Centennial Park Elopement Packages
in Nashville, TN
Lush gardens, shady trees, and the iconic Parthenon. Popular spots include the Sunken Garden and Lake Watauga. Picturesque for no-fuss elopements.
Packages from $1,275
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Getaway Plus
Friends and Family
Every Package Includes
Flexible payment options available
Every Package Includes
Flexible payment options available
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Centennial Park
Reserve your Centennial Park date
Flat-priced. All-inclusive. Most couples elope within 4–6 weeks of inquiry.
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Centennial Park Moments
Centennial Park Elopement
Reserve your Centennial Park date
Flat-priced. All-inclusive. Most couples elope within 4–6 weeks of inquiry.
Check AvailabilityAll-Inclusive Centennial Park Elopement Packages
Elope at Centennial Park in Nashville, TN
Lush gardens, shady trees, and the iconic Parthenon. Popular spots include the Sunken Garden and Lake Watauga. Picturesque for no-fuss elopements. Our all-inclusive Centennial Park elopement packages start at $1,275 and include professional photography, a licensed Tennessee officiant, ceremony coordination, and full guidance through the Davidson County Clerk's Office process. Whether you imagine an intimate two-person ceremony or a micro wedding for up to 50 guests, every Centennial Park package is flat-priced — no setup fees, no surprise add-ons. Nashville's no waiting period means most couples can book, get licensed, and elope at Centennial Park in as little as a few weeks.
Starting price
$1,275
Packages
2
City
Nashville
License
$100
Quick Answers
Common Centennial Park elopement questions
How much does it cost to elope at Centennial Park?
Elopement packages at Centennial Park start at $1,275 for the Getaway Plus Package (up to 10 guests, 1 hour) and go up to $1,675 for the Friends and Family Package (up to 20 guests, 2 hours).
Is a permit required for ceremonies at Centennial Park?
Yes, permits are required for ceremonies in Centennial Park. All permit fees are included in your package — we handle the application process for you.
What makes Centennial Park special for elopements?
Centennial Park is home to the full-scale replica of the Parthenon, making it one of Nashville's most iconic and photographed locations. The park's open green spaces and lake provide multiple stunning ceremony spots.
Tennessee Marriage License
What you need to elope at Centennial Park
Davidson County Clerk's Office ↗
Cost
$100
Wait Period
No 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 Centennial Park date
Flat-priced. All-inclusive. Most couples elope within 4–6 weeks of inquiry.
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Venue Guide
The full Centennial Park guide
History, photo spots, capacity, permits, and what makes this venue different — everything you'd want to know before booking.
Location
West End, Nashville, TN (across from Vanderbilt University)
Setting
132-acre public park surrounding a full-scale Parthenon replica
Ceremony capacity
Up to 20 guests (Metro Parks permit)
Indoor / outdoor
Outdoor — Sunken Garden, Lake Watauga, and Parthenon lawn
Wheelchair accessible
Paved paths throughout; Parthenon steps not required for ceremony
Marriage license
Davidson County, TN — $100, no waiting period
History & architecture
Centennial Park was created for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition, the state's belated 100-year celebration of its 1796 admission to the Union. The Parthenon at the park's center is a full-scale replica of the original Athenian temple, originally built in plaster and wood for the Exposition and rebuilt in permanent concrete between 1920 and 1931 — it remains the only full-scale Parthenon replica in the world and houses a 42-foot statue of Athena Parthenos completed by sculptor Alan LeQuire in 1990. The 132-acre park surrounding the Parthenon was designed by landscape architect George Kessler and includes Lake Watauga (an artificial lake from the Exposition era), the Sunken Garden, and dozens of legacy monuments. The park earned Nashville its 19th-century nickname 'the Athens of the South.'
Best photo spots on the property
The Parthenon steps and west portico
The signature Centennial Park ceremony backdrop. The west portico catches direct afternoon light through the Doric columns. Most-photographed at golden hour (1 hour before sunset) when the limestone glows warm against the sky.
Sunken Garden
Stone-walled garden room with seasonal plantings, a fountain, and intimate enclosure. Used as the ceremony spot for couples who want a contained, garden-style setting rather than the open Parthenon lawn. Peak blooms late April through May.
Lake Watauga and the Centennial Pavilion
The artificial lake on the park's west side with a small island and the lakeside pavilion. Used for portrait sessions immediately after the ceremony — willows, ducks, and the Parthenon visible across the water.
The east lawn and Parthenon back side
Quieter side of the Parthenon, used for ceremonies that need to avoid the tourist foot traffic on the west portico. Same architecture, fewer strangers in frame.
James Robertson statue and oak grove
Mature oak grove near the park's southern edge with a 19th-century bronze statue. Dappled-light portrait location for couples wanting trees rather than columns.
Capacity & seating
Metro Nashville Parks permits cap small-ceremony permits at 20 guests. Larger gatherings (21-50) require a special-event permit with additional lead time. Most Elopements Inc. Centennial Park ceremonies are 2-10 guests using the Sunken Garden or Parthenon steps. No amplified sound, no temporary structures beyond chairs, no rice or confetti.
