Cypress Gardens Elopement Packages
in Charleston, SC
Features the iconic boat scene location from The Notebook. Mesmerizing scenery with gardens and tranquil waters.
Packages from $1,575
Packages
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Getaway Plus
Friends and Family
Weekend Package
Friday/Saturday/Sunday
Every Package Includes
Flexible payment options available
Every Package Includes
Flexible payment options available
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Cypress Gardens
Reserve your Cypress Gardens date
Flat-priced. All-inclusive. Most couples elope within 4–6 weeks of inquiry.
Check AvailabilityAll-Inclusive Cypress Gardens Elopement Packages
Elope at Cypress Gardens in Charleston, SC
Features the iconic boat scene location from The Notebook. Mesmerizing scenery with gardens and tranquil waters. Our all-inclusive Cypress Gardens elopement packages start at $1,575 and include professional photography, a licensed South Carolina officiant, ceremony coordination, and full guidance through the Charleston County Probate Court process. Whether you imagine an intimate two-person ceremony or a micro wedding for up to 50 guests, every Cypress Gardens package is flat-priced — no setup fees, no surprise add-ons. Charleston's 24-hour waiting period (can be waived) means most couples can book, get licensed, and elope at Cypress Gardens in as little as a few weeks.
Starting price
$1,575
Packages
3
City
Charleston
License
$95
Quick Answers
Common Cypress Gardens elopement questions
How much does it cost to elope at Cypress Gardens?
Packages range from $1,575 for the Getaway Plus Package (up to 10 guests, 1 hour) to $2,575 for the Weekend Package (up to 20 guests, 2 hours).
What makes Cypress Gardens special for elopements?
Cypress Gardens is a breathtaking botanical garden with blackwater swamps, towering cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, and lush subtropical gardens. It's one of the most unique ceremony settings in the Southeast.
How do we get around Cypress Gardens?
The gardens feature walking paths through the botanical areas. Some couples opt for a boat ride on the blackwater lake for photos — it's magical.
South Carolina Marriage License
What you need to elope at Cypress Gardens
Charleston County Probate Court ↗
Cost
$95
Wait Period
24-hour waiting period
Blood Test
Not required
Important
The marriage license fee is paid directly to the county clerk's office at the time of application — not to Elopements Inc. Both partners must apply for the license in person; we cannot obtain the license on your behalf. We walk every couple through the process step by step (which clerk to visit, what to bring, when to go), but the application itself has to be signed by you.
Reserve your Cypress Gardens date
Flat-priced. All-inclusive. Most couples elope within 4–6 weeks of inquiry.
Check Availability
Venue Guide
The full Cypress Gardens guide
History, photo spots, capacity, permits, and what makes this venue different — everything you'd want to know before booking.
Location
Moncks Corner, SC (~25 min from downtown Charleston)
Setting
170-acre cypress swamp preserve
Ceremony capacity
Up to 50 guests
Indoor / outdoor
Outdoor — flat-bottom boat ceremony on black-water swamp
Wheelchair accessible
Boat access requires step into vessel; alternate land ceremony available
Marriage license
Charleston County, SC — $95, 24-hour waiting period
History & architecture
Cypress Gardens is a 170-acre cypress and tupelo swamp preserve originally established in the 1920s as the rice plantation grounds of Dean Hall. The site was reopened as a public garden in 1932 and is one of the oldest black-water swamp preserves in the southeastern United States. Famous for its mirror-still water reflecting Spanish-moss-draped cypress trees, the swamp has appeared as a filming location in 'The Patriot' (2000), 'The Notebook' (2004), and 'Cold Mountain' (2003). The flat-bottom boat ceremony — couples and officiant in a wooden punt on the black water — is the signature setup and one of the most-photographed elopement formats in the Southeast.
Best photo spots on the property
Flat-bottom boat in the cypress channel
The signature setup. Couple and officiant in a wooden punt boat, surrounded by cypress trees rising directly out of black water. The most-photographed Charleston elopement format and the visual most associated with Cypress Gardens elopements.
Cypress reflection pool
Still water reflecting the cypress canopy. Best at mid-morning when the sun is high enough to light the water but the wind hasn't picked up. Used for portrait sessions immediately after the boat ceremony.
Spanish moss canopy
Walking paths through cypress trees draped in Spanish moss. Used for 'walking down the aisle' shots and pre-ceremony arrival sets.
