There’s no denying that Georgia offers a beautiful diversity in landscape- from rolling mountains, to waterfalls and creeks, to beaches. As someone who lives in Georgia, I often find the great landscape of the west to draw me in and often I don’t give Georgia the necessary credit, but there’s no shortage of beauty in the Peach State that is perfect for planning an elopement!
You can enjoy the pines and say your vows above the clouds at sunset atop a green mountain, or go down south to find beautiful Spanish Moss trees and to walk in the sand of Georgia’s coast at sunset! Aside from the landscape, you are sure to be greeted with southern hospitality, amazing down-south cooking, and the best sweet tea! (One thing I do miss when traveling to the west coast and up north!)
While Georgia isn’t known for its amazing hiking and red canyons, it is known for its ridges and valleys that stem from the Appalachian Mountains in the Northwest, the Blue Ridge Mountains that trickle down in the Northeast, the plateaus of central Georgia and the coastal plains of the south- making it so diverse!
Here are the best places to elope in Georgia, as well as some insight into the legalities of eloping in Georgia!
If you’re not sure where to start with planning your elopement in Georgia (or anywhere,) get my free Elopement Planning Guide here!

The Best Time of Year to Elope in Georgia

  Along with Georgia’s variety in landscape, you also get a variety of weather! While snow is pretty unlikely, even in North Georgia, you can bet on a beautiful spring, hot and humid summers, gorgeous fall colors, and very cold winters! While there tends to be a lot of rain in the spring, every season in Georgia is none-the-less beautiful and you can plan your elopement in your desired season! (My favorite is definitely the fall in Georgia!)

The Legalities of Eloping in Georgia:

   It’s pretty easy to get your marriage license in Georgia, which you will need in order to elope! You will get your marriage license the same day, and you only need to spend about 30 minutes at a county probate court to get your license! You can find a court in Georgia close to where you plan to elope here!
   Make sure you bring the following to the probate court when you apply for your marriage license:

• Be at least 18 years old, except in certain special circumstances.
• Bring two forms of identification and proof of age, such as a driver’s license, passport, or birth certificate.
• Provide information regarding your parents’ names and places of birth.
• Bring a decree of divorce, proof of annulment, or certificate of death in regard to any previous spouse(s).
• Provide proof of a residential Georgia address or proof of the ceremony address for out-of-state individuals.
• Both parties must be present to obtain the license.
• Each person must also provide proper identification.
• Pay the license fee, which costs approximately $56 in Georgia

     In the state of Georgia, you also do not need witnesses to elope! You only need an officiant to sign your marriage license! Once your marriage license is signed, you just mail it back to the probate court and they will send you your official marriage certificate!

Places to Elope in Georgia

   Not sure where to elope in the Peach State? Here are 9 of my favorite locations in Georgia that you can visit for your elopement! Want to book your elopement in Georgia at one of these amazing locations? Book your experience today!

Preachers Rock

Preachers Rock is a beautiful overlook that is located along the Appalachian trail! This dog-friendly location requires a 2-mile (round trip) hike to see the views, but if you’re down for a moderate hike- this location is 100% worth it! (Especially in the fall!)
It’s best to visit this location at sunrise for the best views and lighting, so be prepared for a low-lit hike!

Black Rock Mountain State Park

   This location has the best of both worlds- a beautiful overlook and a lake! This location has a great variety for your elopement day, making it one of the best locations in North Georgia!

Red Top Mountain State Park

Red Top Mountain State Park is just under an hour North of Atlanta, just outside of Cartersville, Georgia! This beautiful location gets pretty busy on the weekends, as it is one of Georgia’s most popular State Parks! If you’re looking to elope here, I highly recommend a weekday elopement to avoid the heavy crowds!

Piedmont Park

   If you’re dreaming of a big city elopement, this location may be perfect for you! Piedmont Park is a beautiful location in the heart of Atlanta, featuring a lake, Clara Meere, that has the skylines of Downtown Atlanta in the distance. You are also right in Atlanta, where you can easily visit the Georgia Aquarium, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, and so much more!

Jekyll Island

   If you want the coast, Spanish Moss trees, and the southern hospitality of Georgia- Jekyll Island is the place for you! The driftwood beaches of Jekyll Island are a bucket list stop of mine for a Georgia elopement!

Providence Canyon

   Known as Georgia’s “Little Grand Canyon,” Providence Canyon is a super unique location in Lumpkin, Georgia, just south of Columbus, Georgia! This is perfect if you want to get a taste of the grand landscapes of the Western US States, without the travel!

Cloudland Canyon State Park

   Cloudland Canyon is such a beautiful location, with canyons as deep as 1,000 feet with several waterfalls at the bottom! You can enjoy horseback riding along the trails here, too! (How fun would it be to ride horses through the canyon as a part of your elopement adventure?)

Minnehaha Falls Trail

   Another one of my bucket list locations for a Georgia elopement- Minnehaha Falls! This beautiful tiered waterfall only requires a .4 mile (roundtrip) hike and it’s dog-friendly!

Tallulah Falls/ Tallulah Gorge

   Tallulah Falls is another beautiful tiered waterfall, which is located in the Tallulah Gorge! There is a limited number of permits given a day for visitors, and can’t be reserved in advance, so I recommend going early in the morning to see this beautiful location! 

Cumberland Island

Cumberland Island is such a unique coastal location in Georgia, and it even has wild horses! You can only access this location by a ferry, which means a lot less traffic! This is one of my bucket list locations for an elopement in Georgia!

Ready to Elope in Georgia?

If you are ready to read your vows on a rolling mountain top, exchange rings in front of a beautiful waterfall, or have your first kiss on a beautiful coast in Georgia- let’s plan your elopement experience!