If you’re thinking about a Halifax Courthouse Wedding, or a Courthouse wedding anywhere else in Nova Scotia, you probably aren’t dreaming about a ballroom, 150 guests, a seating chart, and six months of choosing centrepieces.
Maybe you just want to get married. Keep it simple. Keep it meaningful. Keep the whole thing from becoming 67 times more complicated than it needs to be.
A Halifax courthouse wedding can absolutely do that. Halifax and Nova Scotia have all the same rules and regulations for a Courthouse Wedding.
But here’s the thing. You can have the simplicity of a courthouse wedding without actually spending your wedding day inside a courthouse.
You could get married on a beach. On an Atlantic cliff. In a quiet forest. On a mountain trail. Somewhere along the coast where the only people around are the ones you actually invited.
And honestly? That sounds pretty damn good.
What Is a Halifax Courthouse Wedding?
A Nova Scotia or Halifax courthouse wedding is a civil wedding ceremony performed by an authorized Nova Scotia officiant, such as a Justice of the Peace.
For courthouse ceremonies in the Halifax Regional Municipality, the Courts of Nova Scotia currently ask couples to call 902-424-3990 to arrange a ceremony. If you are in another area, you need to contact your local Court.
The current Nova Scotia courthouse civil wedding fee is $120.
You’ll also need a Nova Scotia marriage licence, which currently costs $132.70 and is valid for three months.
If you want to hire a Justice of Peace to marry you outside a courthouse, the cost is also $200 and an additional $100 for a rehearsal if this is wanted. You still need to get a marriage license as well.
Basically, the courthouse option is for couples thinking:
“We want to be legally married without making this a whole thing.”
And that’s completely valid.
The important part is remembering that getting legally married and having your wedding day don’t have to be the same thing.
How to Get Married at a Halifax Courthouse
(or any other courthouse in Nova Scotia)
1. Get Your Nova Scotia Marriage Licence
Before your ceremony, you’ll need a marriage licence from Access Nova Scotia.
The licence is valid for three months, so you don’t need to get it ridiculously far in advance.
2. Arrange Your Civil Ceremony
Contact the appropriate courthouse to arrange your ceremony and confirm the details, including availability, fees, and what you’ll need to bring.
3. Bring Your Witnesses
Nova Scotia requires two witnesses who are at least 16 years old to be present for the marriage ceremony.
4. Get Married
That’s it.
You show up. You have your ceremony. You sign the paperwork. You’re legally married.
Which sounds pretty appealing when the alternative is spending a year planning a wedding you never actually wanted.
But then comes the question:
What do you want to happen next?
What Happens After a Courthouse Wedding?
This is where courthouse weddings can sometimes feel a little… anticlimactic.
You have your ceremony.
You sign the paperwork.
Someone says congratulations.
And then you might find yourself thinking:
“Okay… now what?”
Maybe you go for lunch. Maybe you head back to your hotel. Maybe you go home and change out of your wedding clothes.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But what if the courthouse ceremony was just the legal beginning?
What if you got married in the morning, then went somewhere incredible to actually experience your wedding day?
That’s where an elopement becomes a pretty fantastic alternative.
You Don’t Actually Need a Courthouse to Have a Simple Wedding
One of the biggest misconceptions about elopements is that they’re somehow more complicated than courthouse weddings.
They don’t have to be.
You can still have:
- Two people
- Two witnesses
- A simple ceremony
- No guest list
- No seating chart
- No centrepieces
- No giant wedding production
The difference is where your wedding actually happens.
Instead of:
Courthouse → lunch → home
You could have:
Getting ready → private ceremony → ocean cliffs → picnic → champagne → sunset portraits → dinner
Same tiny wedding. Very different day.
Courthouse Wedding vs. Nova Scotia Elopement
| Courthouse Wedding | Nova Scotia Elopement |
|---|---|
| Simple | Simple |
| Small | Small |
| Legally meaningful | Legally meaningful |
| Minimal planning | Intentional planning |
| Courthouse setting | Beautiful Location that’s free |
| Short ceremony | Ceremony + An Experience |
| A few photographs | A gallery full of photos documenting your day |
| Indoor Ceremony is the main event | Ceremony + an adventure + picnic + whatever you want! |
A Nova Scotia or Halifax courthouse wedding is primarily about getting married.
An elopement is about experiencing your wedding day.
Neither is wrong.
But if the traditional wedding thing sounds like too much, there’s a pretty good chance you’re actually an elopement person.
What If You Want a Nova Scotia or Halifax Courthouse Wedding but Also Want Beautiful Photos?
You don’t have to choose one or the other.
You could have your courthouse ceremony and then make the rest of the day completely your own.
Get married in the morning.
Put on the outfits you actually wanted to wear.
Grab coffee.
Head somewhere beautiful.
Go for a walk.
Spend a few hours with your photographer documenting the day.
Have an amazing dinner.
You don’t even have to think of the courthouse as your wedding venue.
It can simply be the legal part of your wedding day.
Why Elope Somewhere Beautiful Instead?
Because you don’t need a guest list.
You don’t need to spend months planning a party for everyone else.
You don’t need to worry about whether your aunt’s cousin’s neighbour will enjoy the centrepieces.
And you definitely don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on things you don’t care about.
You can throw all of that directly into the ocean.
Preferably while standing beside it!
Nova Scotia has a ridiculous number of places where you can turn a simple wedding into something that actually feels like you.
