A few years ago people were surprised when Saint Paul was named by USA Today as “the most romantic getaway city in North America.” Saint Paul’s surprise victory was predicated in no small part to the historic architecture that adds a romantic backdrop to any downtown scene. With its own stately architecture, it logically flows that the Ramsey County Courthouse offers a lovely setting for an otherwise informal civil wedding ceremony. June is the perfect month to be aware of its possibility as the venue for any upcoming nuptuals in your life.
In Ramsey County, marriage licenses are handled by the Department of Vital Records. You must apply in person for your license at their office in the Ramsey County Public Health Center. If your marriage plans include name change, you can also access the needed information and forms. Then you are ready to consult this generous list of Second District judges who would be honored to perform your courthouse wedding ceremony. (You should call your desired judge and ask what their fee for this service is, since it varies from judge to judge.) Notice that most of them are just as happy to perform offsite ceremonies, if you prefer, but the point is that there is no extra charge to use this elegant downtown venue! Depending on the time of day, there is also the free service of beaming courthouse staff smiling and offering their congratulations as they leave work for the day. Convenient access to downtown restaurants and hotels for celebrating afterward are also part of the “most romantic getaway city.”
See how one Ramsey County Courthouse wedding was beautifully showcased on a wedding planning blog. If you still need convincing, google “Ramsey courthouse wedding” to see dozens of couples taking advantage of the historic architectural-marvel-of-a-courthouse for their big day!
