The Ultimate Hill Country Elopement Handbook
How to Elope in Texas Hill Country, Best places to have a Hill Country Elopement
So you are thinking about eloping in the Texas Hill Country? The incredible views from the top of the Lost Maples Trail, to the insane fall foliage, the Frio River, and the sheer vastness in space makes a Texas Hill Country elopement a great choice for any couple who wants to get married somewhere truly unique. There are also wonderful locations to pick from for our most favorite people on Earth that might be physically impaired.
Hold your horses though, because it’s not as easy as throwing on your hiking boots heading down to the Enchanted Rock summit- there are some things we have to talk about first. But don’t worry, we know Texas Hill Country like the back of our hand and we are here to share everything we know with you, soon you’ll be out sipping on some local Texas wine, getting ready to marry your best friend!
Guide to the Guide:
Best time to Elope in Texas Hill Country
Best Texas Hill Country Elopement Locations
Legal Stuff: Permits, Officiants, and Marriage License
Where to Stay near Texas Hill Country
Texas Hill Country Elopement Inspiration
Texas Hill Country Elopement Tips
Texas Hill Country Elopement Packages
Best Time to Visit Texas Hill Country National Park for Your Elopement:
If you are wondering when the best time to visit Texas Hill Country National Park for your elopement is, then look no further. Texas Hill Country is in the desert, which means that weather can find itself in the extremes. This is especially true during the summer months when temperatures can easily reach over 100 on the desert floor. Because of these extreme summer temperatures, Texas Hill Country’s busy season is normally opposite to other national parks. Prime Texas Hill Country travel dates will be October, November, March and April. We aren’t the only people who think Texas Hill Country is amazing in these months, in fact, it seems like everyone does. Tourism can be pretty high during these months while lodging inside the park easily booking out a year in advance. Thankfully, Texas Hill Country as a whole sees far less visitors on average per year than other similarly sized national parks. We are pretty familiar with Texas Hill Country and can help you find more private locations, even on the busiest of days (yes, even during spring break, we’ve done it before!) Below is a chart that can help you visualize the best time of year to visit the park, and when you should elope in Texas Hill Country. We have a whole blog on how to chose your elopement date for right here in Texas!
Keep in mind that these are average temperatures and temps. on the desert floor and easily be TWENTY DEGREES HOTTER THAN THE FORECASTED TEMPERATURE for the day. Practice hot weather safety and bring appropriate water and gear. If your date lands during inclement weather, don’t worry! We love ourselves some rain- check out our inclement weather blog for more
Spring for your Texas Hill Country elopement
If you are wanting to elope among wildflowers, hill country in the spring is your spot! The weather is going to be pretty tolerable with highs in the 70s and 80s and the weather is usually much less severe although we do get the occasional tornado. March, April and May are beautiful months in the Hill Country, the rivers are usually full of water from the spring showers and the weather is comfortable.
Summer for your Texas Hill Country Elopement
There are lots of great rivers and waterholes that would be perfect for your Summer elopement. While we do still recommend a morning elopement, you have some flexibility the further south you go. Plus there are lots of cool airbnbs scattered throughout the Austin and Hill Country area that would make for an amazing backdrop to your elopement. If you want to get married in the summer, check out Pedernales Falls State Park, Mckinney Falls or Devil’s River. All of these places have some amazing rivers and bodies of water that you can incorporate into your day (jump into the river anyone??)
Fall for your Texas Hill Country Elopement
Hill Country in the fall is UNMATCHED to anything in Texas. Unlike the West Texas Palo Duro Canyon area, there are so many trees and the colors are beautiful. Lost Maples, Enchanted Rock, Pedernales and so many more places are so breathtaking in the fall. If you want beautiful tree colors, definitely look at eloping in the Hill Country. We know the perfect spots where you will have the most stunning backdrop of rolling hills that are filled with nothing but oranges, browns and gold!
Winter for your Texas Hill Country elopement
The Hill Country winter is another relatively mild winter. While a lot of the plants in the area can be dead, it can be a great time to explore other places like Enchanted Rock. Even though Port A or South Padre is not in the Hill Country, winter can be a great time to elope on the beach. If you imagine yourself saying private vows at sunset on a sailboat consider doing this in the winter time when the summer beach crowds have all gone home. It’ll be like your own private island!
Best Texas Hill Country Elopement Locations
There are literally endless amazing locations to elope in Texas Hill Country. Unlike many larger national parks, there is no pre-approved list of locations that you must stick to for an elopement. You can do almost anywhere, you just need the appropriate permit (more on that later). Here is our list of our favorite, and most iconic places to elope in Texas Hill Country.
