How to Elope in San Antonio

Eloping used to be thought of as a quick and dirty way of getting married. Not anymore. Now it’s quite fashionable to eschew the big, gala wedding in favor of more intimate nuptials. In today’s blog post, I’ll tell you, the brass tacks of how to elope. From getting your paperwork in order, to where to find the best bouquet in the shortest amount of time, I’ve got you covered if you’re looking to say ‘I do’ in a hurry.

How to Elope in San Antonio: Getting Your Marriage License

Unfortunately, the process of eloping begins with the boring stuff. Paperwork is the inevitable beginning of any couple starting their lives together. And for any Texan, that means you have to first get your marriage license.

How to Get Your Marriage License: A Summary

The good news is that getting your marriage license in Texas is a fairly easy process. In San Antonio, here is a summary of the marriage license process:

Start the process by submitting a marriage license request form online through the Bexar County Clerk website.
Once you have submitted your online marriage license application, you have to physically visit the Bexar County Clerk’s office to pay your $80 fee ($45 fee for an informal wedding license) and submit your identification.
Your marriage license is valid for 90 days. However, you have to wait 72 hours before your ceremony can begin.
To have a justice of the peace officiate your wedding ceremony, simply contact the justice directly.

The Rules for Getting Married in Texas

Yes, the state of Texas does require that you wait 72 hours before officially tying the knot. You are not living in Las Vegas, after all. And in case you were wondering, here are the official rules for getting married in Texas. Note, no blood tests required:

You must be 18 years of age or older and have proof of age and identity. If you are under the age of 18, then you must petition the court.
A marriage license may not be granted if you have been divorced within 30 days.
There is no blood test required.

After Your License is Issued

After your license is issued, the next step is to record your license with the County Clerk’s office. Once that is done, then you are officially married.

Now, this is the part where you can have an officiant say some special words and declare you married, or you can simply file the paperwork and you’re done. It’s up to you. In either case, in the eyes of the great state of Texas, you are married.

More Information

If you would like to read more in-depth details about the marriage process in Texas, then check out my article, ‘How to Get a Marriage License in San Antonio.’

Of course, if your wedding date is close to Valentine’s Day, then you can always have a collective wedding down at the Bexar County Courthouse. I photographed the Valentine’s Day Mass Wedding celebration two years ago, and it was lots of fun.

Oh, and if you want to have a friend or family member become your officiant, that is a very easy process as well. Here is an article on ‘How to Become an Officiant in San Antonio: a Step-By-Step Guide’ to help you through the process.

How to Elope in San Antonio: Micro Venues

You’re got your paperwork in order, but let’s say you have your heart set on saying ‘I do’ in a place with a bit more ambience than the county courthouse. Where do you go?

There are plenty of venues now that cater to couples looking to get celebrate even though they have a small guest count. Just because you can’t pack the house doesn’t mean you don’t want to pop open some champagne.

How to Reserve a Park for a Wedding

Of course, if your budget is limited, then public parks are always an option. Some of my favorite parks in the city include Confluence Park and Woodlawn Lake Park. Here is a quick summary of how to reserve a park (including Marriage Island) for a wedding:

Visit the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation website to find a listing of all available facilities. On the website you may search by park name or by building/facility name.
Start your reservation by clicking on the link on the website.
Note that most of the larger city venues, such as La Villita or Marriage Island, cannot be reserved online and must be reserved over the phone.
Reservations usually must be made at least five days in advance.
I will be very honest: the city’s reservation website is absolutely confusing and frankly, technically broken. You have been warned, and I would call any phone numbers provided to follow up with your reservation to make sure it was received.

Private Spaces Make Great Micro Venues

Don’t forget that you can turn any private space into the perfect micro venue. That means that an AirBNB or a restaurant private room can be transformed through the magic of creativity into the perfect wedding venue. You just have to have the creative eye (and hopefully the help of friends and family) to help your vision come alive.

Unusual Wedding Venues

Your best bet for a micro venue, however, is usually going to be completely outside the box. If you are going to be throwing tradition completely out the window, why not go somewhere completely unusual for your ceremony? How about a saying ‘I do’ on a barge as you drift down the Riverwalk? Or, inside a whiskey distillery? Did you know you can rent the Japanese Tea Garden waterfall for an hour or even the Arneson River Theater stage? The sky is the limit when you have a tiny guest count.

Check out all of these alternative locations and more in my full article, ‘Affordable Wedding Venues in San Antonio.’

How to Elope in San Antonio: Dresses and Suits

Men’s Attire

Once you have your paperwork and place sorted, now it’s time to look the part of a married couple. For men, this is a pretty easy task since there are lots of places that rent suits and tuxedos. Some of your local options include the following:

Men’s Warehouse
The Black Tux in Nordstrom at La Cantera
Rex Formal Wear

Women’s Attire

For women, however, you have both more options and more limited options. On the one hand, if you want to wear a very traditional wedding gown (presuming you do not need any alterations), you could of course go to any number of bridal shops in the city, such as Gautier or Olivia Grace.

