How to Plan a Washington Elopement:
a step by step guide

Updated April 27th, 2023

If you’re thinking about eloping in Washington State, you’ve definitely come to the right place! Washington State is filled with rugged snow-capped mountains, breath-taking sunsets, lush green forests, and beautiful coastal views- making it one of the best & most versatile states in the U.S. for an adventure elopement. 

When it comes to planning an elopement it can feel a bit overwhelming at first, so that’s why I’m happy you found this page! This Washington elopement guide is filled with the best places to elope in Washington, elopement inspiration, and a step by step guide on how to plan the perfect elopement. I’ve recently updated this guide for the 2024 elopement season, making it the ULTIMATE guide to help with all your future elopement planning.

Keep scrolling if you want to learn everything
you need to know on how to elope in Washington State!

If you’re checking out this guide, chances are you probably already know you want to elope in Washington(which is an AWESOME choice). With so many beautiful locations in this state it can be hard to choose exactly where you want to elope! So before we get into the step by step guide on how to plan an elopement, let’s talk about the 6 best locations for your Washington Elopement. (If you already know where you want to elope in Washington click here to jump to the step by step guide)

Overview:

1. Mount Rainier National Park

2. Mount Baker Snoqualmie Forest

3. North Cascades National Park

4. Mount Shuksan

5. Leavenworth, WA

6. Olympic National Park

Mt. Rainier National Park surrounds one of the five active volcanoes in Washington, Mount Rainier. The park is filled with close-up views of Mt. Rainier itself, while also being full of forests, lakes, rolling green hills, summer wildflowers and 360 degree views of the other surrounding mountain ranges. 

Mt. Rainier NP is one of the best places to elope in Washington because you get a huge variety of scenery in the park and a lot of those epic views are super accessible- making it a great elopement location if you want to include family in your day. Don’t be fooled though, there are plenty of more challenging hikes in the park if you want to kick up the adventure notch on your day (I promise the payoff is SO worth it).

If you want to learn more about eloping in Mt. Rainier- check out my Mt. Rainier elopement guide here, which gives you a bunch of information on how to specifically elope in this area!

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Forest is a major national forest in Washington. There is a wide variety of terrain in this area, with epic mountain views of surrounding mountain ranges. glacier peaks, alpine lakes, old-growth forests, rolling green hills & meadows, and amazing hiking trails. Since this area isn’t a National Park, there’s more opportunity to find ‘out there’ locations and less crowded (and unique) areas for your elopement.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out a wedding from Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest here!

The North Cascades are a mountain range up in Northern Washington. North Cascades National Park makes up a portion of this area, but there are plenty of hikes & mountain views outside the park to explore. The North Cascades are a bit more rugged, and in my opinion, are the closest thing you’ll get to the Swiss Alps in the U.S.. 

Mount Shuksan is a very unique geological structure- also referred to to as a ‘glaciated massif’. There are a lot of different trails & views of Mt. Shuksan ranging from super accessible to very challenging. My two favorite well known views of Mt. Shuksan are Artist Point, which is a great accessible elopement location with unreal views or for a more challenging hike, the Lake Ann trail.

Leavenworth Washington is a little town with a lot of personality. The town is built like a Bavarian German village- making it feel like a true European mountain town. The town itself has a lot of character and you can find some really cool lodging in this area- but the mountain views and trails are equally as amazing. This area is riddled with beautiful lakes surrounded by mountains, and if you’re looking for an elopement day filled with challenging hikes and rewarding views- Leavenworth is your spot. 

If you’re looking for coastal views, lush rainforests, and endless mountain views, Olympic National Park might be the perfect place for you! Olympic National Park is a peninsula located on the coast of Washington, and it is the largest National Park in the state (aka there will be a decent amount of driving to get from one area to another)- but this park truly has it all. 

Now that you have a better idea of where to elope in Washington,
let’s talk more about how to start planning.
Keep reading for my step by step Washington elopement guide!

One of the most common questions I get asked as a Washington elopement photographer is:

‘how do I elope in Washington?’

So I created this guide to answer this question and to lay out the exact steps to plan a Washington elopement.

the 7 steps to planning a washington elopement:

Step 1: Choose a Location

Step 2: Pick a Date

Step 3: Find your Ceremony Location & Obtain Proper Permits

Step 4. Plan your Elopement Activities

Step 5. Nail Down Your Vendors & Find Lodging

Step 6: Create a Timeline

Step 7: Have the best elopement day EVER.

how to find your Washington
Elopement Location:

The first step in officially planning your elopement is to choose where you want to elope in Washington. Hopefully my ‘best places to elope’ list above makes your decision a little bit easier! Here are some questions to ask yourself when choosing an elopement location:

1. What type of scenery do you want to be surrounded by on your elopement day? (Mountains, lakes, forests, ocean, wildflowers, rolling hills, pine trees etc.)

2. What type of activities do you want to do on your day? (Hiking, skiing, camping, exploring, road tripping, swimming, biking, yoga, etc.)