Lost Maples Elopement
Lost Maples is located in the heart of the Texas hill country. With a few stunning hikes and a river that runs through it offer a ton of amazing, unique locations. Lost maples is a super popular fall location, with day passes and campsites booking up MONTHS in advance. If you are wanting a fall foliage elopement in the Texas Hill Country aim for a sunset elopement at lost maples in late November (Yes, possibly even after Thanksgiving) Check out the Lost Maples Fall Foliage tracker for more info on when the leaves change.
Enchanted Rock Elopement
Enchanted Rock is located just 20 minutes north of Fredericksburg Texas and is home to a giant slab of pink granite! This location offers 2 main trails. One to the top of the rock, which is a short, but steep hike. And one trail that loops around the base of the rock which offers a number of cool viewpoints (and is pet friendly, unlike the summit trail). For just a $25 permit fee this is a great option if you are on a budget and want to explore some cool rock features.
Pedernales Falls Elopement
This state park is located in Dripping Springs, just an hour west of Austin. The main feature of the park is a large river that runs through, carving out cool patterns in the rocks. If you are wanting to elope near a water feature this could be the perfect place for you. Spend the day jumping over rocks and watching the tiny fish swim in the river. Do opt for a weekday or a sunrise as this park can get pretty busy. And be sure to sign up for the correct entry time when you reserve your entry ticket.
Hill Country Elopement
The Texas Hill Country is truly such a large stretch of land there are an infinite number of places to have your elopement. Elvia + Josh (pictured above) go camping at the Los Rios campground in Camp Wood every year and new it would be most meaningful to them to elope there. We ended up taking a drive after their ceremony and we would just pull over to the side of the road and take photos at the amazing view points. So just know that the only limit is your imagination when it comes to hill country locations.
Note: State Parks are public spaces, and even with a permit you cannot guarantee solitude. If this is something you are passionate about, reach out. We would love to share with you an extensive Texas Hill Country Locations guide, exclusive for booked couples, that details more than 20 locations for you to elope in Texas Hill Country.
Need more ideas around certain cities? Check out our top 10 favorite places to Elope around Austin Texas and our 10 top favorite places to Elope around Dallas!
How to Elope in Texas Hill Country
There are literally endless amazing locations to elope in Texas Hill Country. Unlike many larger national parks, there is no pre-approved list of locations. This is awesome but just means that we want to respect the park rules and regulations that much more so Texas Hill Country can continue to be an amazing place for folks just like you to get married to!
Permits
If you are interested in Eloping in Texas Hill Country, you will need a Special Use Permit. Don’t Fret! Permits aren’t as scary as they sound. I can help you fill out your permit and send it to the appropriate people as soon as we have a location and timeline solidified. Permits vary at each state park in the hill country but we are super familiar with the ins and out of each state park. Expect to spend anywhere from $0 – $100 to elope in these state parks.
Please note that if you are choosing to Elope in Texas Hill Country that you are eloping on public lands. It is imperative that we follow leave no trace principles while using these magnificent lands. Some things that Texas Hill Country requires of couples on their elopement day are as follows:
- Free standing arch allowed ONLY if noted on permit and approved by park ahead of time
- Artificial flowers only, this INCLUDES dried flowers, especially pompous grass.
- No chairs or tables allowed
- Acoustic music is allowed if the sound will not impact wildlife or other visitors’ park experience.
- Scattering of Rice, bird seed, flowers, streamers, balloons, birds, butterflies, etc. is not allowed
- Drones are not allowed
- Group size might be limited by location
By following these guidelines and making sure that we stay on allocated pathing and viewing areas we can help preserve these natural habitats for future generations. Maybe even one day, you’ll come back and share in the beauty of Texas Hill Country again together.
Marriage License
To get legally married you will need a marriage license. If you are eloping from out of state, you are legally allowed to get a license from most Texas County Clerk offices, but it’s always good to double check ahead of time. If you are a Texas resident you can pick up a Texas Marriage License from your local county courthouse. I would recommend not waiting until you get out to Texas Hill Country because there is a 72 hour waiting period in Texas between when you can pick up your license and when you can get married. If you will be in the are for more than 72 hours BEFORE your elopement feel free to pick up a license at a local office. Otherwise, make sure to pick one up before you travel to your elopement location.
If you are coming from out of state and you get your marriage license from your home state PLEASE check in with your local county clerk to see what requirements are needed. For example Texas does not require witness signatures while other states do.
Officiants in Texas
You have a couple of options when it comes to an officiant in Texas. You legally must have one sign your license to make your wedding official SO what can you do? Here are our top 5 options.
- Have your ceremony at the Justice of the Peace ahead of time so you don’t have to worry about any legal ramifications or paper work on your wedding day. This will make your legal anniversary different that your elopement date but if this doesn’t bother you and you want things out of the way this is a great option.
