The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio - San Antonio Wedding & Family Photographer

San Antonio is a city bursting with charm, history, and natural beauty. This makes it an ideal backdrop for popping the question. Whether you are looking for a quiet, intimate setting or a spot that offers a grand gesture, San Antonio has something for every couple. In today’s blog post, I have for you my list of the best places to propose in San Antonio. From the most popular spots to a few alternative locations you may not have considered, these are my top marriage proposal locations guaranteed to get your beloved to say, ‘Yes.’

How to Start Your Proposal Location Selection Process

When you are selecting a location for your proposal, my advice is to choose a venue that is important to you as a couple. This personal connection to your location will have far more impact than selecting a spot that neither of you have ever visited. For example, the San Antonio Botanical Garden is beautiful, but if you have never visited it together, then it’s just a garden. By contrast, the local park that you visited on your first date will resonate much more strongly with you both because you have so many memories here as a couple. Grand proposals are just empty, expensive gestures without a personal connection.

Things to Consider for Your Proposal

You should think about your proposal in terms of before, during, and after you pop the question. For the ‘before,’ think about how you are going to get your beloved to your location and still maintain the surprise. Do you want to be a little bit dressed up for photos? If so, then perhaps tell your other half that you have a big dinner planned or even a brunch. Don’t be afraid to get friends and family involved to help keep your cover.

For the ‘after’ segment, it’s always fun to have either a meal or a cocktail waiting for you. Reservations at a fancy restaurant will always work, but you could take a trip to the ice cream shop around the corner or chow down on a picnic. In any case, have a bottle of bubbly chilled and ready for your celebration.

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: the Most Popular Spots

River Walk Island at the Pearl

The Pearl has it all. The venue is overflowing in terms of photo opportunities and fun restaurants, and this is why it is – hands down – the most popular spot in San Antonio for a surprise proposal. I had the pleasure of photographing Ray’s proposal to Kitzia in December and he chose the perfect spot for a proposal at the Pearl: the little River Walk island in the Pearl Springs area (read all about it here)

This location has several advantages. First, the island is relatively private, both in terms of being separate from crowds and for the photographer looking to hide (on the pathway opposite to the island) to make it truly a surprise proposal. For Ray’s proposal to Kitzia, I stood on the pathway opposite of the island and gave Ray strict instructions on how to position himself so that I had the best view of the actual proposal. Kitzia had no idea I was there with my camera, and I got some truly stunning shots.

The trick here is to make sure that you drop to one knee in exactly the right spot. We practiced where Ray would stand beforehand so that he would be on bended knee perpendicular to my lens. Had Ray not been in the right spot, this would have been tricky because I can’t exactly walk over water to get a closer shot.

After your proposal, make sure you take advantage of all the photo opportunities the Pearl has to offer. This includes more shots along the River Walk, the fairy light alleyway beside the Culinary Institute, and one of my favorite spots, the arcade entrance to the Cellers apartment complex. This spot in particular, when shot from the walkway into the apartment entrance, looks like something out of Travel and Leisure Magazine.

Hays Street Bridge

I’m just going to say it: the Hays Street Bridge is not a location I would recommend for a surprise proposal. Architecturally speaking, it’s not significant and does not have a great view of the city skyline. More importantly, the area has become a mecca for the local homeless population and has been the site of numerous crimes lately. I would absolutely not visit this area at night. Furthermore, the neighborhood doesn’t have much in terms of photo opportunities except one lonely mural underneath the bridge and the skate park next door. I know this is a unique location and that it is very popular for all sorts of photo shoots in San Antonio, but there are better spots in the city to get down on one knee. To read more about my last proposal at the Hays Street Bridge, check out my post here.

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: Permits Required

There are no rules against you simply and quietly proposing to your beloved at either the McNay Art Museum or at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. But if you are looking to have a photographer capture the moment, then a photo permit is required at these locations.

McNay Art Museum

I have written in detail about the photo permit requirements for the McNay Art Museum: How to Take Photos at the McNay Art Museum. In short, a basic portrait session permit costs $30, and permits must be secured via the online form at least 48 hours in advance. If you would like to reserve the grounds for a proposal, then the permit costs $200. This fee entitles the recipient to exclusive use of the grounds and the $30 grounds photography fee is waived with the purchase of the proposal fee.

Proposals can either be staged at the magnificent fountain or at the quaint Japanese-style gazebo by the koi pond. If you are looking to stage an epic proposal, then note that up to 25 guests can join you at the proposal and music is permitted. Drones, glitter, balloons, and confetti, however, are prohibited. Also, alcohol is forbidden, so you will have to pop a bottle of cider instead.

San Antonio Botanical Garden

The photo permit fee for the San Antonio Botanical Garden is $195, but no advance reservations are required. Also, the photo permit fee allows for photos to be taken in any area of the gardens. Note that small, hand-held props are permitted, but you are not allowed to bring in any large objects such as a flower arch or neon sign. Furthermore, photo sessions can only be scheduled during the gardens opening hours, so note that you will be sharing the garden with other visitors. My advice is to get there early and try to plan your proposal during a weekday. For more information, check out the SABOT website here.