3. Are you looking for a more accessible location or are you looking to hike/adventure out to a spot? How far are you looking to hike?

4. How far are you willing to drive to from your lodging to your ceremony location?

5. What’s most important to you on your elopement day?

The answers you come up with might give you a better idea of which area is the best place for you. Each location has its own unique features to it, some are easier to get to, while others are more ‘out there’ so it’s important to consider all these factors before picking your location.

Some things to think about when choosing
where to elope in Washington:

• You don’t have to pick just one type of scenery or location. If you love waterfalls but also want those 360 mountain views, you can incorporate both! A few ways to include multiple locations are: a two-day elopement (which you can read about in my blog post here), or finding an area where different types of scenery are closeby to each other so you can explore both in one day. Couples with family will have their ceremony in a certain type of scenery/nature then explore a different area all by themselves to get some time alone on their wedding day.

• Make sure to check the permit requirements before finalizing your location. Different lands/parks have different wedding permit rules depending on the location, guest count, and activities being held. I talk more about permits below but it’s something to think about when researching locations. 

Looking for some Washington Elopement Inspiration? Check out this moody PNW elopement here!

The next step in planning your Washington elopement is to pick a date/time frame. When it comes to picking a date, it’s important to consider two things: weather & crowds.

Weather:

Washington’s four seasons are a bit different than a traditional four seasons climate. In this section, I’m going to be talking about Eastern Washington’s climate (where the mountains are) because most couples looking to elope in Washington are interested in the mountainous areas. 

Here’s how I would break down the the seasons:

Summer: July-Mid-September

Fall: Late September- End of October

Winter: November-April

Spring: May-End of June

When is the best time of year to elope in Washington?

The best time to elope in Washington State is from July to October. This is when the forests are green, wildflowers start blooming, and there is minimal snow on the trails. Washington has it’s best weather in summer and early fall- making it the best time for an adventure elopement, Depending on snowfall, the mountains can still be covered in snow in June and maybe even early July, so your safest bet is Mid-July to September. This time of year is when Washington is at its best. This is when there is the least amount of rainfall, wildflowers come out from hibernation, the weather is beautiful, and the mountains are stunning and visible. 

What about a Washington Winter ELopement?

If you’re looking for a winter elopement in Washington State, then I would consider eloping between December-February. This guarantees plenty of snowfall, snow-capped mountains, and basically a winter wonderland. If you’re willing to put on some layers, throw on some snowshoes (or some skis/snowboards), then a winter elopement is the perfect way to guarantee limited crowds and breath-taking winter views. Here are my top 3 locations for a winter elopement in Washington:

Leavenworth, Washington:
Not only does Leavenworth have some amazing snowshoeing trails & winter hikes, the town itself (that’s built like a German Bavarian village) is decorated with holiday lights, making it a true winter wonderland.

Artist Point:
Artist Point is one of the best viewpoints in Washington with close up views of Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker. In the summer this area is drivable, but the road closes down in the winter making it a 4 mile round trip snowshoe/hike up, but is doable even for beginning snowshoers. This time of year you’ll be surrounded by sparkling white snow and breath-taking snow-capped mountains.

Steven’s Pass:
Want to plan an ultra-adventurous ski or snowboard elopement? Steven’s Pass is one of the best ski mountains in Washington, making it a perfect place for your adventurous ski elopement.

Fall Washington Elopements:

Fall is the shortest season in Washington, because the weather quickly turns to snowy/winter conditions. If you’re looking for a fall elopement in Washington then I recommend the middle of October for the best weather conditions. Fall in Washington is beautiful as the trees turn yellow & orange- but the weather can get cold pretty quick.

spring Elopement in washington:

The weather is most unpredictable in November, and April-June. April-June is Washington’s spring time, but in high mountain altitudes, there is still plenty of snow on the ground and a high chance of rain/snow at this time of year. Personally, I think this is the most challenging time to plan an elopement, but if you want a spring elopement in Washington, I’d lean more towards May-June! The best spring elopement location in Washington is Olympic National Park, because of the coastal weather. 

Now that you’ve had a quick rundown on the weather in Washington, the next thing to consider when picking your date is crowds. I have a whole blog post on how to avoid crowds on your elopement day here, but I’ll briefly break it down below.

Avoiding crowds on your elopement:

In Washington, summer is the most ideal weather, making it also the most crowded time to visit national parks/mountainous areas. To avoid crowds at popular parks/areas in the summer, I would consider planning your elopement on a weekday. If you can’t elope on a weekday then I would consider eloping at sunrise/early morning (to avoid weekend tourists) or to pick a lesser known location/elope on private land. Another way to avoid crowds is to elope during the ‘off-season’, which would be mid fall (after Labor Day) until May/June. The weather won’t be as predictable, but you’re guaranteed less crowds!

There are a lot of different ways to avoid crowds, but it’s something to be conscious of when picking an elopement day! Summer weekend days and holidays will be the most crowded time of the year in Washington, so I would especially avoid eloping on Memorial Day weekend, Labor Day Weekend, Fourth of July week.

