Sunrise Elopement at Mount Rainier National Park
B+B’s day began early at their cabin in Ashford, Washington—still a few hours to sunrise. These two chose to have their ceremony along this trail at Mount Rainier National Park specifically because it’s a favorite of theirs, and one that’s dear to their heart. They try to hike it at least once a year together, so it seemed fitting to share their vows and commitments with one another along this trail with this beloved mountain as their backdrop. We had it nearly all to ourselves, too—it’s a popular trail in the park, no doubt, but for the first few precious hours this day we saw more marmots and mountain goats than people.
After we wrapped up with our hike it was time for pizza and bubbly back at their cabin, complete with string lights and dancing and jolly-making.
THINKING OF ELOPING IN WASHINGTON?
Washington state, in my opinion, is hands down one of the best places in the world for an adventure elopement. Whether you want snow-capped mountains, mossy rainforests, gorgeous coastlines, meadows blooming with colorful wildflowers or desert canyons—the Evergreen state has got it all. If you want to elope in Washington, these are a few things to know and take into consideration beforehand:
WHEN TO ELOPE: Weekends during the on-season can be overwhelmingly crowded pretty much anywhere you go in the region, so I highly recommend eloping on a weekday for your elopement, or coming here in the off-season!
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 LAWS: 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!
ELOPEMENT 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!
HOW TO START PLANNING 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 dates and 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
A great elopement photographer is more than a photographer—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 spot for you, and answer some of those questions you don’t even to know to ask like whether or not you need a permit—and offer tips for what else to do and see on your elopement trip.
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. Find a licensed Washington officiant (psst, we’re both ordained!), 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.
STEP 4: GET OUT THERE AND HAVE THE BEST ELOPEMENT DAY EVER!
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!
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DAMN-NEAR ALL-INCLUSIVE ELOPEMENT PACKAGES IN WASHINGTON STATE