What to expect for an elopement in Fayetteville, North Carolina

Hello There! I am sure if you found this post you are just like me! I was searching for answers on what the process was like to elope and how it works.

I was so anxious going into it without knowing what was going on. Because well it was my first time getting married! (like most people in my position!) Well, I will tell you and it is not as scary as all the of the other post make it seem.

First I am going to tell you what you need to do this is a full detail step by step for Cumberland Country Weddings specifically!

1. Find your soulmate! I am sure this one is a given but make sure that you are 100% sure this is the person you want to marry! Marriage is really fun and amazing but comes with a lot more responsibility and it takes time and effort to show up for that other person and be their spouse! As divorce lawyers say getting married is easy getting divorced is HARD!

2. Oh good you are totally in love and ready for the next step! Fill out an online Marriage application which can be found here. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the application! This will make your life a lot easier when you get to the courthouse since they have already processed all of your information! Make sure you go to the Office within 15 days of completing the application!

3. Make an appointment at the Vital Statistics area of the Cumberland County Register of Deeds office. (117 Dick Street, Fayetteville, NC  —  Room 114) BOTH of you need to be there, this is were they will check your social security cards, license, etc. More information here. This is also where your online application was sent so they already have you on file!

   • Things I brought: License, Social Security Cards, Birth Certificate, and my Passport!

4. Once you go in for your appointment you will go through a fun metal detector at the courthouse. Go straight and you will get to a desk were you have the option to turn left or right! Turn left and it is at the end of the hallway on the right! 🙂 They had us sign a few documents and double check all of our information and we had to pay a fee of $60 this can be cash or card!

5. After that they give you a receipt and you can go get married!

   • Now if you are wanting just a courthouse marriage they do not do it in that building. You will have to head across the street to the Detention Center! (I know, I know just let me explain!)

6. Option 1: Alright so you want to straight up elope, now you will go to Cumberland County Detention Center, 204 Gillespie Street, Fayetteville, NC. In Cumberland County you get married here because this county is called the county of love. Therefore, officials did not want to limit when two people could get married. This building is the only federal building open 24/7! I read horror stories of this place thinking I was going to be walking past bad people and I was going to get married behind a bullet proof glass. To my excitement none of those things came true!

   • This isn’t the only option though! Keep reading for more ideas!

7. You walk into the Detention Center and go through a metal detector and then you put all of your belongings into a locker. There are no phones or cameras allowed inside for you to take photos. You then have to pay $50 in cash for them to marry you. They bring you and your partner into a little room that looks like a small court room! Make sure you bring two witnesses! Then the man preforms a ceremony, we exchanged rings and said vows to each other!

   1. My recommendation is to have a photographer take some photos of you before or after your ceremony to remember the day! I like to use the witnesses to create the look of an outdoor elopement! Picture added of some downtown shots of couples that did this.

8. Option 2: Okay so detention center doesn’t sound great to you, you have other options! I have done this for a few people and it was very successful and fun. Have a friend become ordained online! YES it is possible and legal in NC! (We used this website for other weddings!) Then make sure you still have two witnesses, your ordained minister and I always recommend a photographer! I have a few beautiful local locations up my sleeve that I take clients for this! Pictures below.

9. YOU ARE MARRIED!! CONGRATS! Welcome to the best time of your lives!

I hope this article helped you in some way! Please let me know if it does I would love to hear about your love story! Mine is in another blog post here if you want to read it!