Permits & access
Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation issues the small-ceremony permit ($85 base) that covers Sunken Garden, Lake Watauga, and Parthenon-lawn ceremonies. Elopements Inc. handles the permit application, the timing window, and all park coordination as part of every Centennial Park package. Couples never deal directly with Metro Parks.
Best season for this venue
Mid-April through May is the photographic peak — Sunken Garden blooms, dogwoods around Lake Watauga, and 65-78°F temperatures. Mid-October is the second peak — the surrounding oak canopy turns golden and the limestone Parthenon glows against the colored leaves. Summer (June-August) is humid with afternoon thunderstorm risk; we shift summer ceremonies to early morning. Winter ceremonies are possible — the Parthenon photographs starkly against bare branches — but the gardens won't be in bloom. Centennial Park is the most weather-flexible of the four Nashville venues since the Parthenon itself provides covered backup on the west portico.
What makes it different
Centennial Park is the only Nashville elopement venue where the architecture is internationally recognizable — the full-scale Parthenon replica appears in roughly zero other American wedding photos because it exists nowhere else in the world. Compared to Belmont Mansion's curated Italianate interior, Spring Haven's plantation gardens, or the chapel's intimate indoor setting, Centennial Park is the outdoor public-icon choice. It's also the only Nashville venue with no formal aisle structure — couples can position the ceremony anywhere on the lawn or in the Sunken Garden depending on light and crowds that day.
Nearby for your elopement day or weekend
- ·Bastion (10 min) — small-plates restaurant in Wedgewood-Houston, popular post-ceremony dinner
- ·Pinewood (5 min) — modern Southern lounge and dining room, walking distance from Vanderbilt
- ·Vanderbilt University campus (across the street) — Magnolia Lawn and historic Kirkland Hall for additional portrait locations
- ·Hattie B's Hot Chicken Midtown (5 min) — Nashville hot chicken pilgrimage, casual lunch option
- ·Hermitage Hotel downtown (10 min) — historic luxury hotel for couples extending the elopement into a Nashville weekend
- ·Music Row (5 min) — historic recording studios for a next-day Nashville walking tour
Centennial Park questions
Yes — Centennial Park is one of the four flagship Nashville elopement venues offered by Elopements Inc. Ceremonies happen at the Parthenon steps, the Sunken Garden, or the Lake Watauga lawn, with the Metro Nashville Parks permit handled as part of the package. It's the most-booked outdoor Nashville elopement venue and the most accessible price tier of the four.
Centennial Park elopements through Elopements Inc. start at $1,275 (Getaway Plus, up to 10 guests, 1 hour, 100-150 photos). The Friends and Family package at $1,675 covers up to 20 guests over 2 hours. Both packages include the Metro Parks permit, the officiant, professional photography, ceremony coordination, and Tennessee marriage license guidance. The $100 license fee is paid separately to the Davidson County Clerk.
Different choices. Centennial Park is the outdoor public-icon ceremony — Parthenon backdrop, open lawns, $1,275 starting price. Belmont Mansion is the 1853 Italianate interior with frescoes and formal gardens, $575 starting price for the smallest package but with more curated indoor setting. Couples who want the iconic Nashville landmark in their photos choose Centennial Park; couples who want a historic-house ceremony aesthetic choose Belmont.
Up to 10 guests with Getaway Plus, up to 20 with Friends and Family. The Metro Parks small-ceremony permit caps total attendance at 20 — for larger gatherings (21-50) we can apply for a special-event permit with extended lead time. Most Centennial Park ceremonies are 2-15 guests.
Outdoor. The ceremony happens at the Parthenon's exterior steps, the Sunken Garden, or the Lake Watauga lawn — never inside the Parthenon itself, which houses the Athena statue and operates as a Metro Nashville art museum. The west portico does provide overhead column cover that works as light-rain backup without losing the architectural backdrop.
Mid-April through May is the photographic peak — Sunken Garden blooms, dogwoods around Lake Watauga, 65-78°F temperatures, low afternoon storm risk. Mid-October is the second peak for fall color around the limestone Parthenon. We avoid midday June-August due to humidity and shift summer ceremonies to early morning or 6 PM.
Reserve your Centennial Park date
Flat-priced. All-inclusive. Most couples elope within 4–6 weeks of inquiry.
Check AvailabilityCentennial Park FAQ
Centennial Park Elopement Questions
Everything you need to know about eloping at Centennial Park in Nashville, TN.
Elopement packages at Centennial Park start at $1,275 for the Getaway Plus Package (up to 10 guests, 1 hour) and go up to $1,675 for the Friends and Family Package (up to 20 guests, 2 hours).
Yes, permits are required for ceremonies in Centennial Park. All permit fees are included in your package — we handle the application process for you.
Centennial Park is home to the full-scale replica of the Parthenon, making it one of Nashville's most iconic and photographed locations. The park's open green spaces and lake provide multiple stunning ceremony spots.
The Getaway Plus Package accommodates up to 10 guests and the Friends and Family Package welcomes up to 20 guests.
Reserve your Centennial Park date
Flat-priced. All-inclusive. Most couples elope within 4–6 weeks of inquiry.
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