Chicago Elopement on New Year’s Eve | Anthony + Wright

New Year’s Eve was the perfect day for Anthony and Wright’s Chicago elopement! 22 is Wright’s lucky number, and Wright is obsessed with New Year’s Eve, so they eloped at the Chicago courthouse on the last day of 2022! Something I LOVE about elopements is that you can truly make the day whatever it is you want it to be. For Anthony and Wright, that meant having their ceremony privately, with just the two of them, and then celebrating by getting photos at and around City Hall. They also incorporated meaningful old, new, borrowed, and blue charms, as well as Earth, wind, fire, and water charms. Wright sported a sequin suit jacket, which was perfect for NYE! Their Chicago elopement was truly so special, and it was obvious they were so in love.

How to Have Your Chicago Elopement at City Hall

To obtain your marriage license, you both must be present at one of the six Cook County Clerk’s Office locations to complete the marriage license application. You can save time by beginning the process online. The marriage license costs $60, and it’s valid for up to 60 days.

Once you have your marriage license, you can get married at the Marriage and Civil Union Court in City Hall. Ceremonies are held Monday-Saturday (excluding holidays) by a Cook County judge. The service is $10, making it a super affordable option for couples looking to elope in Chicago. You do not need a witness, however, up to 15 guests can join you.

Anthony + Wright’s Love Story

Anthony and Wright met in Logan Square in October 2015. Wright and Anthony grabbed coffee and tea, respectively, at New Wave, and then moved on to having drinks at Longman & Eagle. Finally, they finished the night with a midnight horror movie at The Logan Theatre. They are both creatives – Wright is a singer-songwriter and Anthony is a flash-fiction and poetry writer, which means they both love weaving stories together. Wright remembers truly realizing that Anthony was his forever man when they attended the Blue Ox Music Festival in the summer of 2016, even though Anthony had told Wright that he loved him 6 months prior when he was hopped up on cold medicine! Marriage was always something that would come someday for the two of them, but there was never a pressure to do it quickly.

Anthony got down on one knee in the Smokey Mountains after a full day riding roller coasters at Dollywood, taking Wright completely by surprise! Every year, they celebrate the night they first met as their anniversary and recreate their first date every other year.

Kind Words from Wright + Anthony

“Tawny is an absolute delight! I could not have picked a better soul to capture our special day. Not only is she detail-oriented, but she is also down to clown around. I appreciate her mission to lift queer voices and felt at ease and taken care of throughout the entire shoot. We even had a time delay and she made last-minute adjustments to work with our schedule. She puts you first, which is exactly what anyone would want for an elopement photo session. Can’t wait to work with her any chance that I get!”

Thank you, Wright + Anthony, for trusting me with your special day!

Want to elope in Chicago and have soulful images to document your legacy? Let’s dream up your perfect Chicago elopement day.