"It is such nice place to have a wedding. Cute little chapel with hill country views in the background...can't beat that. And best of all, it's free! You will only pay if you cancel your date, pretty funny huh?"

Eric Yeh
August 15, 2007

Chapel Dulcinea at Wizard Academy is a romantic, open-air Wedding Chapel. Our hope is that donations will continue to make it possible for us to offer the Chapel at no charge.

Located approximately 20 minutes from downtown Austin, the chapel sits quietly but daringly on the edge of an ancient walking trail overlooking the Texas hill country, barely visible from FM 1826.

This small, open-air chapel has seating for 12. Standing-room capacity under the roof can accommodate 30 to 35. Another 60 to 65 would be able to view from the extended patio area. However, they would get wet in the event of rain. A much larger crowd can watch from outside the patio area. But let's be clear about this: Dulcinea is a small chapel.

You're welcome to visit the Chapel on your own at any time - Monday through Friday from 7AM to 9PM, Saturday and Sunday from 8AM to 9PM. Just check the calendar to see when weddings are scheduled so you don't interrupt a ceremony. (You can be on campus during a wedding, we just ask that you not approach the chapel during the exchange of vows or you might become a distraction. If in doubt, just ask the Welcome Center staff.)

There is no charge to have your wedding at Dulcinea, but we have been forced to add a $100 cancellation fee. This will be collected at the time of your registration and refunded when you show up to have your wedding. Fail to pick up your refund check during your scheduled, 2-hour window and you forfeit the money. We deeply regret having to do this, but in the first 14 months of operation, Dulcinea experienced a 42 percent "no-show" rate. This is particularly disturbing for we who remember all the other couples who were heartbroken when those time slots weren't available. Thanks for understanding.

Photo: Sunset on Chapel Dulcinea
© 2007 YouHereNow

A short walk from the magical Chapel Dulcinea on the Wizard Academy campus couples and their wedding party will encounter yet another architectural marvel -- The Bells of LaMancha, a tribute to the spirit and ingenuity of the women who have helped give rise to the Academy campus.

Just as Don Quixote was moved to action by his Dulcinea, the Bells of LaMancha proved the inspiration for many of the outstanding programs and facilities that stand today on what was just a few short years ago an unimproved horse farm.

Chapel Dulcinea at Wizard Academy is a romantic, open-air Wedding Chapel. Our hope is that donations will continue to make it possible for us to offer the Chapel at no charge.

Located approximately 20 minutes from downtown Austin, the Chapel sits quietly but daringly on the edge of an ancient walking trail overlooking the Texas hill country, barely visible from FM 1826.

Photo:  Looking Out From Chapel Dulcinea
© 2007 YouHereNow

On their website, Austin Wedding photographers Kristin Hillery and Veronica Hansen (Four Kitchens Photography) note that Austin is overflowing with great venues for Wedding Chapels and receptions.  "There are so many fantastic places to chose from," they write.

Here is what they said about holding an Austin Wedding at Chapel Dulcinea:

"We had the pleasure of photographing a wedding here not too long ago and fell in love with it.... The venue overlooks the Hill Country and is free to use."

Grant Guerrero, an Austin Wedding photographer, has posted some photos of Austin weddings that he has snapped.  Among them, Ann and James who were married at Chapel Duclinea on October 23, 2006.

If you want to see what your Austin wedding can look like when you embrace the spirit of Don Quixote and Dulcinea, visit Guerrero's hompage: www. (dot) grantguerrero (dot) com.  Click on "Recent Weddings" and then click on "Ann and James - Chapel Dulcinea."

Amazingly, Chapel Dulcinea is available free of charge.

Jacci Howard Bear oversees the 'Guide to Austin, Texas' for the popular About.com website.  A Texas native, Jacci has lived in Austin since 1991.  She regularly writes about Austin's many grand offerings, from the best restaurants, live-music venues and drinking holes to hotels, museums and universities.

So it was with some disappointment that we discovered Jacci fails to mention Chapel Dulcinea as one of the city's truly prize Wedding Chapels.  Not only is Chapel Dulcinea a beautiful, spiritual outdoor venue, it is also absolutely free of charge.  How could Jacci have missed it?

Among those locations for weddings that Jacci does mention are:


The Abbey Mansion
Austin Scottish Rite Co.
Barr Mansion
Daniel H. Caswell House
The Driskill Hote
The Inn at Salado
Miller-Crockett House Bed and Breakfast

'I recently came across the most stunning, open-aired chapel that I have ever laid eyes on. Chapel Dulcinea is a small, beautiful chapel that is on an edge overlooking the Texas Hill Country. It has seating for 12 and about 35 can stand under the roof, but another 60 could stand out-side the chapel to watch. This is a site that will take your breath away."

The Glamorous Advisor
February 18, 2007