What’s in store:

+ WHY YOU SHOULD ELOPE IN WASHINGTON
+ WHERE TO ELOPE IN WASHINGTON STATE
+ HOW TO START PLANNING YOUR Washington ELOPEMENT

WHY YOU SHOULD ELOPE IN WASHINGTON

The ICONIC, JAW-DROPPING LANDSCAPES

Enough said. I think Washington (and the whole Pacific Northwest) offers some of the finest views in all of the world. I can go on and on about how incredible the landscape is, but truthfully, photos tell it best.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

We’ve got everything in this gloriously Evergreen state: impressive mountains with glaciers and emerald alpine lakes, lush mossy rainforests, pristine rocky beaches, deserts, and so much more. And the best part is, you don’t have to limit yourself to just one of these options for your elopement day! In the same day, you could wake up for a sunrise hike to secluded snow-capped mountain, take an afternoon stroll through an old growth rainforest, head out to enjoy a sunset at the beach, then stay up to watch the Milky Way start to shine, along with the awe-inspiring glow of the ocean’s bioluminescence.

OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVENTURE

Want to hit the beach? Want to go white-water rafting or stand-up paddle boarding? Wanna go skiing or snow-shoeing? Want to climb? Wanna do some off-roading? Want to hit up a brewery after your elopement hike? Want to extend your elopement trip into a honeymoon and see the sights? With renowned national parks with stunning views, tons of historic towns or big cities rich with vibrant culture, and epic scenic drives like the famous Snoqualmie Pass, there’s so much to explore!

PROXIMITY TO EVERYTHING

That’s one of my favorite things about this little upper left corner: within just a few hours drive from Seattle, you can be totally out in the wilderness. There are so many great day trip options if you’re local to Seattle, or if you’re flying in, there’s so much within a few hours drive from the airport to make for a fantastic combination elopement trip and honeymoon!

HOW TO PLAN YOUR WASHINGTON ELOPEMENT

STEP 1: DO SOME RESEARCH

Hey look at that, you’re already ahead of the game! The first step in planning an elopement is to do research, and that usually starts with locations. And if you know you want to elope in Washington, you’re already ahead of the game!

Once you have a general idea of what you want, you can start to get ideas for all the rest of what your elopement may entail: travel, hiking trails, elopement-day activities, ceremony ideas, and so on. It’s also a great chance to brainstorm and explore!

STEP 2: CONNECT WITH A PLANNER & PHOTOGRAPHER WHO KNOWS THE AREA, AND PICK A DATE

I recommend hiring your photographer early on in the planning process because a great photographer is so much more than a camera person—they’re also a wealth of knowledge!

You want someone who knows the area (psst, that’s us!) and who can help you find the perfect location and give you valuable insight into the area, and help you with all the logistics like travel, timelines, marriage law, and permits, provide recommendations for other vendors and activities—plus tips for what else to do and see on your elopement trip!

A few tips on finding a photographer and picking a date:

I recommend looking for someone local to the area you want to elope, since they’ll know the ins and outs of that specific region.
Look for someone who specializes in adventure elopements (like us). There is so much more logistically involved with an adventure elopement than a big wedding or a photoshoot, and you’ll want someone with the right expertise and knowledge, plus the proper gear and outdoors experience to be as prepared and safe as possible.
Even if you don't have an exact date, having a season or time of year in mind is helpful when you start looking for your photographer—but if you’re still unsure, we’re happy to help steer you in the right direction and find what’s best for you.
PICKING A DATE: Weekends can be overwhelmingly crowded pretty much anywhere you go in the region, especially in the busy season (April through October), so I highly recommend picking a weekday for your elopement. You’ll end up with less crowds and a far more intimate experience.
TIP FROM A PRO: If you have a specific photographer in mind that you’re dreaming of working with, I recommend coming to them with a flexible date range for a better chance of securing a booking with them!

Our packages are pretty darn-near all-inclusive and come with planning services, officiating services, gear and decoration rentals, even videography and custom elopement announcement design. We also offer 35mm and 8mm film!

