How to Elope in Washington
Katie Berg Photo || Washington State Elopement Photographer – Updated Guide for 2025
Whether it’s hiking through the rugged mountains of Mt. Rainier National Park or exploring the coastal beaches of Olympic National Park, as your personal Washington State wedding photographer, I’ll be there to capture every second of your love in one of the most mesmerizing parts of our country. Because you deserve more than just incredible photos, you deserve the ultimate adventure in the most perfect and memorable place imaginable.
Washington State is such a special place to elope to, so here’s everything you need to know:
In this guide, we will cover:
Wanting to get married somewhere with a diversity of landscapes that are just as unique and monumental as your love? You’ve found it! Take it from a professional Washington State wedding and elopement photographer – Washington State is the place to be to experience all the beauty the Pacific Northwest has to offer, and then some!
If you’re wondering how to elope in Washington State, you came to the right place. I’ll be there to capture every second of your experience, as well as the stunning backdrop of wherever you choose to get hitched. You deserve an unforgettable day, the ultimate adventure and, of course, the incredible photos to capture your love forever. It’s all right here in Washington State!
Let me be your guide. I’ll show you all that Washington State has to offer for your adventure elopement.
I’ve been around, mmmkay? I’ve seen some gorgeous places and gotten to explore so much of the U.S. and the world (it’s kind of my job). But Washington State holds a very special place in my heart. I love Washington State so much! I want to share this beautiful state with you. And I want you to be as prepared as possible before you take this adventure of a lifetime and say your “I dos” in this stunning part of the Pacific Northwest.
How to elope In Washington State
1. Choose your dates and length of trip
2. Send me an inquiry for a FREE elopement consultation
3. Hire me to help you plan your epic day — I’ll help you plan EVERYTHING from locations, vendors and timelines to day-of activities, permits, accommodations and anything in between
4. Apply for a marriage license
5. We’ll have an adventure in the location you chose in Washington State and create some epic pics and celebrate the start of a new chapter of your lives together!
Why Elope in Washington State
My husband and I eloped! So, yeah, I’m biased when it comes to elopements. We had that HUGE wedding vision of 300+ people, but the more we thought about it, the more it felt like someone else’s dream, not ours. After some talking and soul searching, we made the decision to have an intimate, intentional and meaningful wedding day in a national park with only 25 of our closest family members.
And it was magic! Like the most enchanting, epic and meaningful day of our lives. Best. Decision. Ever. And this is why I’m so passionate about helping couples explore their most authentic wedding vision.
Eloping isn’t about saving money or cutting out the stress of a bigger, more traditional wedding (though these are some great perks of eloping!). What eloping is really all about is YOU. The two of you and the connection you share. It’s about creating the most meaningful and incredible experience for you and honoring the commitment you’re making in the most unforgettable way. It’s beautiful, emotional, intimate and once-in-a-lifetime.
Whatever your reasons are for eloping, it truly is the most incredible way to start your new life together. Kick off your new chapter with an extraordinary adventure in the most special and unique way and as an extra added bonus … it opens up all the possibilities of marrying in an absolutely EPIC location! Still not sold on whether or not you should elope? Well, I could give you ten reasons, or you could read the rest of this blog and get totally pumped about an Washington State elopement!
Best time to elope in Washington State
When planning your elopement, one of the biggest things to take into consideration is the time of year! Personally, I don’t believe there’s a wrong time to elope in Washington State where you won’t get the most amazing experience of your life! The weather in Washington State can be very unpredictable but whether its snow, rain, fog or sun, rest assured that I got you! My talent is in creating epic photos of you too look beautiful and having the time of your lives no matter what weather conditions we may face. But still — each season will bring its own unique set of elements to the day that you might want to consider when choosing your elopement date.
SPRING TIME: This is rainy season in Washington State so make sure you’re ready for it! Temperatures aren’t are cold as the winter, but still expect mostly overcast days which can be epic for creating a really moody and romantic atmosphere.
SUMMER TIME: This is my favorite time of the year because most of the hiking trails are snow-free and have a higher chance of wildflowers and sunny skies! Peak wildflower time is between July and August, especially on Mt. Rainier. Another bonus – most, if not all, of the mountain pass roads at higher elevations will be open and ready for you to explore meaning more elopement locations available to you!
FALL TIME: Fall colors, cool temps and beautiful autumn foliage – what could be better?! Mid-September through mid-October are prime times if you’re thinking about eloping to the Pacific Northwest in the Fall.
WINTER TIME: If you’re wanting a snowy elopement, winter in Washington State is perfect for you! Some things to note though: a lot of the mountain roads will be closed or inaccessible as it gets later into the winter months so make sure to plan accordingly. Winter at lower elevations might also bring on drizzling rain and some cloudy and overcast weather but if you plan right, a magical winter wonderland will be waiting for you!
