A bride and groom walking on a grassy lawn with a castle-like building and palm trees in the background.
Black and light blue line drawing of a clock tower with a weather vane at the top, a clock face on the front, and a weather vane at the top.

Santa Barbara Courthouse Elopements

For the couples who want their "I do" kept intimate. You and maybe a handful of your favorite people.

A black and white photo of a bride and groom embracing and touching foreheads inside a decorative church or chapel, with ornate columns and stained-glass windows in the background.

One of the most beautiful buildings in California.

A groom and bride in wedding attire posing against a pink wall. The groom is in a black suit, holding a colorful bouquet; the bride is in an ivory dress with a veil, leaning on the groom.
A woman with curly hair wearing a blue top and white pants, holding a camera, standing against a pale pink wall, smiling at the camera.

Your digital + film photographer, Zoe

Large light blue number six with a stylized mortarboard cap on top, set against a black background.

My Santa Barbara Courthouse approach

Beyond photography itself, I bring 8+ years of local experience and over 150 courthouse elopements worth of knowledge to help the process feel smooth from the start.

Choosing to get married at the Santa Barbara Courthouse is often about creating a day that feels intentional.

I'll help you navigate the courthouse flow, recommend other local vendors, and share where the best wine bars and coffee shops are. I want you to leave with not only great photos, but memories of a photo experience that genuinely felt good.

Inquire with Zoe
A newlywed couple posed outdoors with the groom kissing the bride on the temple. The bride is holding a bouquet of pink calla lilies and wearing a white sleeveless dress. The groom is wearing a black tuxedo with a bow tie. They are surrounded by lush green foliage and trees.
Close-up of a person showing their hands with wedding rings, with a historic tower in the background.
Illustration of a rose in a simplified, graphic style with black outlines and light blue fill.
Illustration of a rose in a simplified, graphic style with black outlines and light blue fill.
A bride in a white wedding dress holding a bouquet of flowers and a groom in a dark suit stand on the stairs of a highly decorated hall with colorful patterned tiles on the walls and staircase, and a dome-like ceiling with designs.

This is the part where I stop talking and you take a peek at what your session could look like

View Galleries
Happy bride and groom holding hands and walking across a crosswalk during their wedding day, with trees and a building in the background.
A wedding ceremony taking place outdoors on a grassy lawn with a white building and palm trees in the background. The bride and groom are standing in front of a small group of guests and exchanging vows.
A wedding ceremony taking place outdoors on a grassy lawn with a white building and palm trees in the background. The bride and groom are standing in front of a small group of guests and exchanging vows.
A bride and groom sitting on tiled steps, smiling at each other. The bride in a white wedding dress holds a bouquet of white flowers. The groom in a black suit and tie leans towards her. They are in front of a wooden door.
A bride and groom stand on a lawn, facing each other and smiling, with lush greenery and a white building with arches and palm trees in the background.
Two men dressed formally, one in a suit and the other in a traditional, ornate green jacket, stand closely together in front of a large white building with arches and a clock tower, surrounded by greenery. They are holding hands and looking into each other's eyes as the sunlight shines behind them.
A bride and groom standing on a grassy lawn, smiling for a photo. The bride is wearing a white lace wedding gown with long sleeves, a veil, and holding a bouquet of white roses. The groom is dressed in a white tuxedo jacket with black lapels, a black bow tie, and black pants. They are outdoors with a large white building and lush greenery in the background.
A bride and groom standing on a grassy lawn, smiling for a photo. The bride is wearing a white lace wedding gown with long sleeves, a veil, and holding a bouquet of white roses. The groom is dressed in a white tuxedo jacket with black lapels, a black bow tie, and black pants. They are outdoors with a large white building and lush greenery in the background.
A bride and groom embrace under a wedding veil outdoors, surrounded by greenery.
Two men dressed in traditional Mexican charro suits, standing close together in a decorative setting with floral and geometric patterns in the background.
Outline drawing of an open book with glasses resting on its pages.