Places to Elope Instead of Having a Halifax Courthouse Wedding
If you’re already thinking, “Okay, but where would we actually go?” Nova Scotia gives you an insane amount of options. And you don’t have to drive halfway across the province to find somewhere beautiful.
Peggy’s Cove
Yes, it’s iconic. And yes, it’s worth considering.
The granite coastline, crashing Atlantic waves, and unmistakably Nova Scotian landscape make Peggy’s Cove a beautiful option for couples who want dramatic coastal scenery without a huge adventure.
Crystal Crescent
Want a beach without committing to a full Cape Breton road trip?
Crystal Crescent gives you white sand, rocky coastline, ocean views, and a little more room to breathe. It’s a great option for a relaxed coastal elopement close to Halifax.
Clam Harbour
For something a little more windswept and wild, Clam Harbour Beach offers a beautiful stretch of Atlantic coastline without feeling quite as polished.
Kick off your shoes, let the wind do whatever it wants with your hair, and call it part of the aesthetic.
Hirtle’s Beach
This one is more of an adventure.
Think Hirtle’s Beach, quiet coastal roads, colourful fishing villages, rocky shorelines, and little stops along the way.
Build your whole wedding day around exploring instead of simply arriving at a ceremony location.
Cape Breton
Scenery turned all the way up.
Dramatic cliffs, winding roads, ocean views, and stopping approximately 69 times because, “WAIT, LOOK AT THAT.”
This is proper adventure territory.
Burntcoat Head
Want something completely different?
The Bay of Fundy offers the world’s highest tides, dramatic coastal landscapes, and some seriously weird rock formations.
It’s a pretty incredible place to say your vows and explore afterward.
OR…Somewhere Nobody Else Knows About
You don’t need a famous landmark or Instagram-famous beach. Sometimes the best location is a quiet place where you can actually hear each other say your vows.
That’s where having someone who knows Nova Scotia can make a difference.
There are beaches, trails, waterfalls, cliffs, forests, and little corners of the province that don’t always show up on Google.
And that’s exactly why I put together a much bigger list of places to elope throughout the province.
The Full Guide: Where to Elope in Nova Scotia
If you’re not sure which part of the province feels like you, start there. Then we can figure out the rest together.
How Much Does a Nova Scotia Elopement Cost Compared With a Courthouse Wedding?
This is where it’s important to separate the cost of getting legally married from the cost of creating an entire wedding day.
A Halifax courthouse ceremony currently costs $200, plus your $132.70 marriage licence.
An elopement can cost more because you’re potentially adding things like:
- Photography
- Planning
- Location scouting
- An officiant
- Flowers
- Hair and makeup
- Accommodation
- Transportation
- Activities
- Dinner
- Adventure experiences
But you’re also getting something completely different. You aren’t simply paying to sign a piece of paper. Also, add in as little or as much as you want. You can do your own makeup, skip the flowers, and stay close to home if you want to keep it simple!
You’re creating a day you actually want to remember.
What I Would Do If I Were Planning a Tiny Wedding in Halifax
I’d start by asking one question:
What do I actually want my wedding day to feel like?
Quiet?
Adventurous?
Romantic?
Private?
Weird?
Outside?
Urban?
Maybe you don’t want a big wedding. Maybe you don’t even want a traditional wedding.
Maybe you just want to marry your favourite person somewhere beautiful, eat something delicious, take some incredible photos, and go home ridiculously happy.
In that case, I’d keep it small.
Keep it simple. Keep the planning low-stress. And make the actual experience feel like the wedding.
A Courthouse Wedding Can Be the Beginning, Not the Whole Story
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a Halifax courthouse wedding.
If you want a quick, affordable, uncomplicated way to legally get married, it can be perfect.
But if you’re searching for a courthouse wedding because you want something simple, private, and meaningful, you might actually be looking for permission to do things differently.
You don’t have to stand in a courthouse and think:
“Well, I guess that’s our wedding.”
You can get legally married somewhere simple, then spend the rest of the day doing whatever the hell you want.
Stand on a cliff.
Run into the ocean.
Eat cake in your car.
Hike somewhere ridiculous.
Drink champagne on a beach.
Stop at every scenic pull-off because you can’t help yourselves.
And eventually look at each other and think:
“Holy shit. We actually get to do this here.”
That’s an elopement.
Ready for Something Better Than a Courthouse?
If you’re considering a Nova Scotia courthouse wedding but wondering if there’s a way to make the day feel a little more you, let’s talk.
I help couples plan intimate, adventure-filled wedding days throughout Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada, from finding the right location to building a timeline that gives you room to actually enjoy the day.
The slow mornings.
The ridiculous views.
The happy tears.
The bad dance moves.
The spontaneous roadside stops.
The “holy shit, we’re married” moment.
All of it. You don’t have to choose between a simple wedding and an unforgettable one.
You can have both.
Inquire about your Nova Scotia elopement
More Nova Scotia Elopement Resources
Free Places to Elope in Nova Scotia
What It’s Like to Elope in Nova Scotia
So, what do you actually want your wedding day to feel like?
Hey, I’m Sebrina
I’m a Nova Scotia elopement photographer and planner who helps couples create meaningful, adventure-filled elopement experiences throughout Nova Scotia’s wild, untamed landscapes. And yep, that includes Cape Breton Island!
want some free elopement planning help?
Pages on pages of elopement tips, tricks, inspiration and more for an incredible wilderness elopement experience