If you want to keep your budget tight, then I might suggest going to a consignment shop that specializes in high-end, formal dresses. My favorite shops around the city are:

Goodwill Accents Boutique
Too Good to be Threw
I Do the Dress I Do (not consignment, but off the rack)

You also have options online, starting with Still White and good, ol’ Amazon.

How to Elope in San Antonio: Flowers

Flowers usually end up being one of the most expensive line items of any wedding. I have to say, I was a bit shocked at the prices while doing research for this article. However, that is just what it costs now to fly in fresh flowers.

Local, Ready-Made Bouquets

Most florists will want to handcraft a bouquet for a bride based on color and floral preferences. But if you are looking to get married quick, then a pre-made bouquet is the way to go. There are a few florists in town that can supply just what you need:

DIY Flowers

If you are looking to do it yourself when it comes to florals, then never forget about HEB. I have photographed quite a few brides who picked up their flowers from the city’s favorite grocer. If you want to go a bit higher end, then try Central Market on Broadway. And if you want to use dried flowers, then Pullman Market at the Pearl is a great resource.

Online Resources

Finally, if you have time to order a bouquet online, then you are in luck. There are lots of places to go to get flowers, both live and dried.

For dried flowers, check out Sola Wood Flowers or any of a number of options on Etsy. For live flowers, you have Teleflora and FTD. Lastly, if you are a member of Sam’s Club or Costco, don’t forget to check online here as well.

How to Elope in San Antonio: Cake & Champagne

Mini Wedding Cakes

Every celebration needs to end with dessert, and I have got you covered. While eloping means you have no need of a huge, multi-layered wedding cake, a tiny spot of something sweet would definitely fit the bill. Here are a few bakeries that offer smaller-sized options for smaller-sized celebrations.

Betty Jane’s Bakeshop. The bakery offers a six-inch, ready-to-go cake in two flavor options.
Small Cakes San Antonio. Their mini cakes serve two people, and have a prep time of 24 hours. Lots of other tasty options, including chocolate-covered strawberries.
Four-inch cakes available in a variety of delectable flavors.
Laika Cheesecake and Espresso. Individual cheesecakes in a variety of unique flavors.

As always, don’t forget to check out the bakery at HEB and Central Market for other tasty treats.

Champagne Resources

As for the bubbly, Total Wine is the go-to spot for sparkling wine of all types. If you want to get a little more exotic, I might also suggest heading over to World Market. Their wine and liquor selection is quite diverse, and they have a great variety of items that are perfectly picnic-sized in case you want to take your snacks on the road.

How to Elope in San Antonio: Rings

Local Jewelers for Vintage Rings

For rings, you can always just pop into Zales and pick something out. But if you want to keep it local and untraditional, then perhaps consider vintage wedding rings. Here are some of the best local stores with selections of vintage jewelry:

Ruby Road Gems at the Pearl
Tenenbaum Jewelers
Adelman Antiques, Art and Estate Jewelry

Local Jewelers for Non-Vintage Rings

For jewelers with non-vintage wedding rings, check out these retailers:

How to Elope in San Antonio: Honeymoon

Other Cities

So, now you are officially married and it’s time for a quick honeymoon – elopement style! Where do you go? You could head to the nearest big city: think Austin, Houston, Dallas, or even farther afield like New Orleans.

Perhaps you just want a day trip away from San Antonio. In that case, may I recommend these quaint little towns for a day or weekend getaway:

Boerne
Wimberley
Fredericksburg
New Braunfels and Gruene
Bandera
Buda

Wineries

Or, perhaps a weekend trip to a winery up near Austin and Fredericksburg. If you are going to go the winery route, then here are some of the top-rated wineries in the region:

Ranches

Since you’re in Texas, you might also want to live out your cowboy fantasies on a ranch. The good news is that you have plenty of places to go. Here are just a few of the ranches you can visit locally:

Mexico

Finally, Mexico is only a stone’s throw away from San Antonio. In case you haven’t made a run for the border, Mexico is a fantastic (and yes, safe) country to visit. I spent an entire month in the country in 2023 and loved it. I absolutely recommend visiting Mexico City, and it is one of the few places I would go to over and over again. (This is really saying something as a world traveler who tries to go somewhere new with every trip.)

Final Thoughts

Getting married today has become a personal endeavor. People are no longer tied to traditions, and you can say ‘I do’ in any way you choose. Thanks to the rollercoaster ride of the economy we now live in, the big wedding has become a thing of the past. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun on your wedding day if you choose to make it a small affair. Hopefully this checklist and list of resources will make your big day an easy, breezy event that you will cherish forever.

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If you find this article on ‘How to Elope in San Antonio’ useful, then check out these articles:

Looking to say ‘I do’ in Austin or San Antonio? Drop me a line and let’s chat about how I can help you. I have hourly rates, and all photo shoots include editing and high-resolution files.

To view more images from my wedding photography portfolio, please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com