Investment for the Santa Barbara Courthouse

An intimate morning at one of the most beautiful buildings in California: vows on the steps, rings exchanged in the Mural Room, celebrating in style after. I bring nearly a decade of local courthouse experience, so the whole process feels smooth from the moment you arrive.

Elopements start at $1050 , Weddings start at $4,200

View Package Details →

  • Digital and 35mm film photography woven throughout your gallery (roughly 80% digital, 20% film), for that timeless, nostalgic texture alongside your crisp digital images

  • An online gallery you can share with family and friends, so everyone gets to relive the day together

  • High-resolution, fully edited images ready to print, frame, or turn into an album

  • A guide to the Santa Barbara Courthouse: appointment tips, where to park, and the best spots for photos

  • Over 8 years of local expertise, so nothing about your day feels uncertain

All packages include…

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Client reviews

  • Zoe absolutely crushed it.

    She was super easy/fun to work with and went above and beyond in terms of service. Cannot recommend Zoe enough - thanks for being an integral part of our special day!

    Alec + Lacey

  • They are so beautiful!!!!!!!!! I literally cried, they are perfect! You got everything I wanted and more.

    Everyone loved you, and it's obviously because you're the best!! Thank you again so much, Alfred said you were amazing, he loved how you spoke to everyone and how you "got shit done" haha!

    Tiffany + Alfred

  • I couldn't be happier with how our photos turned out!

    Zoe is a total professional and an immense pleasure to work with. She made everything easy, communicated well before, during, and after, and made us feel comfortable while shooting together.

    Kevin + Alexa

  • Ohhh Zoe! They turned out so great! Thank you very very much.

    You were wonderful to work with throughout the entire process and we can't thank you enough! We will post soon and give you all the praises.

    Meg + Joe

  • We couldn't have asked for a better photographer and you made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera.

    We are so in love with the final photos. Thank you for being so wonderful and capturing our love. Hope to work with you again in the future for more milestones in our lives.

    Diana + Rey

  • Made me feel so comfortable and encouraged my personality to shine!

    One of the most fun and kindest souls to work with! I love how she paid attention to detail and really walked me through everything to get the most memorable shots!

    Georgina

  • Thank you so much for helping make our day so special and seamless.

    Zoe these look fabulous!!!! We really appreciate you and your amazing work! Thank you again!

    Remy + Dylan

  • We really appreciate you making this day extra special for us and helping us capture the beautiful moments.

    Thank you so much for sharing the full gallery with us. These are all great and so fun to look back at :) Thank you <3

    Yasaman + Steven

  • Zoe did an amazing job with our engagement photos!

    We really liked working with her and would highly recommend trusting her with your next photo shoot. We loved how true to color her editing was and how it enhanced the image without going overboard.

    John + Dana

  • Again, thank you thank you. It's so rare to actually get to see photos of myself that I like!

    It's taken me a whole week to really take in these beautiful photos. I'm a little in awe. Your direction during the shoot and just helping me feel comfortable and at ease and I feel like that really translated into the photos. Plus, the family photos are just precious. Your work is epic and I will send others your way!!

    Jess Sussman

  • If I am ever in need of an amazing photographer I would surely love to work with you again!

    I just wanted to thank you again and your team for being so awesome to work with. I loved the little surprise in the mail and appreciate having all the photos on hard drive!

    Kaitlin + Darnell

  • You captured our vision perfectly.

    The final product looks absolutely fantastic! We want to express our gratitude for your exceptional work and for delivering the album on schedule. It was a pleasure working with you.

    Maxwell + Jessica

  • Zoe was a joy to be photographed by!

    She was encouraging and willing to be flexible for us. I appreciated the care she put into photographing me and my friends, and how quickly she got our photos back to us!

    Emma

  • Just wanted to say thank you so much for the beautiful photos of the Santa Barbara ceremony!

    We're so happy to have reached out to you and grateful for your help in posing for the photos and will cherish these photos for quite some time!

    S + M

  • Thank you again for making us feel relaxed during the ceremony so that we could have positive energy.

