As a Miami wedding photographer, I’ve seen and been part of all kinds of weddings. From deeply intimate backyard affairs to grand celebrations with guests from all over the world, and everything in between.
But when a couple connects with me and leads with “we want epic and chic downtown Miami photos before our civil ceremony”, I know we are in for a treat.
There’s just nothing like the energy and excitement of a city elopement.
A Chic Miami Courthouse Wedding Portrait Session
But capturing chic portraits in a public, historic space that’s right in the heart of Downtown Miami requires a little bit of planning and strategy. If you are here because you’re planning your own courthouse wedding or Downtown Miami photo session, here’s what you should know
PLANNING YOUR MIAMI COURTHOUSE PHOTO SESSION: LOGISTICS
1. Timing and Light
First things first, time of day is super important primarily because of lighting. For the most ideal lighting situations, the best options would be an hour and a half before the courthouse opens or an hour and a half before the sunset. This gives us softer light to work with, no squinting eyes and no harsh shadows awkwardly cutting across the architecture.
And while we are on the subject of timing and light, this brings us to the next major thing to consider: the insane Florida heat.
If you are getting hair and makeup professionally done or if you simply don’t want to melt in our year-round summer temperatures, I will always recommend an early morning session or late afternoon, as close to sunset as possible.
2. Navigating Downtown Parking
Downtown street parking can be tricky and stressful in any city which is why I always advise
my couples to plan on an early arrival to secure a nearby metered parking spot before the downtown rush begins.
There are convenient parking lots directly across from the courthouse, but they can be in the $25 range and are heavily monitored by cameras for overtime violations (ask me how I know!).
Make sure the PaybyPhone app is on your phone so you can instantly pay for and extend your parking session if needed.
3. Keep Your Outfits Intentional
Because this is a historic public space, there isn’t a private spot for you to go in for a full outfit change (unless it’s your car).
If you are hoping for two looks, I recommend strategizing your outfits and leaning into accessories, like blazers, jackets, a chic scarf or cape, sunglasses, a bouquet –anything goes! Just keep in mind we’ll be moving around within the location quite a bit so you may want to avoid carrying heavy bags around.
And if you’ve made it to the end of this blog post highlighting my latest Miami Courthouse wedding photo session and would like to connect about your own, I’d love to hear from you
And if you are on socials, you can find me on Instagram here