Dean Hall plantation house clearing
Open meadow ringed by oak trees. Used for couples who prefer a land-based ceremony with the swamp as a nearby photo location rather than the ceremony setting itself.
Capacity & seating
Boat ceremonies hold the couple and officiant — guests watch from the dock or shore. Land ceremonies in the Dean Hall clearing accommodate up to 50 guests with chair rentals. Most Elopements Inc. Cypress Gardens ceremonies are 2-10 guests using the boat format.
Permits & access
Cypress Gardens is a Berkeley County public park with a venue rental program. Elopements Inc. handles the venue fee, permit, and timing as part of every Charleston package. Couples never deal directly with the park.
Best season for this venue
Late March through mid-May is the photographic peak — azaleas bloom along the swamp edges, cypress trees push out green needles, and temperatures stay in the 65-75°F range. Mid-October through November is the second peak — golden cypress needles before they drop. Summer (June-August) is humid and prone to afternoon thunderstorms; we shift summer ceremonies to early morning. Winter ceremonies are possible and produce the most dramatic black-water reflection photos (no leaves on the cypress trees), but the air is cooler and the water can be glass-still in a way summer can't replicate.
What makes it different
Cypress Gardens is the only Charleston venue where the entire ceremony happens on water — couples in a flat-bottom boat, cypress trees rising directly out of black water on all sides, Spanish moss overhead. No other Lowcountry venue produces this exact visual. The 'Notebook'-recognition factor alone draws couples who want the iconic Southern romance aesthetic without the photo being immediately identifiable as some other location.
Nearby for your elopement day or weekend
- ·Magnolia Plantation (20 min) — peak azalea blooms March-April
- ·Charleston historic district (25 min) — Rainbow Row, the Battery, Waterfront Park for post-ceremony walks
- ·Husk restaurant (25 min) — flagship modern Southern dinner, popular post-ceremony reservation
- ·Boone Hall Plantation (40 min) — oak avenue, additional photography location
- ·Sullivan's Island (35 min) — beach for next-day daytime activity
Cypress Gardens questions
Yes — Cypress Gardens is one of two flagship Charleston elopement venues (alongside Hampton Park). The signature flat-bottom boat ceremony format puts the couple and officiant on a wooden punt in the cypress swamp with guests watching from the dock. Elopements Inc.'s Charleston packages include Cypress Gardens access.
Cypress Gardens elopements through Elopements Inc. start at $575 (Just Married package, up to 5 guests) — venue access, the officiant, professional photography, and South Carolina marriage license guidance all included. The $95 marriage license fee is paid separately to the Charleston County Probate Court.
The boat itself fits the couple and the officiant. Guests watch from the dock and the surrounding walking paths, which are 10-20 feet from the boat. Photography captures both the boat ceremony and the guest reactions. For couples who want guests on water with them, the venue offers larger boats by special arrangement.
Charleston gets afternoon thunderstorms June-August. Elopements Inc.'s Cypress Gardens bookings include a built-in backup: the ceremony shifts to morning, or to the Dean Hall plantation clearing under tree cover, or to one of our covered indoor backup locations. Cancellations are rare; the boat ceremony itself can run in light rain with umbrellas.
Reserve your Cypress Gardens date
Flat-priced. All-inclusive. Most couples elope within 4–6 weeks of inquiry.
Check AvailabilityCypress Gardens FAQ
Cypress Gardens Elopement Questions
Everything you need to know about eloping at Cypress Gardens in Charleston, SC.
Packages range from $1,575 for the Getaway Plus Package (up to 10 guests, 1 hour) to $2,575 for the Weekend Package (up to 20 guests, 2 hours).
Cypress Gardens is a breathtaking botanical garden with blackwater swamps, towering cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, and lush subtropical gardens. It's one of the most unique ceremony settings in the Southeast.
The gardens feature walking paths through the botanical areas. Some couples opt for a boat ride on the blackwater lake for photos — it's magical.
The Getaway Plus Package accommodates up to 10 guests. The Friends and Family and Weekend packages welcome up to 20 guests.
Yes, though spring (March–May) is especially stunning when the azaleas and camellias are in full bloom.
Reserve your Cypress Gardens date
Flat-priced. All-inclusive. Most couples elope within 4–6 weeks of inquiry.
Check AvailabilityLast updated