STEP 3: NARROW DOWN THE DETAILS

After you’ve got a date, a location, and a photographer, you can start to book the rest of your vendors and get into the nitty gritty details. Make sure you’ve got an officiant lined up (psst, we’re ordained and include officiant services with all our packages!), hire your other vendors, research marriage laws and apply for your marriage license, apply for your permit (if applicable), book your travel and accommodations, get together a packing list, and craft your timeline so your elopement day can go off without a hitch.

We can also help you navigate the ins and outs of elopement logistics and provide you with personalized recommendations for vendors and more so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed with all the planning.

A few logistical notes:

FINDING AN OFFICIANT: You will need a licensed officiant for your elopement adventure. Great news: we’re all ordained, and we offer complimentary officiant services with all of our elopement packages!

MARRIAGE LAW: Once you apply for your marriage license (which you can do online), there is a 3 day waiting period before you can go have your ceremony. When it comes time for your ceremony, you will also need two witnesses to sign your marriage license. If you to learn more about finding witnesses and navigating marriage law for your elopement, read our blog post about that here!

PERMITS: Depending on where in Washington you want to elope, you will most likely need a permit. National parks in Washington require permits even for small elopements, as do some of the national forests, depending on the logistics and size of your elopement. Contact the office in charge of your location to find out what if any permits are necessary, and what the steps are to apply for your permit—or, better yet, get in touch and we’ll help you sort out the permit information and all the other logistics, too.

STEP 4: PACK YOUR BAG, GET OUT THERE, AND HAVE THE BEST ELOPEMENT DAY EVER!

TOP ELOPEMENT LOCATIONS IN WASHINGTON

North cascades

North Cascades National Park Complex
& Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

North Cascades National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the country, which is honestly mind-boggling to me. It’s my absolute favorite park—and I’ve been to over 30! Whether inside the national park or in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest which surrounds it, the North Cascades are famous for its rugged peaks and remote wilderness. If you’re willing to hike a little farther or camp in the backcountry for your elopement adventure, you’ll be endlessly rewarded with unparalleled views.

Distance from Seattle: 2.5-3 hours

Best time to elope here: weekdays in summer (June thru mid-October)

Permit info: You’ll need a special use permit, and there’s a $50 fee due along with your application. I recommend submitting your application at least 6-9 months ahead of time if possible.

Artist Point

Artist Point is one of my absolute FAVORITE places for an elopement. It’s absolutely iconic, and the best part is, it’s extremely accessible! Great for ceremonies that involve a few guests.

It is a very popular spot, but if you don’t mind the possibility of a few crowds, it’s one of my absolute best recommendations, with incredible views of Kulshan (also known as Mt. Baker) and Shuksan. There are also a bunch of trails in the area which can get you away from the bulk of the crowds and offer you a more private and intimate elopement experience! This kind of privacy is especially nice for your ceremony—even if you decide to hit up another more popular spot for photos later, the experience of a totally-secluded ceremony is ideal.

Distance from Seattle: 3 hours

Best time to elope here: weekdays in summer (July thru mid-October), though you could consider a snowshoe or skiing elopement here in the winter!

Permit info: No event/special use permit required in most spots within the national forest, though Artist Point itself does require a permit since it’s a popular spot. (More info here; for most up-to-date information and questions, contact the Mt. Baker District Ranger)

Mt. Rainier National Park

Of course, the highest and most renowned peak in all of the Cascades deserves a spot on this list: the resplendent and iconic Tahoma! (Also known as Mt. Rainier.) The national park offers incredible forests, lakes, a few fire lookouts, and miles and miles of trails to choose from. The Paradise area is open most of the year, which is great for off-season elopements! In the summer, I recommend looking for a spot in the eastern section of the park.

Distance from Seattle: 2-2.5 hours

Best time to elope here: year round, or summer (July-September) for wildflower blooms!

Permit info: You’ll need a special use permit, and there’s a $60 fee due along with your application. I recommend submitting your application at least 9-12 months ahead of time if possible.

Sunrise

Tipsoo Lake

Paradise

Longmire

Waterfalls & forests

Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is a huge park with so much to offer, from lush temperate rainforests to pristine rocky beaches to majestic alpine views—Olympic truly has it all! It’s one of the sunnier parts of Washington, and it’s also a great contender for a winter elopement if you want to avoid harsh winter conditions, since there are plenty of low-elevation spots like the rainforests and coastline.

