How To Get Married on Marriage Island

Everything you need to know from costs to completion. Spoiler alert: getting married on Marriage Island is a pretty simple process that only involves a city permit.

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Quick Summary

You only need to reserve the island through the San Antonio Parks & Recreation Department
The cost for a reservation is based on time, at a rate of $200 for 30 minutes
The reservation is just that – only a reservation. You will need to supply the officiant and any other additional services (photographer, etc.).
The only major rule to follow is to leave the place as you found it

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One of the most well-known locations in San Antonio to tie the knot is Marriage Island on the Riverwalk. If you plan to elope, then why not do it with a beautiful view of the river? In today’s blog post, I will tell you exactly how to get married on Marriage Island.

How Do I Get Married on Marriage Island?

The simple answer is you need to make a reservation with the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. That’s it.

When you Google how to do this online, you will find several companies that can make the arrangements for you. Please note, however, these listings are for event planners. If all you want to do is exchange vows on Marriage Island, then all you have to do is make a reservation with the city.

Don’t get me wrong: these event planners can make life very easy for you. They can file your reservation request, find you an officiant and photographer, and even make dinner reservations for you. But these extra services come at an extra cost. If you are on a tight budget, then you can do it all yourself.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Married on Marriage Island?

The cost for reserving Marriage Island through the city is based on time. The fees start at $200 for a reservation of 30 minutes, and 30 minutes is the minimum amount of time you can reserve. Payments can only be made through major credit cards.

There is no limit on the maximum amount of time for which you can reserve the island, so you could have Marriage Island all to yourself for as long as you pay the required reservation fee.

Can I Get a Refund in Case of Rain?

Yes! I had a fantastic chat with Zac Menshew, the Downtown Special Events Manager with the City of San Antonio. He was very helpful, and said that you can receive a refund or reschedule your event as long as you make your request before the event. This is a huge difference between San Antonio, and New York City, I might add.

Marriage Island Reservation Process

The reservation process itself is very easy. Here is a link to the city of San Antonio reservation website:

Click ‘Start Your Reservation’: https://www.sanantonio.gov/ParksAndRec/Reservations-Permits/Reservations-How-To
If you have more questions about a specific venue, then please call the Reservations Office directly at 210.207.7275 or an email to SAParksReservations@SanAntonio.gov and they will be happy to help you.

What Are the Rules for Getting Married on Marriage Island?

There is a maximum of 25 people allowed on Marriage Island for each reservation. Other than that, San Antonio does not have many rules when it comes to reserving space. You can have music and bring chairs or props. The city only requests that you clean up after yourself following your event. This means no glitter, rose petals, or other trash left behind.

By the way, the City of San Antonio is pet friendly, and pets on a leash are allowed. Also, you can drink alcohol on the Riverwalk, so feel free to pop open the bubbly!

What Other Locations Can I Reserve in San Antonio?

Through the same website, you can also reserve several other locations in San Antonio for an elopement or surprise proposal. These spaces include the Cos House at La Villita, the Milam Park Gazebo, and the Piazza Italia Pavilion.

Please note that the city is in the process of updating the reservation website. Currently the Travis Park and Alamo gazebos are listed, though these spaces do not exist. Also, Convent Park on the Riverwalk is going to be added to the list soon.

If you are interested in hosting an indoor event, this same link can be used to reserve space in many community center rooms across the city. This is a great option for birthday parties.

Can I Get Married on a Riverwalk Bridge?

Technically no. There is no way to reserve any of the Riverwalk bridges for a proposal or elopement because these spaces are public thoroughfares. That said, as long as you are not holding up traffic, then these spaces can be used to quickly ask your beloved to marry you. So, as long as the park police do not have a problem with you obstructing the public right of way, then go ahead and drop down on one knee while overlooking the river.

So there you have it: everything you need to know about tying the knot on Marriage Island. The images in this post include photos I took of a lovely couple during my first trip to San Antonio in July of 2023. For more happy memories from this trip, check out my photos here. Enjoy the images, and I’ll have more photo adventures for you next week!

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Are you interested in saying ‘I do’ on Marriage Island? 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