I once helped a reporter write a piece on the top destination wedding spots in the United States. The reporter ranked Savannah as number 10 out of 15 and used many of the details I provided which made me really happy. However, the conversation with her made me want to write MY own list on why you should elope to Savannah or plan your intimate destination wedding here.
When you review the facts, you’ll see that we are actually the BEST wedding and elopement destination in the country.
1. Georgia’s Easy State Marriage Laws
Georgia has some of the easiest marriage laws in the country, if not the easiest of them all. This is important because you do not need to make travel plans that include extensive waiting periods, invite guests just to meet a witness requirement, or dig up a ton of documents for your application.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, our local courthouse does require setting up an appointment online to get your marriage license, but it’s easy to do with some advanced planning. Our laws do not require witnesses for your ceremony and you only need your government IDs as long as you have never been married before (if you have been previously married, you’ll also need a copy of your original certified divorce decree).
2. Beautiful Locations For Your Wedding or Elopement Pictures
If you have looked at our galleries, you know that we have AMAZING backgrounds for your photos. If you are eloping, you can have your ceremony and photos in one of our 22 historic squares, as well as in Forsyth Park and on Tybee Island, for free. We have trees, Spanish moss and historical buildings everywhere! Outdoor spaces like the Wormsloe Historic Site (more expensive) and Greenwich Park in Bonaventure Cemetery (less expensive) are also available for a fee.
3. Experience Good Weather All Year Long
While it is true that there are peak spring and fall months for wedding ceremonies and elopements in Savannah because of perfect temperatures and amazing azalea blooms, you can still elope here in the winter months of December, January and February or during the summer months of June, July and August and have an incredible day. The odds are in your favor that the weather will be just fine. Holiday weddings and summer vacation elopements are extremely popular for us!
4. Make Use Of Our Experienced Wedding Vendor Professional Community
In many cities, wedding professionals are only available on weekends or have minimum purchases for flowers, wedding hair and makeup services, or even desserts. Not in Savannah! Our officiants marry 350-425 couples annually and the majority of them take place during the week because of Savannah’s reputation for elopements. If you would like to take advantage of a quiet weekday to enjoy your elopement and be pampered, our makeup artists, floral designers, bakers, musicians and other vendors will be eager to help and give you the same level of service you would expect for a large weekend wedding.
5. Eat & Drink Your Way Through Your Elopement Week
Savannah is known for its incredible food and restaurants. We have Southern food and amazing seafood, from fancy to casual, as well as everything in between. Some of my favorites include The Olde Pink House, Vic’s On The River (my favorite shrimp & grits in the city), Local 11Ten (splurge on the chef’s tasting), and The Grey, the recipient of many prestigious national awards. For more casual fare, you can also fit in some delicious grass-fed burgers at Green Truck, breakfast at Clary’s, and lunch at Mrs. Wilkes’.
Savannah also has liberal drinking laws and our restaurants and bars offer our drinks “to-go” in clear plastic cups. You can drink alcohol while you’re walking anywhere north of Forsyth Park (most of downtown Savannah). It is an incredibly relaxing and liberating experience to stroll around our squares on a sunny day, sipping a cocktail and toasting this new chapter of your lives.
6. Explore Our City … Without a Car
Savannah’s historic district is completely walkable and includes walking tours, trolley tours, carriage rides, and more. You can get a full week of entertainment and activity without a car and getting bored. We also have pedicabs and Uber, Lyft, and taxis to get around if you need them. One of the best things about getting away for a vacation is not having to worrying about your vehicle, parking, or following maps while driving!
We also use our Royal Bike Taxi pedicab to help us get our couples around to so many amazing photo locations in the historic district.
7. Extend Your Trip and Travel the Coast from Charleston to Jacksonville
Savannah is in the heart of a beautiful strip of coastal towns and cities that extends two hours north to Charleston, SC and two hours South to Jacksonville, FL. Rent a car for just a few days while you are here and explore each way, viewing sites like Beaufort County, the Sea Islands, Huntington State Park, and Folly Beach to the north, and Jekyll Island, St. Simon’s Island, Cumberland Island, and Amelia Island to the south. There is nothing better than an adventure to celebrate your new married life.
To recap, Savannah is a great place for you say I Do. The only remaining question is when are y’all booking your elopement package with us?!?!
Until next time,