Distance from Seattle: 3-6 hours, depending on where you go in the park

Permit info: You’ll need a special use permit, and there’s a $60 fee due along with your application. I recommend submitting your application at least 9-12 months ahead of time if possible.

Here are a few of my favorite spots within Olympic National Park which all deserve their own shout-out:

Hoh Rainforest

Hurricane Ridge area

Ruby Beach

Lake Crescent

Packwood

outside of Mount Rainier

A gorgeous little mountain town outside of Mount Rainier. Only half an hour from the entrance to the national park, except in winter when the mountain pass closes.

Packwood, along with many other mountain towns in Washington, has a ton of options for beautiful Airbnbs* that make excellent elopement venues or getting ready spots!

IMPORTANT 2022 UPDATE:

Airbnb recently introduced a new policy forbidding events or parties at their stays, including any events with more than 16 people.
In response to this policy, my advice when looking for a spot to stay for your elopement is to reach out to a host directly and ask about your plans before booking. Include what you plan on using the space for (e.g. just getting ready / ceremony / dinner with friends & family - and include the total guest count!). I would also include whether or not you will be bringing a photographer to the space, and the total number of guests involved.
Some hosts will make exceptions to this new ‘party/event’ rule, while others have stopped allowing even elopements with no guests, so it’s always good to check in beforehand. You could also consider looking at VRBO or trying to book directly through a host’s website instead of going through Airbnb.

Deception Pass State Park

Deception Pass State Park is no doubt one of my favorite spots in all of Washington, with its beautiful beaches, high cliffs, and forests. It’s got a ton of easily accessible spots that don’t require much if any hiking, and since it’s at low elevation away from the mountains, it’s a great spot for a winter elopement!

Distance from Seattle: 1.5 hours

Permit information: No event permit required, though it’s first come first serve for any events. You’ll need a Discovery Park Pass to park, which you can get for $10/day or $30/year. You can buy your Discover Park Pass upon arrival.

A Fire Lookout

Not gonna lie, I’m utterly obsessed with fire lookouts. As a rule, they’re all strategically placed on high peaks that offer 360-degree panoramic views, or what I like to refer to as “holy sh*tballs” views. Naturally, this lends the lookout to being a perfect spot for an intimate elopement.

The Evergreen state has nearly a hundred fire lookouts still standing, and 13 of those offer overnight camping! The unique experience of camping in a fire lookout is one you’re sure to remember forever, giving you the best of both worlds with excellent views of both sunset AND sunrise, and the cabin itself makes a fabulous spot for the most epic getting ready photos. You could consider hiking up in the afternoon and enjoy the views of the setting sun with your love, cozy up in the cabin that night, then wake up for a sunrise ceremony the next day and share your vows atop the mountain peak.

Note: Some lookouts require reservations that usually book up really far in advance, so I recommend starting your search early if you want to rent one for a night. Some offer first come, first serve camping, and if you plan to elope at one of those, I recommend getting there early in the day, and having a backup plan, like bringing a tent or having another spot in mind to camp in case the lookout’s already taken. (Also, please be respectful if other campers are occupying the lookout! Remember these are public lands, and we all have a right to a great experience within them.)

Another note: If you’re eloping at a lookout, please treat these historic structures with respect. We don’t have a lot left! If you’re camping, leave it better than you found it, and consider leaving a donation for the volunteer crews that maintain these lookouts so they can be enjoyed for years to come.

Honorable mentions and more places to check out:

Mount Saint Helens National Monument
San Juan Islands
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Snoqualmie Pass & surrounding area
Olympic National Forest
Glacier Peak Wilderness
Alpine Lakes Wilderness

HEY THERE, WE’RE

WILDERPINES ELOPEMENTS

Creating wildly intentional & intimate adventure elopements for rad couples in the PNW

We’re here to inspire you and help you create a unique, intentional, unforgettable wedding experience that reflects who you are, then to capture it all so you can relive those moments forever.

If you’re looking for more information on how to elope in the Pacific Northwest or beyond, get in touch and let’s start planning your dream elopement!

PHOTO · VIDEO · PLANNING · OFFICIATING · & MORE
DAMN-NEAR ALL-INCLUSIVE ELOPEMENT PACKAGES IN WASHINGTON STATE