Say your vows surrounded by the incredible scenery of the PNW
Do you want to elope in Washington State?
If you’re thinking about an elopement in Washington State, I can already tell we’re going to get along! My deep love and passion for this little corner of the Pacific Northwest runs all the way back to my childhood growing up in the rural communities of the Olympic Peninsula. I’ve spend the last ten years traveling all over Washington State photographing incredible Washington weddings and elopements, and I’m always looking for new locations to share with my clients!
Washington is divided by the dramatic Cascade Mountains that run from north to south, just east of the Puget Sound. Western Washington is green and lush, with enough rainfall in some areas to earn the classification of temperate rainforest. In contrast, Eastern Washington is more arid, with sparse pine forests and areas of high-elevation desert. But it’s ALL spectacular! It would take more time than I’ve got to enumerate every single place you could elope in Washington State, so I’ll keep to the highlights.
Why should you elope in Washington State?
If you dream of snow-capped peaks, crashing waves, or towering evergreen forests, you[‘ll find your ideal elopement destination in Washington State. Actually it’s more likely you’ll have trouble narrowing down your favorite options! If you want to get that feeling of standing at the edge of the known world, inhaling the humid moss-scented air surrounded by a cathedral of evergreens or walking on a beach rarely traveled by crowds, Washington is your place.
Some incredible places to elope in Washington State—
The sky is the limit — within a day, it’s easy to get from the snowy peaks down to the crashing waves and everything in between! My hiking boots are ready to go, although probably still coated in mud from my last adventure! If you’re looking for ideas, check out the list of galleries below ↡↡↡
How long will it take?
Most couples start with four hours for getting ready + the elopement ceremony itself. Don’t forget to account for the time it may take to hike in to the location you have in mind—and of course we’ll be taking photos all along the way! Then I recommend adding one additional hour per additional location, plus travel time in between!
Where Can We Go?
The epic beauty of Washington State is endless! Here are just a few of the places we could go:
Western WA
Olympic National Park
North Cascades
Mt. Rainier
Franklin Falls
Olympic Coast
San Juan Islands
Lake Diablo
Whidbey Island
Lake Crescent
Point of the Arches
Cape Flattery
Eastern WA
Twisp
Methow Valley
Lake Chelan
The Gorge
Lake Roosevelt
Palouse Falls
& more!
How to Elope in Washington State:
- Choose the best location that fits your elopement vision! Are you envisioning sweeping mountain views, a woodland fairytale, or the rugged and mysterious ocean coast?
- Send me an inquiry for a FREE consultation
- We’ll talk about how to make your vision come to life, including all the resources and logistics of travel, lodging, and finding vendors for your desired location
- Apply for a marriage license
- We’ll adventure around the location you picked, take in the beauty of Washington, create memories, and I’ll take a bajillion photographs of the two of you celebrating your unique love story!
- Celebrate your new marriage! Champagne and cake highly recommended!
What time of Year to Elope in Washington State
As far as I’m concerned, there’s no bad time for a Washington State elopement or intimate wedding. However, the season you select may require some additional considerations!
Winter Elopement in Washington State
If you want a winter-wonderland elopement, higher altitudes and Jan-March are the best months. Hurricane Ridge, Snoqualmie, Mt. Baker, North Cascades National Park, and Gold Creek Pond are all great options if you’re hoping for a magical snowy backdrop for your elopement!
Spring & Fall Elopement in Washington State
Spring and Fall weather are notoriously unpredictable in the Pacific Northwest! You could end up with a balmy spring day, clear skies and warm temperatures, or you could get a late-spring snowstorm or torrential fall downpour. The weather is part of the adventure in Washington State! That being said, whether the weather is moody and cool, a tempestuous storm, or gloriously sunny, spring and fall are still spectacular in any part of the state.
Summer Elopement in Washington State
Early summer often remains cool and cloudy, but late summer and early fall are my favorite times of year for a Washington State Elopement! There’s nothing more spectacular than a late summer sunset over the mountaintops or at the ocean coast. All the trails and seasonally accessible areas of the national parks and forests are open and easy to get to, without worrying about whether or not the roads are safe to drive. And while it’s still cool in the mountains and on the coast, the temperatures are certainly more comfortable than at any other time of year!
How to get a Marriage License in Washington State
—Per state law, you will need to apply for a marriage license at least 3 days before your elopement date. You then have 60 days, after the mandatory three-day waiting period, to have your elopement ceremony. After 60 days, the license will expire and you’ll need to start over.
—If you are from Washington, or if you arrive at least 3 days before your elopement date, you can visit any local county office to get a Washington State marriage license. If you are from out of state and don’t have enough time to arrive early and to wait, the best option is to apply online and have the license mailed to you.
—More Information on getting your marriage license can be found HERE
—You will also need an officiant and 2 witnesses. This is a great way to include your closest friends and even family members!
—If you don’t have two witnesses, don’t sweat! I can be one of your witnesses, and I can recommend an officiant who’s available for your date!
Without further ado, here are some photos from stunning Washington State Elopements and Intimate weddings to get you excited to elope in Washington State!
GALLERY HERE
Snoqualmie Pass Elopement
The Snoqualmie area has the advantage of being one of the closest wilderness areas to Seattle and SeaTac airport! At the summit of Snoqualmie Pass, you’ll find true wilderness with innumerable hiking trails accessible in the summer months and spectacular snow-capped peaks in the winter.
Best Places to Elope around Snoqualmie Pass:
Rattlesnake Ledge, Gold Creek Pond, Franklin Falls, Snoqualmie Falls
Ruby Beach Elopement
Ruby Beach Elopement
Olympic remains one of the lesser known of the more famous American National Parks, but is easily one of the most diverse! You can find spectacular sapphire lakes, rugged northwest beaches, rainforest, sandy coastline, and emerald old-growth forest all within the same easily accessible area.
Best places to elope in Olympic National Park: Lake Crescent, Cape Flattery, Hurricane Ridge, Lake Angeles, Obstruction Pass, Lake Quinault, Kalaloch, the Hoh rainforest, La Push, Rialto Beach, Ruby Beach…. I could go on and on!
Details: Olympic is an enormous park and the driving time involved in getting to many of the best locations is not insignificant. While you can access the park within a daytrip, in order to avoid being in a rush I’d definitely encourage planning one or two nights’ stay on the Olympic Peninsula!
Permits: while you won’t need a parking permit for Olympic, you will need a Special Use Permit to have a wedding ceremony inside the park, as well as an entrance fee if you’re traveling to certain locations within the park. Check out this page for more info:
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