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—we’ve got you covered. 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 during the sunrise, picking a weekday for your elopement, or coming here in the off-season!
OFFICIANT: You will need a licensed officiant if you want to get married the same day that you go out for your elopement adventure. (Great news: I’m ordained, so you can kill two birds with one stone by hiring me as your photographer and your officiant!) Or, if you’d rather have someone else lead you through your ceremony, I know a bunch of fantastic officiants based in Washington who specialize in intimate adventure elopements!
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 want tips on finding witnesses (and an officiant) for your intimate elopement, read my blog post about that here! (Alternatively, you could consider filling out the paperwork and sorting out the legal stuff before or after your elopement trip, which frees you up for the intimate, stress-free elopement day of your dreams!)
ELOPEMENT PERMITS: Depending on where exactly in Washington you want to elope, you may need a event/special use 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 I’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