Both the McNay Art Museum and the San Antonio Botanical Garden are immensely popular for photo shoots of all types, so make sure you plan ahead for your proposal. Ideally, avoid both of these locations during the weekend.

Landa Library

If you are in search of a much less crowded location that still includes a historical building in the background and lovely gardens, then you might want to consider the Landa Library. This location is immensely beautiful, but not quite as popular with photographers. According to the website, photo permits are free, but must be secured at least 10 days in advance through the Film Commission website. Oh, and don’t forget to visit the Hill Country, so to speak, by taking photos in the abandoned lot meadow directly behind the library (details here).

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: Crowded, but Worth It

The Japanese Tea Garden and La Villita

The Japanese Tea Garden and La Villita are two of the most unique venues in San Antonio. Both properties are beautiful and offer stunning photo backdrops, no matter when or where you shoot. But you have been warned: both spaces can be extremely crowded due to their popularity.

Weekends are the worst time to schedule a photo shoot in either space. The narrow, maze-like pathways of the Japanese Tea Garden are especially horrendous to navigate any time after 9:30 AM on a Saturday or Sunday. Your best bet for either location is to opt for a weekday morning for the Japanese Tea Garden, or a weekday afternoon for La Villita. Trust me, crowds will absolutely take away from the magical ambience of either space.

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: The Best Parks

Confluence Park

Confluence Park, located just south of downtown San Antonio, is probably my favorite park in the city. The super stylized, concrete structures are out of this world, yet they integrate beautifully into the surrounding nature. The park is small, but the views through the concrete structures are fantastic for photos. And while the park is compact, you have lots of options for photos in the park itself and along the River Walk below.

Denman Estate Park

Denman Estate Park never gets enough love, though it is one of the most unique green spaces in San Antonio. The hand-crafted Korean monument and Asian garden make this park one of a kind. Note that while you cannot actually walk on the Korean monument stage, you can certainly have it in the background for your proposal. In addition to the Oriental influences, the park itself is lovely with a beautiful lake to walk around.

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: The Best Rooftops

The Moon’s Daughters

The building with the best sunset view in all of San Antonio is by far the Moon’s Daughters. This rooftop bar, located at the top of the Thompson hotel, ha stunning views west and south of the city. The drinks here are tasty, but be prepared for a pricey permit fee if you want to book a private space. You will need to contact the bar directly through either their website or email (tmd.events@thompsonhotels.com) in order to inquire about prices.

1 Watson

One Watson is the second-best, sunset view on a rooftop in San Antonio. I say this simply because the Moon’s Daughters has a corner view so that you can get great shots of the sparkling downtown city lights. One Watson, on the other hand, only faces west. That said, the rooftop bar on top of the AC Hotel overlooks Main Plaza so you get a unique view on San Fernando Cathedral below. The hotel staff here is amazingly kind, and I can’t say enough good things about the mixologists minding the bar. Note that this rooftop bar gets crowded around sunset no matter the day of the week, as the hotel is especially popular with people in town on business. You will need to contact the hotel directly if you would like to book a private room for a proposal.

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: The Best Hotels

Hotel Emma and the Saint Anthony

If you were thinking that you could propose in a swanky hotel lobby, then don’t. Hotels are private property, and most of them require permits for any on-site photography. In addition, most hotels forbid photography in any public areas so as not to disturb other paying guests. As such, you are going to have to pony up for a room in order to take photos in just about any hotel.

Your best bet for the most photogenic proposal is to book a suite with a room large enough to accommodate you dropping down on one knee plus your photographer. The two hotels I recommend in San Antonio are the Saint Anthony on Travis Street and Hotel Emma at the Pearl. Both of these hotels are beautiful, inside and out. In addition, both of these hotels are close to other photogenic locations, giving you lots of options for your engagement portrait following your proposal. The Hotel Emma is, of course, located smack dab in the middle of the Pearl, and the hotel Saint Anthony has Peacock Alley and tons of other secret downtown photo shoot locations nearby.

Finally, if you ask nicely and it’s not a very popular time of day, you may be able to sneak a few photos in the lobby if you are a guest. I have personally had good luck with the Hotel Emma staff and recommend the venue highly.

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: The Best Bridges

As my comments on the Hays Street Bridge should attest, I am not the biggest fan of bridges as a location for a surprise proposal. If you must select a bridge, however, there are two spots I might recommend.

Love Lock Bridge

This is a bridge in downtown San Antonio where an ugly wire fence has been set up for people to affix love locks to. The fence itself is rather unattractive, but it is covered over in said love locks. Feel free to propose after declaring your love with a lock. Next-door to the bridge is the San Fernando Cathedral, and you can walk over to either the Tower of the Americas or the San Pedro Creek for more optimal photo locations.

Rosita’s Bridge

Rosita‘s Bridge is the cute little bridge crossing from La Villita to the Arneson River Theatre. This bridge is very popular, so expect to have people walking past you while you declare your love. Personally, the better option is to get down on one knee on the tiled staircase leading up to La Villita right across from the bridge. The tiled staircase is rarely traveled by tourists, so you should have the whole space to yourself. Furthermore, the stone wall area at the top of the staircase is a great place for photos.

