrium glass and surrounded by their closest friends and family, S and J had a 10 minute ceremony with a personalized script by Victoria. They exchanged rings, said the “I do’s” and had their first kiss as husband and wife.
Hugs were given and laughs were had.
When it comes to ceremonies at the Statehouse, both the North and South side are identical! So if you happen to be there when another couple is also getting married, chances are one of the sides is open!
Family Portraits
Following the ceremony we wrapped up our time at the Statehouse with family portraits and a few more couples portraits! With fewer than 15 people at your elopement, you can expect family photos to take less than 10 minutes! I always create a list beforehand and have it ready to go immediately following your ceremony. This streamlines the process and gets everyone to where they need to go after.
The family began to make their way back to the bus while S, J and I roamed around the Statehouse for a few more minutes. We took advantage of the empty building for photos on the famous staircase, elevator, and stained glass dome.
The Reception
When planning, it was decided that family and friends would take the bus to the reception dinner and S, J and I would walk so that they would have additional time for pictures.
They chose Harry and Izzy’s as their reception spot so it was a quick 10 minute walk. (And we actually beat the bus due to traffic).
Michigan and UConn fans were congratulating the couple as we walked through the streets of downtown before we arrived at their dinner reservation.
They chose to book the private room that comfortably fit everyone where they celebrated with drinks, apps, cake and of course the famous shrimp cocktail.
This is where my coverage time came to an end and they celebrated through the evening. Their elopement at the Indiana Statehouse was one of a kind and personalized to them. If you’re thinking about eloping at the Statehouse, contact me through my contact page to get started!
