Nestled between the Texas Hill Country and the blackland prairie of Texas is San Marcos.  This city's charm and natural and beautiful environment, combined with a strong historical background, provides the perfect backdrop for a memorable wedding and reception of any type, from formal to casual and large to small.

With a variety of facilities ranging from bed and breakfasts in stately, restored mansions and homes, to large conference facilities that will hold up to 400 people, San Marcos is the perfect place for any size wedding.

San Marcos has long been a part of Texas' history. The area was first discovered by Spanish explorers in 1689. The current city has grown from a settlement founded in 1844. The city was organized in 1851 and became the county seat of Hays County. Almost 50 years later Southwest Texas State University (SWT) was founded. Today it is the seventh largest public university in Texas, and has been renamed Texas State University (TSU).

Over the years great efforts have been made, successfully, to restore and retain the beauty and charm of the area. For couples planning weddings, this means there are a variety of options for your once-in-a-lifetime event.

Aquarena Center, which is now owned and operated by TSU, is open all year for a variety of functions and activities. While its glass bottom boat may be the most famous feature of the facility, it is far from the only site available at Aquarena Center for your wedding and reception. The ruins of an old Spanish mission offers the perfect backdrop for a small wedding.

With a beautiful meadows area, Aquarena can also offer a special site for a larger outdoor wedding. In either case, a conference center on the site can hold up to 400 people for your reception. You can call 512-245-7560 for more information.

For a wedding with a more historical flavor, consider one of the many homes that have been restored and are on the National Register of Historic Places such as the Charles S. Cock House Museum. This home was the first building in San Marcos to be entered in the National Register of Historic Places. Originally built in the 1860s for Charles S. Cock, a Mississippi planter who became a leader in the development of San Marcos, including serving as the town's second mayor. The house, near the intersection of C.M. Allen Parkway and East Hopkins Street, was restored in the mid 1970s and is considered the showplace of city parkland. It is surrounded with a fountain and memorial grove and a gazebo that is the site of dozens of weddings every year.

From the gazebo you can stroll down to the San Marcos River and along the river trail, which unites many of San Marcos' 25 park sites. Not only do these locations provide wonderful backdrops for your wedding portraits, you can arrange to have the wedding and reception in a variety of park locations. For more information, call the parks department at 512-396-6080.

In addition to the many unique and charming wedding locations, San Marcos features a wide range of shopping facilities -- from small, charming shops on the historic courthouse square to outlet shopping in one of two outlet centers.

With all of these choices, there is a wide range of experienced and talented wedding professionals eager to help you plan your historic day in historic San Marcos.

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