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: Alternative Locations

Mission Espada

To me, Mission Espada is the most beautiful of all the five UNESCO Heritage sites in the Missions National Historical Park. Mission Espada is the smallest of all the missions, but the trefoil bell tower above the church is a romantic background no photographer can resist. In addition, the location includes beautiful ruins of the former buildings surrounding the church, plus interesting landscaping. Don’t forget the Tree of Life sculpture behind the church as you walk towards the River Walk or the view of the San Antonio River from the Camino Coahuilteca for some shots in nature.

Peacock Alley

I love Peacock Alley for its color and quirky ambience. It’s like a film set that is always waiting for someone to jump into the starring role. This location is especially magical at dusk, but the colorful murals make it a lovely urban location any time of the day. My recommendation is that you opt for the alleyway between Broadway and Jefferson Streets so as to avoid the unsightly dumpsters.

The Grotto

Granted, the Grotto isn’t your typical, romantic proposal location, but I am a huge fan of the art installation’s unique architecture and whimsical pathways. If you and your beloved are a big fan of Halloween, then the Grotto might just fit the bill. There aren’t any real places to hide for your photographer (besides across the river), but it would definitely be a surprise if you come around the bend and then pop the question. Specifically, check out the waterfall area for your best surprise moment.

Tower of the Americas

The Tower of the Americas is a classic proposal spot for a reason. If you don’t have a fear of heights, then the Tower provides the best view in town. I love the old school vibes here, and there are plenty of spots to take great photos in the surrounding waterfall ‘gardens.’ If you plan to propose at the top, then you need to secure a $250 photo permit through the Chart House restaurant before setting up your proposal. For more details and secret photo spots, check out my article, ‘How to Propose at the Tower of the Americas.’

Central Library Sculpture Garden

While Landa Library is probably the first library of choice for any besotted bookworms, I think you can’t go wrong with a proposal in the Central Library sculpture garden. The building’s iconic architecture and the cool, colorful modernism of the surrounding sculptures make for a fantastic photo shoot.

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: The River Walk

River Walk Ferry Ride

No, I am not suggesting that you should propose on one of the River Walk ferries meant for tourists. I am instead endorsing the ferries that take you up a bit farther on the River Walk. My recommendation is that you pop the question early on in the boat ride in a quiet part of the River Walk, and then enjoy a romantic ride downstream. If you want to go the extra, classy mile, then consider booking a private boat for a romantic dinner floating down the River Walk.

River Walk Options and Places to Avoid

Marriage Island seems to me a bit on the nose as a proposal spot. The island is far from private, so if you do select this location, then expect to be the object of fascination for every ferry passing by.

Instead, I would recommend other more private locations such as the little garden niche right before the hanging fish sculptures under the Interstate 35 overpass. Another good spot is in front of the big waterfall by the Embassy Suites Hotel. Note that this location does not have much space to accommodate a photographer for a surprise proposal, but you can get a good shot from across the river. Finally, the Convent Street River Walk access has a spacious platform and is normally quite private.

The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio: Road Trips

Let’s say that none of these ideas spark your fancy, and you just want to propose while getting out of town. Here are your best ideas for road trip proposals.

Vineyard in the Hill Country

This idea is going to take a bit of planning, but it is worth it if you want to have an off-the-charts romantic proposal. There are several wineries near Fredericksburg and in the Hill Country that would love to work with you to set up the perfect proposal. Picture it: you are walking down the aisles of a local vineyard. It’s sunset, and you drop to one knee to ask your beloved to marry you. She says ‘yes,’ and then you celebrate with a cozy, private dinner at the vineyard. With any luck, the vineyard also has a bed-and-breakfast next door to make sure you don’t have to go back to reality and can make a whole weekend out of it.

Cibolo Center for Conservation

While the winery road trip idea requires planning beforehand, the next idea doesn’t require any reservations, except maybe for dinner. The Cibolo Center for Conservation has some of the most beautiful hiking trails along the Cibolo Creek. The cool waters underneath the cedar trees are a welcome relief from the Texas heat. Even better, getting lost in nature provides the perfect backdrop to propose. After you are done with your hike, take a trip to Boerne for a fancy dinner in town.

Final Thoughts

San Antonio offers countless romantic spots to propose. Whether you’re drawn to the vibrant energy of the River Walk, the serene beauty of the Japanese Tea Garden, or the artistic flair of the McNay Art Museum, there is a perfect spot for every couple. When planning your proposal, consider the crowd levels, photography permits needed, and the atmosphere that best suits your relationship. Most importantly, choose a location that has a personal connection with you both. With a little planning, you’ll create a moment that is unforgettable.

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If you found this article on ‘The Best Places to Propose in San Antonio’ useful, then check out these articles:

Are you interested in saying ‘I do’ in San Antonio? Drop me a line and let’s chat about how I can help you plan your surprise proposal. I have hourly rates, and all photo shoots include editing and high-resolution files.

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