Elope in Texas
Chihuahuan desert canyons, hot springs, and river corridors
Big Bend National Park sits in one of the most remote corners of the lower 48, where the Rio Grande cuts through the Chihuahuan Desert along the US-Mexico border. The permit system is relatively accessible for a park of this scale, and the isolation means ceremony locations that feel completely private. The hot springs along the river are a distinctive detail that few other parks can offer. Spring and fall are the practical seasons. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 110 degrees at the canyon floor.
Elopement Locations in Texas
4 location guides covering Chihuahuan desert canyons, hot springs, and river corridors.
- Big Bend National Park: National Park · October through April · Permit: Yes · Fee: $100
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park: National Park · March through May, September through November · Permit: Yes · Fee: $150
- Palo Duro Canyon State Park: State Park · Spring and Fall · Permit: Yes
- Big Bend Ranch State Park: State Park · Fall Spring · Permit: Yes · Fee: Daily entrance fee: 5 dollars per person ages 13 and up, free for 12 and under. Texas State Park Pass holders exempt from day use fees. Special Use Permit fees for weddings are not publicly listed. Contact the park directly at 432 358 4444 for current Special Use Permit fee amounts.
Permit Guides for Texas
Texas Marriage License
72-hour waiting period, waivable for active military, by judge's order, or with a Twogether in Texas premarital course certificate. The Twogether course fully waives the base fee for TX residents (down to ~$22 recording-only) but NOT the $100 non-resident surcharge. Out-of-state couples pay $172 to $185 total unless they waive the wait with the course. No witnesses required. Apply at any TX county clerk; license is valid statewide.
- License fee: $72 to $85 ($100 extra if neither applicant is a TX resident)
- Wait period: 3 days (72 hours, waivable)
- Witnesses required: None
- License valid for: 90 days