Once you have your location and date figured out, it’s time to pick a ceremony spot! I know I mentioned this earlier, but it’s important to figure out permit requirements in the area you are looking to elope at before you finalize a ceremony location. A lot of National Parks have a list of specific locations where you can have your ceremony, but you can take photos afterwards anywhere in the park. Each park/land management has their own specific rules, so make sure to do your research! 

If the thought of doing this all by yourself is overwhelming, I can help! As an elopement photographer, I help all my couples with permits, locations, planning, and I design a customized elopement guide for their day. If you’re interested in hiring an elopement photographer who can help you with all of this, fill out my contact form below to get in touch!

washington marriage licenses:

Couples can either choose to legalize their marriage on their elopement day or just have a symbolic ceremony. If you are interested in legalizing your marriage during your actual elopement, Washington marriage laws require 2 witnesses and an officiant to sign the license.

Washington Marriage Laws require a 3 day waiting period before your license is active. This can either involve picking up the license 3 days before your elopement or mailing it in notarized from your home state. You will need two witnesses to sign at the ceremony.

** Washington Elopement Location Inspiration***

If you’re looking for a really unique elopement location- think about eloping at one of Washington’s fire lookouts! Washington has 93 fire lookouts remaining that are built on some of the coolest peaks in Washington. You can even spend the night in some of these lookouts- how cool of an elopement experience would that be?!

OR KEEP SCROLLING FOR THE NEXT STEP IN PLANNING A WASHINGTON ELOPEMENT

Now that you have your location, date, permits, activities figured out- the next step is to lock in some vendors for your day! Even though you’re not having a traditional wedding, plenty elopements still include a handful of wedding vendors. Here are the most common types of vendors that eloping couples hire for their day:

01. Florist
02. Photographer
03. Officiant
04. Hair & Makeup Artist
05. Videographer
06. Baker/Caterer
07. Planner/Stylist

ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER ADVICE:

I know I listed hiring your vendors as step 4, but really you can start to research and hire them whenever you want! My recommendation would be to hire your photographer ASAP. I know it sounds biased saying this (because I am an elopement photographer) but hiring an elopement photographer first can save you A LOT of work because most elopement photographers help their couples with ALL the things I mentioned in the previous steps. So when looking at elopement photographers, make sure you pick someone who actually helps with planning and is experienced in elopements!

For my elopement couples, I help them find locations, get permits, choose other vendors, think of activities, find lodging, create a timeline, and SO much more. So if you’re looking for a photographer who will not only capture your day but also guide you through the planning process- learn more about my process below:

Washington Elopement Airbnb Ideas:

When planning an elopement, lodging is a key part of your stay! This is one of the most special days of your life, so why not go all out and stay somewhere you’ve always dreamed of staying?! 

Here are some of my favorite lodging recommendations for Washington elopements:

Note: All of these Airbnbs I’ve either personally stayed at or I’ve done research and they are highly recommended by others, none of them are affiliate links!

One of the last steps in planning a EPIC Washington elopement is creating a timeline! Timelines can vary depending on what activities you plan to do, where your ceremony location is, how you want to celebrate afterwards, what time of day you want to elope etc. As a rule of thumb for hiking, I always say to plan 45 minutes per each mile spent hiking (so you don’t feel like you need to be RUNNING up the trail) and to put in buffer times because things typically take longer than you expect! 

Sample timeline for a sunrise hiking elopement in Washington:

4:00am: Meet at Trailhead

4:15am: Start Hiking Up

5:45am: Arrive at Top, start getting dressed

6:15am: Sunrise First Look

6:30am: Golden Hour Exploring & Photos

7:30am: Make Coffee, Eat Breakfast, Hangout

8:30am: Head to Second Location

9:45am: Vow Ceremony

10:15am: Photos & Adventuring

11:30am: Hike Back Down

1:00pm: Head back to Airbnb

1:30pm: Lunch, Hot Tub, Celebrate & Hangout

3:00pm: End Photography Coverage

YOU’VE MADE IT!! Once you’ve finished all these steps you are well on your way for an EPIC Washington elopement. If you you have any questions or are looking for an elopement photographer who can help guide you through the planning process get in touch with me below! I would love to be apart of your wedding day.

Washington Elopement Packages:

Top Intimate Elopement Venues in Washington State

If you’re thinking about eloping with guests or a group size of 15+ people, I would recommend finding an intimate elopement venue. Elopement venues are different from a traditional venue, they’re typically much smaller and designed with that adventurous elopement vibe- some of them are located outside on the venue’s property. Renting out an elopement venue is a great option to make your day accessible to older family members and have an area for everyone to celebrate after your ceremony. This doesn’t mean you can’t still adventure & hike other areas during your day! I have a blog post all about how to balance that intimate elopement experience while also including friends and family in your day, check out that blog post here.

Here are the best intimate elopement venues in Washington:

Emerald Forest

Treehouse Point

Copper Creek Lodge

Cave B Inn

Sou’wester Lodge

LOOKING TO START
PLANNING YOUR
WASHINGTON ELOPEMENT?