    Thank you for your amazing work for our wedding! We really love your photos, and they all look great. Everything was so easy with you!

    J + D

  • We had so much fun and felt so comfortable taking photos and they turned out incredible!!

    Thank you so much, Zoe! Our friends and family are going to go crazy when they see these! So excited to see the rest when the time comes!

    Dani + Brandon

  • We love the photos. We appreciate you.

    You do amazing work; you definitely have the right mindset & vibe for your craft.

    Marvin + Patricia

  • We especially love the film photos - they turned out so lovely and we're so happy you offered that type of photography.

    The photos are so wonderful, thank you so much!! Thank you for giving us so many moments to cherish. It was lovely to work with you, and we appreciate all of your guidance along the way. We will happily recommend your services to any friends or family who get married soon.

    Evelyn + Trevor

  • These photos are so BEAUTIFUL.

    Thank you for capturing our day! We had such a great time working with you!!!

    Kimiko + Mike

  • Having this special day captured through your lens is the greatest gift that we will cherish forever.

    Matt and I simply cannot thank you enough for these incredible photos. You captured us so perfectly, each photo speaks to who we are as a couple, and looking through these photos brings tears to my eyes every time. Your talent is truly remarkable and we appreciate all the hard work and dedication that went into this project. Thank you again, I couldn't love these more if I tried!

    Sarah + Matt

love notes

A woman with curly hair taking a photo with a DSLR camera in front of a green shrub, with trees and a white building with arched windows and architectural details in the background.
A bride in a white wedding dress holding a bouquet of flowers, smiling while standing outside near stairs, with a woman adjusting her dress behind her, under a large palm tree.

The Process

Here's what working together actually looks like, from your inquiry to your courthouse ceremony.

1. Consultation

After you've inquired, we'll schedule a call to talk through your ceremony appointment time, your guest count, and make sure we're a great fit.

2. Planning

Once we're aligned, you'll sign your contract and secure your date with a 20% retainer. From there, I'll walk you through exactly how the courthouse morning flows, help you plan the rest of your hours together, and answer anything on your mind.

3. Wedding Day

I'll meet you before your appointment, camera ready, and stay through your ceremony, portraits, and whatever comes after: a walk through the courthouse gardens, a toast at your favorite spot downtown.

Inquire with Zoe

Intimate day, big love

Simple drawing of a tower with a rounded top, featuring windows and a staircase leading up to an entrance.

  • Yes, this is a safe space for ALL love! Being inclusive of all sexualities and gender identities is deeply important to me. Your love story matters and deserves to be celebrated.

  • I am based out of Santa Barbara, California, but always love a travel request! There are no travel fees within the Central Coast and Southern California. Travel fees beyond the region vary based on location and will always be shared up front.

  • I deliver a minimum of 50 photos an hour, but I will never cap your gallery at a number and hold any photos hostage. Every wedding is unique and I make sure to deliver the highlights from your full day.

  • You can expect film images sprinkled in alongside digital photos. I typically use about one roll of film (36 photos) every hour to hour and a half, depending on the pace and moments of the day. Want more film, please let me know!

  • The short answer is no. If you feel like I left something out of your gallery, please let me know! I will never hold images hostage on purpose.

  • Your images are delivered via an online gallery where you can download, favorite, and share with friends and family. Prints and albums can also be ordered directly from your gallery.

  • It depends on the length of your session or wedding and the time of year! Generally, my delivery times are the following:

    Sessions: 3-4 weeks

    Elopements: 4-6 weeks

    Weddings: 6-10 weeks depending on length of wedding and time of year.

    Elopements receive sneak peek photos within 3 days and full day weddings receive sneak peeks within one week

Ready to get started?

Big day, small day, all days worth remembering.

Weddings, elopements, courthouse "I do's," couples in golden California glow… I'm in it with you, creating images you'll treasure forever.

Inquire now

Two champagne flutes clinking together in a toast.
Illustration of a camera in a minimalist style with a coral color.