St. Augustine Elopement Packages: A Real Guide to Eloping in Florida's Oldest City

If you're thinking about eloping in St. Augustine, you've already got great taste. This city has a way of making an intimate ceremony feel genuinely special — cobblestone streets, Spanish colonial architecture, the Matanzas Bay glittering in the background — without you having to manufacture any of it. It's just there.

We're Rob and Jill Futrell, and we've photographed a lot of intimate ceremonies around St. Augustine. We're not an all-inclusive elopement company, but we know this city well, and we get asked about the whole process constantly. So here's what we actually tell couples when they reach out: the honest, practical version.

Legal Requirements and Step-by-Step Licensing Process

Before anything else — before you book a photographer, a florist, or a carriage ride — you need a Florida marriage license. Here's the straightforward version of how that works.

Getting Your Florida Marriage License

You can get your license from any county clerk's office in Florida, which is genuinely convenient if you're traveling from out of state. You don't have to get it in St. Johns County just because you're getting married in St. Augustine. That said, if you're already in town, the St. Johns County Clerk of Court handles it locally.

A few things to know going in:

• Both people need to appear in person at the clerk's office.
• Bring a valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport).
• If you've been married before, you'll need the date your previous marriage ended.
• There is no blood test requirement in Florida.
• The license is valid for 60 days from the date it's issued.
• Florida residents have a 3-day waiting period after the license is issued before the ceremony can take place. Non-Florida residents are exempt from the waiting period, so if you're coming from out of state, you can legally marry the same day you get the license.

Who Can Legally Marry You

Florida is pretty flexible here. Ordained ministers, notaries public, and certain civil officials can all perform legal ceremonies. Many elopement packages include an officiant — just confirm that whoever is performing your ceremony is legally authorized in Florida before you finalize anything.

Location Permits

If you're planning a ceremony on a public beach or in a city park in St. Augustine, you may need a permit. Requirements vary depending on the specific location and the size of your gathering. It's worth a quick call to the relevant city or county office to confirm. Some elopement coordinators handle this for you, which is one legitimate reason to consider working with a local planner.

Popular Elopement Locations in St. Augustine — and What to Know About Each

Part of what makes St. Augustine such a good fit for elopements is the sheer variety of settings packed into a small geographic footprint. You can get married on a beach, in a historic courtyard, at the edge of the bay, or in a quiet garden — often within a few minutes of each other.

Beach Ceremonies

St. Augustine Beach and the surrounding Atlantic coastline are popular for obvious reasons. The light in the morning and around sunset is genuinely beautiful for photos. Practically speaking, you'll want to check whether the specific beach access point you're eyeing requires a permit for ceremonies. Guest counts at beach elopements tend to stay small — usually somewhere in the range of two to ten people — both by preference and sometimes by permit restriction.

One logistical note: beach ceremonies require more setup coordination. Wind, sand, and tides are real factors. If you're planning on any decor — an arch, florals, fabric — you need people who've done this before and know how to anchor things properly.

Historic Downtown Locations

The historic district of St. Augustine has a concentration of B&Bs and inns with private courtyards, gardens, and gazebos that work beautifully for small ceremonies. Many of these properties accommodate intimate elopements for their guests, sometimes as part of a lodging package. If you're considering a specific inn or historic property, reach out to them directly — policies vary quite a bit, and some have relationships with local officiants and coordinators.

The streets of downtown St. Augustine themselves make for great photo backdrops before or after a ceremony. Flagler College, the Castillo de San Marcos area, and the Bridge of Lions are all within easy walking or driving distance of each other.

Bayfront Settings

The Matanzas Bay waterfront offers a different feel — more open, with wide views and that classic Florida coastal light. It's worth knowing that some bayfront locations are public spaces and may have their own permit requirements or logistical considerations around foot traffic.

What's Typically Included in St. Augustine Elopement Packages

Elopement packages in St. Augustine vary a lot depending on who you book and what level of service you're looking for. From what we've seen, packages generally fall into a few tiers.

Entry-Level Packages

At the more accessible end, you're typically looking at a ceremony officiant, basic florals (a bouquet and maybe a boutonniere), and sometimes a small cake. Photography may or may not be included — if it's listed as included, look closely at how many hours and what the deliverables are.

