How to Elope in Texas
Everything might be bigger in Texas but your wedding doesn’t need to be. Texas is the perfect place for a small, intimate ceremony, pop-up wedding, or elopement, thanks to the diversity in landscape, friendly population, temperate weather, and central location. Texas is known for its barbecue and Tex-Mex cuisine, country and Tejano music, and cowboy fashion. There are so many amazing venues for eloping in Texas, from fields of Blue Bonnets in Hill Country to vibrant Austin, home to the best live music scene in the world. There are even beaches along the Gulf of Mexico!
If you’re considering an elopement in the Lone Star State, then we’ve got you covered. This guide will outline the best places in Texas for your elopement, options when it comes to elopement packages, what you need to elope in Texas, as well as how much an elopement in Texas will cost you.
Where are the best places to elope in Texas?
Houston is an international city with incredible food, world-class art museums, and a plethora of city parks. Despite being the biggest city in Texas with a population of more than two million, Houston’s elopement venues can still offer intimacy. The Houston Arboretum offers 155 acres of rich, green foliage, conveniently located on the western edge of Memorial Park. Celebration Gardens will also provide your small wedding with a garden backdrop, albeit a more manicured one. If you’re a no-fuss couple, consider getting married at the 1910 Harris County Courthouse, an excellent example of neoclassical architecture.
If you’re game for a drive, about 45-minutes outside of Houston there’s the Oak Atelier and the Galveston Beaches. The Oak Atelier is located in aptly named Woodlands and offers four different studio spaces for rent, all with their own unique charm of classic and modern elements. Drive west of Houston and you’ll hit the coast and the Gulf of Mexico where the sandy beaches are ideal for a small, romantic elopement. The Galveston Beaches and Seawall are especially perfect if you’re interested in a sunrise ceremony!
If you’re hoping to elope in Dallas—another cultural hub known for its breweries, Bishop Arts District, and beautiful neighborhoods—there are a few really stellar options. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is among our favorites, with views looking over White Rock Lake and plenty of hidden nooks, lush foliage, and art pieces perfect for your Texas elopement. We also like the Fort Worth Botanic Garden just a city over, as well as Lake Cliff Park, which boasts mature trees (cypress, red cedar, pecans, and cottonwoods), a sunken lake, and views of the Dallas skyline.
Austin is perhaps the most popular city in Texas for elopements and we can see why: there’s no shortage of things to do or natural beauty. Located in the heart of Texas hill country, Austin is known for being super cool by keeping it weird, as well as cultivating a thriving arts and culinary scene. Our favorite place for a small wedding in Austin is the Sekrit Theater, a garden and revamped greenhouse with an eclectic and DIY-style vibe.
The themed Japanese of Rose gardens at the Zilker Botanical Garden make for a verdant, peaceful Austin elopement, while the open-air Chapel Dulcinea offers a stunning view of Texas Hill Country. Our last Austin elopement pick is The Vineyards at Chappel Lodge, just minutes from downtown. With a California-inspired vibe, this Austin wedding venue offers a stone-paved aisle, a natural backdrop of Texas live oak trees, and uplighting in a canopy. Oh, and it’s a functioning vineyard!
