What to Wear to a Courthouse Wedding, City Hall or ROM Ceremony

What to wear to a courthouse wedding

For a courthouse or city hall wedding, most brides choose a white, ivory or cream dress that falls between the knee and the ankle: simpler than a full wedding gown, easy to sit and stand in, and refined enough for close-up photographs. Some choose a soft color instead and save white for a later celebration.

The same occasion goes by several names: a courthouse or city hall wedding in the US, a civil or registry wedding elsewhere, and a ROM in Singapore and Malaysia. The advice below works for all of them.

What a courthouse ceremony is like

A civil ceremony is short and practical: vows or a declaration, signatures, witnesses, often an exchange of rings, and then usually a lunch or dinner with close family. Rules on licenses, witnesses and booking vary by state, county and country, so check with the office that will marry you.

Some couples treat it as their only wedding; others hold it weeks or months before a larger celebration, often with an engagement photo shoot in between. Guests can follow our guide to what to wear to a wedding as a guest.

How formal should a courthouse wedding outfit be?

That depends on the role the day plays in your story.

• If it is your only ceremony, dress fully as a bride: a long dress, a veil if you wish, and the details you would want on a wedding day.
• If a larger wedding follows, a lighter, shorter dress keeps each occasion distinct. A midi with one standout detail tends to feel right.
• In a registry office or a city clerk's room, the space is small and the ceremony brief. A dress that is easy to walk in, sit down in and stand up from is worth more than a long train.

Choosing the length

A midi length, below the knee, is the most popular choice. It looks bridal without feeling ceremonial, works with heels or flats, and is practical if you are moving between the ceremony, a car and a restaurant. Ankle length adds formality while still clearing the floor, and floor length suits a ceremony at a hotel or in a garden.

White, ivory or color?

White remains the classic choice. Ivory and cream are softer, often more flattering in daylight, and photograph with warmth. If your family has its own traditions, a soft color can be just as right: some brides wear red or pink for the civil ceremony to honor family custom and keep white for the wedding. Butter yellow, pale pink and powder blue all look gentle in photographs.

Dressing for the photographs

Much of a courthouse wedding is photographed at close range: the signing table, the exchange of rings, a portrait with parents, the steps outside. That changes what matters.

• The neckline frames your face in almost every image. A square, off-the-shoulder or sweetheart line keeps the focus there.
• Texture and fine detail read well up close: covered buttons, ruffles, appliqué, a sculpted bodice.
• A defined waist gives shape to seated photographs, which are more common at a civil ceremony than at a church wedding.
• Plain colors age better in photographs than busy prints.

Choose shoes you have already walked in, and keep a small kit for the day: blotting papers and a needle and thread.

Courthouse wedding dresses from LARMES

• The Peony Dress is a white A-line dress with floral ruffles at the bust, a classic civil ceremony dress for a midi-length look.
• The Cicely Dress in White brings modern minimalism together with sculptural draping, a quieter choice for a bride who likes clean lines.
• The Abigail Dress is a white midi with a gently fitted silhouette and a sheer cape, made for formal occasions and marriage ceremonies.
• The Katherine Dress in Cream is a sleeveless cream midi with lacing down the front of the bodice.
• The Liara Dress in Butter Cream is a floor-length evening gown with a lightly structured corset bodice, for a ceremony at a hotel or in a garden where this is the main event.
• The Dakota Dress in Pink is an off-the-shoulder midi, for a bride who would rather keep white for the wedding.
• The LARMES Shawl is a draped cape fastened with a gold-tone brooch, useful over an off-the-shoulder dress in an air-conditioned room or a place of worship.

If you say ROM: Singapore and Malaysia

In Singapore and Malaysia, "ROM" is everyday shorthand for the legal registration of a marriage, and a ROM dress is what the bride wears for it. The name comes from Singapore's Registry of Marriages; couples there can hold the solemnisation at the Registry or at a venue of their choice with a licensed solemniser. In Malaysia, many couples also say ROM for the civil registration of a non-Muslim marriage with the National Registration Department (JPN), at a JPN office or at a registered temple, church or association hall.

Both countries are warm and humid outside and often very cool indoors. For an outdoor solemnisation, choose a light, breathable fabric and a skirt with some air in it, and bring a shawl or a cropped jacket for air-conditioned rooms. If the registration takes place at a temple or church, check whether the venue expects covered shoulders.

Ordering from the US, Canada, Singapore or Malaysia

Standard sizes are S, M and L, and many designs also come in XL. A standard size can be adjusted at the bust, waist and hip, or a piece can be made in a custom size from your measurements: here is how to measure yourself for a dress, and our size guide gives every size in inches and centimeters. The model in our photos is 168 cm (5 ft 6 in) tall and wears a size S.

Every piece is made to order in our Ho Chi Minh City atelier. Order at least six weeks ahead for a standard size and eight weeks for a custom size: making takes about 7 to 10 days (15 to 20 for a custom size), and international delivery usually takes 7 to 20 business days. If you might need to exchange a size, order earlier still.

Orders to the US and Canada may be charged import duties or taxes on delivery, which are not included at checkout; see our shipping policy. We offer exchanges rather than refunds. In Ho Chi Minh City you can book a fitting at our store; please contact us before you visit.

See the full edit in our civil wedding and engagement dresses.