Mid-Range and All-Inclusive Options

More comprehensive packages tend to bundle together the officiant, ceremony coordination, photography for a set number of hours, florals, a small cake, champagne in keepsake flutes, and basic decor like a floral arch or backdrop. Some include help with the marriage license process or a planning session to walk you through logistics.

Add-ons we see couples frequently consider include videography, upgraded florals, horse-drawn carriage transportation (which St. Augustine is well known for — it's a genuinely fun way to move through the historic district), and dinner reservations at a nice restaurant for after the ceremony.

A Note on Pricing

We're photographers, not elopement coordinators, so we're not going to quote specific package prices here — those change, and what's accurate today may not be accurate when you're reading this. What we will say is that eloping in St. Augustine can be done for significantly less than a traditional wedding while still feeling intentional and personal. Do your research, get itemized quotes, and make sure you understand exactly what's included before you commit.

Planning Timeline and Day-Of Logistics

One thing we've noticed: couples who have a clear plan for the day enjoy it a lot more. Elopements feel relaxed when someone has thought through the logistics ahead of time. Here's a rough framework for how the planning process tends to work.

Several Months Out

• Decide on your general vision — beach, historic downtown, inn courtyard, etc.
• Research and book your photographer first if photography is a priority (good photographers book up).
• If you're using an elopement coordinator or all-inclusive package, book that early too.
• If a specific inn or private venue is part of your plan, check availability and policies.

A Few Weeks Out

• Confirm your Florida marriage license timeline. If you're Florida residents, remember the 3-day waiting period — plan accordingly.
• Finalize your ceremony details: vows, any readings, music.
• Confirm permits if needed for your chosen location.
• Make dinner reservations for the evening if you want somewhere special afterward.

The Week Of

• Get your marriage license.
• Confirm times and meeting points with all vendors.
• Do a weather check and have a loose backup plan if you're doing an outdoor ceremony (Florida weather is unpredictable).

Day Of

Build in more time than you think you need between getting ready, traveling to your ceremony location, and the ceremony itself. St. Augustine's historic district has parking quirks and occasional pedestrian traffic that can slow things down. Your photographer and coordinator will likely have specific timing recommendations based on light and your chosen location — listen to them. The couples we've worked with who stay relaxed on the day are usually the ones who gave themselves breathing room in the schedule.

After the ceremony, use the city. Walk the streets, grab a drink, find a quiet corner of the bay. St. Augustine rewards slow exploration, and your wedding day is a genuinely good excuse to actually do that.

Local Tips and Post-Ceremony Ideas

Timing Your Ceremony for the Best Light

If photos matter to you — and they probably do, or you wouldn't be reading a photographer's website — consider timing your ceremony for the hour or two before sunset. The light in St. Augustine during that window is warm and soft, and the historic district looks its best. Early morning works well too, especially on the beach before the crowds arrive.

Horse-Drawn Carriages

St. Augustine has a long history with horse-drawn carriage tours, and several companies offer private carriage experiences that work well as a post-ceremony celebration or a way to travel between locations. It's a genuinely fun detail that fits the city's character without feeling forced.

Dinner and Celebrating Afterward

Downtown St. Augustine has a solid restaurant scene. If you want to do a nice dinner after your ceremony, make reservations in advance — the popular spots fill up, especially on weekends. We'd recommend asking your local coordinator or your inn for suggestions based on what you're in the mood for; they'll know what's actually worth it right now.

Staying in the Historic District

If you can swing it, staying in a historic inn in the downtown area adds a lot to the experience. Waking up the morning after your ceremony and being able to walk to breakfast and wander the old city without a car is a different pace than most couples are used to, and in a good way.

How We Fit Into Your Elopement Plan

We're Rob and Jill — we're photographers based in St. Augustine, and this is the city we know well. We don't sell all-inclusive elopement packages ourselves, but we do photograph intimate ceremonies and elopements, and we're happy to talk through what we've seen work (and what hasn't) when couples are planning.

If you're looking for a photographer who actually knows these streets, understands the light at different times of day, and isn't going to make your elopement feel like a production — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out and tell us what you're thinking. We'll give you a straight answer on whether we're a good fit.