Should I Elope at Sunrise or Sunset?
The time of day you plan for your wedding ceremony can greatly impact your elopement day experience! As an elopement photographer, I specialize in finding the most perfect light for my couples and unless its an overcast or cloudy day, I ALWAYS recommend having a sunrise elopement or sunset elopement because this is when you’ll get the most beautiful and golden light imaginable! Still, there’s some pros and cons – so let’s go over those!
Sunrise
PROS: Less tourists! Most people don’t want to wake up at the crack of dawn (more like hours before dawn lol) and can you blame them? But this is part of why it makes sunrise so special! Not only will you get to start you day of being married, but you’ll be able to hit up coveted locations like Mt. Rainier National Park or the North Cascades without much, if any, disturbance from other tourists. If you plan on eloping in the summer when foot traffic on the trails is at an all time high, you might want to consider a sunrise ceremony! The weather also tends to be the most predictable in the mornings as well, an extra plus!
CONS: Get ready to be tiredddd. In order for you to wake up, shower, do your hair, put makeup on, get dressed, drive, hike and get everything ready for the ceremony, you will have to get up extremely early. If you aren’t a morning person, this might not be the best option for you.
Sunset
PROS: You have the whole day to take your time, enjoy yourselves and get ready! This is also the perfect option is you’re hoping to do a first look before your ceremony. You’ll get the same amazing light as you would during sunrise, but without the need to get up super early. If you are also having guests attend, this is usually an easier option for them.
CONS: If you’re wanting photos in multiple locations but are not wanting to do a first look ahead of time, this might not be the best option for you. You’ll be most likely limited to one area as the distances between locations in Washington State can take a lot of time to get to and from especially on the trails.
Whether you choose sunrise or sunset is totally up to you. Know that I’m here to help you plan around any and every eventuality. No matter when you plan your Washington State elopement, I’m here to make the magic happen!
Permits & Marriage license info for Washington State
Eloping in Washington State means you will need to apply for your marriage license ($57-$67) at least 3 days before your elopement. There’s a 3 day waiting period after you’ve been issued your marriage license before you can actually use it so plan accordingly! My recommendation? Pick up your marriage license 1-2 weeks beforehand. The last thing you want is to have to worry about your license the day of your wedding!
If you plan to elope in any of the national parks or forests within Washington State, you will most likely need a wedding permit, which can range between price depending on your location. Whether you’re having an official ceremony or not, this permit will be required. After you decide on your locations with your photographer, make sure to review the permit info for more in depth information. Here are some of the most popular ones below:
Mt. Rainier National Park Wedding / Permit Info
North Cascades Wedding / Permit Info
Olympic National Park Wedding / Permit Info
Top 5 Best Washington State Elopement Locations
With so many stunning places around Washington State, it can be hard to choose the perfect spot for your ceremony or even just for your couples portraits. When planning your locations, make sure to do your research — not all spots are created equal and some can take more time than you think.
To help you get started, I’ve done the heavy lifting when it comes to the best elopement locations in Washington State. Here are the best of the best for you to pick through.
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK
Drive Time from Seattle: roughly 2 hours
Mount Rainier National Park is one of the most iconic Washington State landmarks you will find and one of the most perfect backdrops for your elopement day that Washington State has to offer! It’s full of waterfalls, alpine lakes, wildflower meadows, fire lookouts and views of the expansive Tatoosh Mountain Range that surrounds Mt. Rainier. The two most popular areas are Sunrise (accessible from May to September) and Paradise (open year around). The possibilities are truly endless, so whether you’re wanting to do a multi-day backpacking trip or a quick in-and-out hike for your wedding day, Mount Rainier National Park has it all! Depending on your vision for your day, I can help provide custom guides and recommendations so you can have all the epic views and the best day ever.
NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK
Drive Time from Seattle: 2.5 – 3 hours
Did you know that North Cascades National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the country? Which is crazy because the North Cascades are known as the Alps of America and are packed with the most beautiful snow capped mountains and pristine alpine lakes around! The best locations are only accessible by a hike which means you’ll most likely get a remote location all to yourself! The North Cascades are home to some of my favorite spots in Washington State including Artist Point (such a dream at sunrise) and Diablo Lake (a bright blue lake overlooking amazing mountains.) Let me know how long of a hike you’d like to experience on your wedding day and whatever you choose, I’ll help create!
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Drive Time from Seattle: 2 – 4 hours
Olympic National Park is one of my favorite places around and one of the only places that offers you a wide range of breathtaking landscapes including beach views, rain forests, alpine lakes, mountain ranges, water and more. Olympic is HUGE and can be very overwhelming if you aren’t sure what you’re looking for. Let me know what vibes you’re searching for and I’ll provide you with all the details! Some of my favorite places in Olympic include Lake Crescent, Hurricane Ridge, Ruby Beach, Hoh Rainforest and many others!
SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST
Drive Time from Seattle: 45 minutes – 1.5 hours
Snoqualmie National Forest is one of the closest locations to Seattle and is home to some of the most beautiful views in Washington State including waterfalls, turquoise alpine lakes, lush forests and more. Which means it also has a tendency to also be the most crowded, especially in the summer! Some of my favorite places are Gold Creek Pond, Rattlesnake Ledge, Snoqualmie Falls and more. Creating an intimate and remote atmosphere for your wedding day tends to be challenging, especially on a weekend, so if you’re worried about crowds, let me know and I can provide you with information on all my favorite hidden gems!
THE WASHINGTON COAST
Drive Time from Seattle: 3 – 4 hours
The Washington Coast is one of the most magical places complete with dramatic and moody vibes, lush forests and rugged beaches! Some of my favorite Washington State beaches are Rialto Beach, Cape Flattery, Second Beach, Ruby Beach and Cape Disappointment State park. For the outdoor lovers, there are even some amazing spots for some oceanfront camping on Kalaloch beach (right next to Ruby Beach.)
Keep an Eye Out on the Weather
As mentioned earlier, the weather in Washington State can be extremely unpredictable, When it comes to eloping anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, make sure to be prepared for anything, embrace the adventure of whatever the day brings and don’t let a little bad weather keep you from having the time of your life! I promise Washington State is beautiful no matter what the weather is.
Practice Leave no Trace Principles
Always make sure you’re practicing good Leave No Trace Principles when planning your adventure elopement. Washington State and national parks have taken a serious beating over the recent years with visitors and tourists not respecting the environment and wildlife leading park employees to get more strict about the amount of people let in. Protecting these parks by following LNT best practices are so important to make sure we’re maintaining and preserving it’s beauty!
meet your
Washington State elopement photographer
By this point, hopefully you’ve gathered allll the details that are relevant to planning your own Washington State elopement, and one that feels 1000% right to YOU at that. I long ago left the belief behind that every wedding has to look the same, that every couple has to follow the same traditions in order to plan a “successful wedding” – now, the perfect elopement in my eyes is the one that feels like you. One that incorporates the people, the activities, and the experiences that matter to you, that feel important to your life, and that will help create those lasting memories that’ll warm your heart to think about in 10. . . 20. . . 50 years.
As a seasoned Washington State elopement photographer, I’ve got the knowledge, expertise, and experience ready to guide you through the sometimes overwhelming, yet extremely exciting process of planning your Washington State elopement!
I know it can be hard to spot the differences between the many adventure elopement photographers out there, so if you want to find out more about my approach to Washington State elopement photography & what makes me different than the 10 other photographers you have open on your Chrome window, head to this page.
For details on my Washington State elopement packages, prices, and what I offer to my booked couples, take a look at my Washington State elopement pricing page (or see an overview below)!
Washington State Elopement Packages & Pricing
As an adventure elopement photographer with lots of experience in Washington State, trust me when I say that skimping out on a photographer is something you should definitely not too. Especially not in Washington State and ESPECIALLY not on your most beloved and special day.
Washington State is gorgeous, but can be difficult to shoot in if you don’t know what you’re doing. You want someone who knows the in’s and out’s of the park so well that you can just relax and have the most fun, stress-free, adventure-filled day the two of you deserve!
I sincerely hope this handy guide helped you get started on your journey together. I can’t wait to make plans for your Washington State elopement and capture memories that will last a lifetime. Talk to you soon!
STARTING PACKAGES BEGIN AT $5,500
Other Elopement Destinations to Consider in the United States
And that’s a wrap, folks! I sincerely hope this helped answer many of your questions about how to elope in Washington State. You can always reach out if you have more questions. I’m here for you.
If I didn’t make it clear, I looooove Washington State and I’m always so happy to share the marvels of this beautiful state with others. Especially when you’re coming here to kick off the real adventure of a lifetime – your wedding!
If you haven’t quite landed on Washington State as your final elopement destination? I totallyyyy get it – there are WAY too many stunning places to choose from (but is that really a bad thing?!). If you want to learn about more of my favorite places to elope in the U.S., check out the most popular elopement location guides from my extensive collection below!
California Elopement Guides
How to Elope in Yosemite National Park
How to Elope in Northern California
now booking 2025 & 2026 Washington State elopements and intimate weddings
Contact me to get started planning your dream elopement adventure!
In order to make your dream elopement day happen, it’s super important that we connect and that you feel comfortable with me! The best way to do this is to reach out and schedule a call so you can learn more about me and I can learn about you two so i can document what’s real + the most important to you.
