Want to plan an Austin elopement? You’ve come to the right place. Austin, Texas, has so much to offer from urban sophistication to its vibrant culture to picturesque nature. It’s an incredible place to plan the elopement of your dreams.

I had the chance to plan and photograph Andrea and Conor’s Austin elopement, where I got to plan and show them around one of my favorite cities. Let’s dive into what you should know if you want to plan an Austin elopement.

Austin Elopement Guide

If you want to elope in Austin, there are a few things you’ll want to know first to prepare, and I’m here to answer your questions!

When is the best time to elope in Austin?

October and November in Austin are great months for an elopement, with with milder temperatures and a relatively low risk of rain. Note, ACL Fest in October is always something to avoid due to crowds!

How can you elope in Austin?

If you want to elope in Austin, you’ll first need to get a marriage license. To start the process, you’ll need to complete a marriage license application, which you can fill out here.

Once the application has been submitted, you’ll need to schedule an appointment at the County Clerk’s office. Austin, Texas, is part of Travis County, so you’ll need to go to the county Clerk's office to get your license.

You and your partner must appear at the County Clerk's office within 30 days of submitting the online application. Bring the required documents with you, and you’ll need to pay the $80.00 license fee.

After that, you must wait at least 72 hours to have your legal ceremony. For all the info you need to get a marriage license and the legal process, visit the Travis County Clerk’s website here.

Guess what?! I’m legally ordained, so I can not only plan and photograph your special day, but also sign your marriage license. this creates a lot of flexibility and endless options for your elopement.

Where should you elope in Austin?

A newlywed couple during their first kiss at their wedding ceremony

What I love about elopements is that you can get married anywhere you want. There are great options for smaller ceremonies. there are some beautiful ones throughout Austin like the Carpenter Hotel, the South Congress Hotel, or the Shady Villa Hotel.

You’ll also find endless, outdoor locations and gardens that you can use to tie the knot, such as Laguna GloriaThese locations are definitely more comfortable in the cooler months, but the city of Austin Is a beautiful backdrop for your speical day, no matter the season.

Go here to discover my top 10 unique small wedding venues in the Austin, Texas area!

What activities should you do in Austin during your elopement?

There are so many different activities you can do during your Austin elopement, but here are some of my top suggestions:

Kayak on Lady Bird Lake
Rent a vintage boat on Lady Bird Lake
Tour wineries in the hill country
Take a dip in Barton Springs
Have a picnic at Zilker Park
Visit a state park near Austin
Enjoy a cheese course from the best cheese shop in town, Antonelli’s
Visit a local music venue like Continental Club

Where should you stay in Austin?

There are countless options in Austin depending on your budget, and what exactly you’re looking for, so I’ve rounded up some different choices you can choose from:

Downtown Austin

The Proper

The Line

The Loren

Hotel Ella

Hotel Saint Cecila

Commodore Perry Estate

Haywood Hotel

Hotel San Jose

Outside of Austin

The Wayback

Sage Hill Inn & Spa

Lake Austin Spa Resort

Boutique Hotels in Austin

The Loren Hotel

Hotel Saint Cecilia

Hotel Magdalena

Andrea and Conor’s Austin Elopement

Andrea and Conor were vacationing in Austin when they decided to elope with me. The two actually met online and didn’t even realize that they lived in the same building at the time!

They live in Whitehorse, Yukon, together but knew that they wanted their special day to be in Austin. A secret elopement was exactly what they were looking for and it was the perfect way to celebrate their love in an intimate way that was just for them.

While they want to plan a bigger party with all of their friends and family later (Conor’s family is huge and while they wanted to include them all, it was getting a bit intimadating). So, instead, we planned out a calm and peaceful elopement day with the two of them.

I was so excited to plan their entire day, from where they stayed to all the places we visited, and signed their marriage license.

I chose The Wayback as the location for them to exchange their vows. The Wayback is a casual boutique hotel 15 minutes west of downtown Austin. It is surrounded by hills and a big Texas sky, which was the perfect backdrop for Andrea and Conor. they ended up staying a few nights here and couldn’t stop raving about it.

We then took photos around downtown Austin, and I planned a dinner for them at

Justine's Brasserie, per their request for French food.Exploring the city and taking photos throughout was such a special way to celebrate their marriage. They finished their celebration with dancing and cake cutting at Sagebrush.

Andrea and Conor are both big music lovers and love everything vintage, so I made sure to curate a day that was specific to them and thankfully, Austin is the perfect place for vintage and music.

Here’s a behind-the-lens look to learn more about Andrea and Conor and their elopement:

Andrea and Conor’s Vendors

I want to give a special shout-out to all the incredible vendors involved in Andrea and Conor’s elopement. These vendors were amazing and made their celebration unforgettable.

Venue - https://www.waybackaustin.com/

Officiant - me! Map and Compass

Florist - https://kismetflowers.com

Cake - Mindy’s Bake Shop https://mindysbakeshopaustin.com/

Hair - Luxe by Lexi https://www.luxebylexi.com/

Makeup - Luxe by Lexi https://www.luxebylexi.com/

Bride’s dress - https://leinstudio.com/collections/dress

Bride’s ring - Anna Sheffield https://www.annasheffield.com

Ready to Plan an Austin Elopement?

I hope you found this Austin elopement guide helpful. If you want an elopement and intimate wedding planning timeline and checklist to help you with your elopement planning, check out the resources I’ve created here.

An elopement in Austin promises to be a unique experience, and you can choose from so many unique elopement locations. If you love the feel of Austin, consider this special city for your elopement!

Ready to have a wedding experience where you embrace genuine, true moments and have those captured r? Then let’s get started dreaming and planning your true elopement or wedding day in Texas or beyond! You can get in touch with me or learn more about my services here.