Elope in Austin – Your 2025 Guide to Austin Elopements
Are you dreaming of your Austin elopement? Big skies, great food, and beautiful weather are just a few of the things that make Austin Texas a great place for a micro wedding. There is a reason that the Austin area is the wedding capitol of the world! After shooting hundreds of weddings in Austin over the last ten years I’ve come up with a roundup of information and tips for couples planning a small wedding in Austin. Below you’ll find a list of places to elope, Austin elopement venues, tips for your elopement, and info on Austin elopement photographer packages.
4 Tips For Your Elopement
Austin Marriage License
You can find full and up to date info about obtaining your marriage license in Austin Texas at the Travis County Clerk office website. The info below is accurate as of 2025: To elope in Austin your marriage license can be obtained between 3-89 days before your ceremony at any Travis County Clerk’s office. After the ceremony, you’ll return the license within 30 days of your ceremony date. From there you’ll receive your license in the mail. Fee for the license is $80 or $20 with an official premarital education course (my husband and I attended the Texas Twogether Program and highly recommend).
Officiant
Two routes are available here, you could hire a professional officiant (if you’re not getting married at a courthouse) or you can have a friend/family get officially ordained to be your officiant. The Universal Life Church is a popular online choice for friends and family looking to get ordained. Something to note is that regardless of whether you’re interested in a religious or a secular ceremony, you will still need to have an officiant that carries an official license.
Best Time of Year to Elope in Austin
This depends on what sort of elopement your wanting. If you’re wanting to incorporate the outdoors to elope in Austin, March-May and October-November will typically have the best weather. That said, it’s also the most popular part of the year for all weddings. If you’re interested in keeping costs down, try exploring weekdays during the months listed above or try alternate dates in June, July, December. One thing to be aware of is that Austin regularly sees some of the hottest weather during the month of August and we’ve had some of our coldest days/winter storms during Mid to late February.
Communicate With Your Elopement Photographer
Send me an email! I would love to be your elopement photographer and I’m happy to share location and timeline tips to help you have the best Austin elopement. In the weeks leading up to your elopement in Austin, we’ll go over timeline and talk about any particular photos you’re interested in. While my style incorporates a mix of candids and editorial portraits, I find that having a good timeline in place and getting feedback from you allows you to have the most relaxed and fun wedding day.
Places to Elope in Austin
Courthouse
The courthouse can be a sweet and classic option for couples looking to elope in Austin. There are several courthouses located in Austin with the most popular being the two downtown options: Travis County Courthouse Precinct 5 and the Travis County Civil & Family Courts Facility. These are a great option for those looking to have an officiant provided and can be a great option for those looking to celebrate with guests later in the day or have a larger celebration at a later date. There’s such a classic elopement look with the historic architecture of the Precinct 5 location while the Civil & Family Courts Facility has a more modern look. Scroll down to my Austin Elopement Venues section to read more about each courthouse location.
Local Parks
There are so many beautiful parks in Austin that would be fantastic for your Austin elopement. Austin parks provide beautiful landscaping and some have sweeping views of the skyline. With a few exceptions most parks wouldn’t require a reservation or fee for your elopement, but you would need to provide your own officiant. One thing to note is that parking can be limited in some of the downtown locations, so you’ll want to plan ahead for yourself or guests. Some of my favorite Austin parks for an elopement include: Laguna Gloria, Zilker Park, Little and Big Stacy Park, Pease Park, Waterloo Greenway, McKinney Falls State Park (requires entrance fee), Mayfield Park (requires reservation and fee), and Zilker Botanical Garden (requires reservation and fee).
Restaurants
If you’re looking to elope and have food and drinks in the same location, an Austin restaurant could be the perfect fit. I could see this being a great option for a foodie couple or someone wanting a fun downtown feel. My suggestion would be: La Condesa, Parkside, Micklethwait, Juliet Italian Kitchen (Barton Springs), and The Golden Rule (Georgetown). These are all restaurants that have private dining space available and can accommodate medium sized groups. There are also a few Austin wedding venues that double as restaurants, you can view my full list of favorite Austin wedding venues here.
