The San Saba Wedding Oak Tree is an old and massive live oak tree that is located in San Saba. Also known as the “Matrimonial Altar,” the “Marriage Oak,” the “Matrimonial Oak,” or the “Wedding Oak”; this large oak tree, according to legend, was the site of Indian marriage ceremonies.
When early settlers arrived, they adopted the tradition. The San Saba Wedding Oak Tree remains a popular venue for weddings.
The San Saba Wedding Oak, which is nearly 20 feet in diameter and estimated to be more than 1000 years old, is listed in the book of famous trees of Texas and is one of the oldest in the state.
In 2017 the tree lost a limb that was more than 10 feet in diameter1, forever changing its appearance.
San Saba Wedding Oak History
There is a historical marker placed that has the short version of the following:
The Comanche Indians chose this tree as a site for council meetings, and it also served as a sacred venue for braves and squaws to exchange their wedding vows. Legend has it that they believed the tree to have magical powers to bless their wedding and ensure an everlasting and trusting relationship between the brave and the squaw.
In the
mid-1800’s , early white settlers learned about the alleged powers of the wedding oak and began exchanging their vows there as well. In fact, there have been countless actual wedding ceremonies under its boughs, including 3 that happened on Christmas Eve in 1911!
Directions to the San Saba Wedding Oak
From the main road, which is Hwy 190:
- Take 9th Street North for about 1/4 mile and take the 5th street on the left which is China Creek Road
- Take China Creek Road for about a mile and you will see the tree which is located on the right-hand side of the road.
- Trust me, you will not miss it
Have you visited the San Saba Wedding Oak? What did you think? Don’t forget to visit the Beveridge Bridge just up the road!
- https://texastimetravel.com/directory/matrimonial-oak/ ↩︎
While very large, the Wedding Oak in San Saba, TX is not 20 feet in diameter. Perhaps you meant circumference.
Hi Mary, I too was confused with them (meaning the Texas Historical Commission and Texas A&M, where I got the information from) using that measurement, but according to them those are/were the approximate dimensions (I have yet to find an exact measurement). I do know that trees are measured differently to determine diameter, but I don’t know the exact way they do it. They also state that the branch that fell was 10 feet in diameter. If you look at that branch, it is definitely not 10 feet in diameter in the true sense of the meaning.