- We can sign your license! Yep! We are licensed officiants and can sign it for you. This can allow you to keep your ceremony as small as you would like it. Many of our couples who are eloping just the two of them choose this option so they can exchange intimate vows with one another without adding another person to the mix.
- You can hire a local Officiant. If you want a little more structure to your day you can hire a local officiant to come and read a ceremony for you. This is a great option if having a more traditional ceremony would be more meaningful to you! We know several officiants in the Hill Country area that would be willing to come out and hike with your for your elopement.
- You can have a family member do it! It’s pretty easy to get ordained online, so if it would be meaningful for someone who knows you and your partner to officiate your ceremony go for it! (also, if they don’t want to get ordained, they can just go ahead with the ceremony and we can sign off on the paperwork)
- Finally, you can fly a religious official out to Texas Hill Country for your day! If you are religious, getting married in your tradition is important for you. Do it! We have had people fly Rabbis and Priests out for their ceremony.
Where to Stay when you Elope in Texas Hill Country
After your amazing elopement day in Texas Hill Country you will need to find a place to get some rest. There are a few towns close to Texas Hill Country each with their own amazing accommodations. I would recommend booking lodging as soon as you know you will be eloping in Texas Hill Country because there aren’t very many places. ESPECIALLY if you are looking for a date near a holiday. None of the state parks in the Texas Hill Country have lodging located inside of the park outside of camping so be aware of that when you go to book lodging.
Cactus Moon Lodge
Cactus Moon Lodge is located in Dripping Springs which is close to both Pedernales Falls State Park and Enchanted Rock. This resort is an amazing place if you want to have an intimate wedding that feels like a family and friends retreat as well. With lodging for everyone, an incredible kitchen, and tons of cool amenities (like an infinity pool?!) This place is at the top of our list for places to stay when eloping in the Texas Hill Country.
Glamping
Texas Hill Country is the prime place in Texas if you want to enjoy some glamping on your elopement. From the Lucky Arrow Retreat, to Talula Mesa, to the Collective Retreats there is glamping in abundance! Ask us about our favorite places to glamp near your elopement destination.
Fredericksburg
If you are looking to spend your elopement in a super quaint town with lots of things to do, look no farther than the town of fredericksburg. Located in the Texas Wine Country. And just 20 minutes south of Enchanted Rock, this town is the perfect place for your Texas Hill Country elopement. The town has tons of seasonal events and activities, and the downtown strip is a great place to explore.
Treehouses
Did you know there are tons of cool Treehouses that you can stay at in the Texas Hill Country? From the River Road Treehouse to the Wimberly Treehouse, we have spent HOURS scoping out all the best unique treehouses to stay in for your elopement. Ask us about our favorite ones on your complementary elopement consultation. Like, y’all… how freaking cool is this? Check this ish out- Texas Treehouse Vow Renewal
Airbnbs
We have a list of all of our favorite Airbnbs exclusive for booked couples, and the list is BIG. The Texas Hill Country is a vast place and there are an infinite number of places to stay. We recommend our favorites tailored just for you.
Our Favorite Moments from real Texas Hill Country Elopements
These are some of our favorite moments from real couples who decided to elope in Texas Hill Country. Each wedding is incredibly unique and fun! Follow us on Instagram or check out our blog for more inspo.
Texas Hill Country Elopement Tips and Tricks
Offline Maps
There is very little service in most of the Hill country State Parks., I have zero service in most of the park (except for randomly at the top of the Lost Maples trail). So make sure you download the Texas Hill Country offline map so that you can navigate your way around the park and surrounding towns.
Invest in an Elopement Photographer
We have poured out hearts about Texas Hill Country in this blog! But did you know that this is only a fraction of the information that we have about the area. It’s so important to hire an experienced elopement photographer to help you plan your day. There are always things that can come up, or change the plans at the last minute (like the fires that hit the Texas Hill Country this year and closed down several roads and popular elopement locations). We are extremely familiar with the area and spend half our year out in the Texas Hill Country region. We have tons of tips and tricks to help bring your dream elopement day to life. Drop your moms type of elopement and come have an adventure with us!
Texas Hill Country Elopement Packages
Photo Coverage
Options starting at 6 hours of photo coverage
All photographer travel included
6+ hours of meaningful, emotion-filled, memories captured
Planning Tools
Access to our Elopement Resource landing page with vow help, ceremony ideas, and access to our 90+ page How-to-Elope guide!
Texas Hill Country Location Guide with tons of amazing locations to choose from
Custom timeline build for your special, stress-free day!
Optional officiant signing services
Great Photos
Your entire elopement story in hundreds of high-resolution digital files delivered in an online gallery for you to download.
Printing rights for all photos
Access to our professional quality prints, wall art and albums
Texas Hill Country Elopement Packages start at $6000
For more information check out our pricing page texaselopement.com/packages or reach out to us to schedule your free elopement consultation!