Chapels & Wedding Venues
Even if you’re looking to elope for a non traditional experience, a chapel or a traditional wedding venue might be a perfect fit. Some of my favorite Austin wedding venues that would also be great for an elopement are: Mattie’s Austin, Prospect House, Malverde, Austin Central Library, Commodore Perry Estate, and Laguna Gloria.
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Austin Elopement Venues
Commodore Perry
We’ll start here with one of my favorite Austin wedding venues. Commodore Perry is a luxury resort property located in Central Austin. It offers lodging in addition to two incredible restaurants and beautiful gardens. While it is a traditional wedding venue, it’s great to think outside the box when you’re planning to elope in Austin. I’ve had clients have their official ceremony at the Travis County Civil & Family Courts Facility then head over to the Commodore Perry for a quick portrait session followed by an intimate dinner to celebrate with family. You can explore more of my favorite Modern and Unique Austin Wedding Venues here to jump start ideas for your elopement. Commodore Perry 4100 Red River St, Austin, TX 78751
Zilker Botanical Garden
The Zilker Botanical Garden is one of my favorite locations for portraits and are equally gorgeous grounds for an elopement. The gardens have trails that span a large area of the fenced in grounds of the gardens. My suggested location for an elopement would be the area near the rose garden and this could additionally fit a very small group of friends and family. Ideal time of year for this location would be March-May to take advantage of the bloom season. You’ll want to contact the venue directly to determine fees as this can vary on party size. Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746
Laguna Gloria
The spacious grounds of Laguna Gloria are a gorgeous location for your Austin wedding elopement. The gardens are sprawling and have several hidden spaces for you to have a private ceremony and still have a beautiful backdrop for photos afterwards. This location is centrally located and would be good for a private or small guest count elopement. Laguna Gloria 3809 W 35th St, Austin, TX 78703
Travis County Courthouse (Downtown)
There are a few Travis County Courthouse locations in the Austin area with the downtown location Precint 5 on Guadalupe Street being the most popular. Most appointments are available Monday-Thursday with limited weekend availability (weekend appts are performed outside only). Weekday appointments cost $200 and weekend appointments cost $400. Travis County Courthouse Precinct 5 1000 Guadalupe St. Austin, TX 78701
Travis County Civil & Family Courts Facility
This new building is sleek and modern. While also located downtown, it is not to be confused with the Travis Country Precinct 5 location. They allow portraits inside the building and the available natural light is absolutely gorgeous. Travis County Civil & Family Courts Facility 1700 Guadalupe St. Austin, Texas 78701
Chapel Dulcinea
A unique outdoor chapel with gorgeous views of the hill country, and yes completely free, Chapel Dulcinea is popular with couples who want to elope in Austin with beautiful views. This elopement venue offers three elopement options. The free option is available during the daytime on weekdays, a $500 paid option is available during the evening on weekdays and the daytime on weekends, and another $1000 paid option is available on weekend evenings. They have an online reservation calendar on their site which makes is easy to quickly see which days/times are available. It is a popular Austin elopement venue, so you’ll want to make your reservation asap. Chapel Dulcinea 16221 Crystal Hills Dr, Austin, TX 78737
Texas Capitol Grounds
The Texas Capitol Grounds are a lovely location for an outdoor elopement with a classic Austin feel. You’ll bring along your own officiant and choose a space on the outdoor lawn, as this is more of a DIY approach with an official feel. The grounds are public so no fee required for an elopement with a small group. Texas Capitol Grounds 112 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78701
Austin Elopement Photography Packages
Think I might be the right photographer for you?
I would love to get to know you and help you elope in Austin! Click the link to get in touch and find out if I’m available on your date.