How to Elope in Washington State - Your complete guide to planning an adventurous elopement in the heart of the PNW
Washington is the heart of the PNW and is filled with an endless amount beauty from mountain ranges and rain forests to coastal beaches. If you’re considering eloping in Washington, I want to tell you that you will not be disappointed! The Evergreen state is home to 3 national parks, more than 60 mountain ranges, and over 3,000 miles of coastline along the Pacific.
I’m lucky to have been born and raised in this beautiful state and have spent over 21 years exploring it. Today’s post is going to be a guide to help you plan your your dream elopement in this beautiful state!
How to Elope in Washington
Contents
WHAT IS AN ELOPEMENT?
An elopement is an intentional wedding with few or no guests. It allows the couple getting married to have full control over what their day looks like, where it takes place, and who is there with them, creating a day that is meaningful and personal.
WHAT IS AN ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT?
An adventure elopement is creating an intentional wedding experience in the great outdoors. This can mean hiking up a mountain and exchanging views at sunrise or having a simple ceremony at an Airbnb surrounded by nature.
THERE ARE NO RULES WHEN ELOPING
Eloping is about freedom to create a day that has meaning to the couple getting married, which means it can look like just about anything!
Read the full definition of “elope” here.
WELCOME TO THE EVERGREEN STATE!
If you want an elopement location that is moody and is filled with beautiful scenery, Washington is the place! It’s the heart of the PNW and it’s beauty will leave you in awe. I oughta know, I lived here for over 21 years.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOP REASONS WASHINGTON IS PERFECT FOR YOUR ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT:
STUNNING VIEWS
Home to 3 National Parks, 157 miles of coastline, and over 64 mountain ranges, Washington’s landscapes will take your breath away! With moody weather and awe-inspiring mountains, the scenery is diverse and will leave you breathless.
EASILY ACCESSIBLE
Whether you’re looking to elope on the coast or in the seclusion of the mountains, you’ll find that natural beauty is easy to access across the state. The state is home to 3 National Parks with stunning views easily accessed with little to no hiking required.
VARIETY OF LANSCAPES
You’ll find more than just mountains in Washington. The state is home to a diverse range of landscapes ranging from rain forests to mountains to coastline to desert.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ELOPING IN WASHINGTON
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ELOPE IN WASHINGTON?
The average cost for an elopement in Washington is between $4,000-$12,000 dollars, much cheaper than the average wedding cost of $23,000 in the same state!
HOW QUICKLY CAN YOU GET MARRIED IN WASHINGTON?
Once you receive your marriage license, there is a 3 day waiting period before you can get married and the license is valid for 60 days.
WHERE CAN YOU ELOPE IN WASHINGTON?
Just about anywhere! Washington is home to 3 beautiful National Parks, not to mentions tons of other amazing locations! As long as you obtain the proper permits, there’s no real limit to where you can elope here.
Keep on scrolling for the locations with the best elopement views in the state!
THE BEST PLACES TO ELOPE IN WASHINGTON
One of the first big decisions you’ll need to make is to decide where you want to elope. If you’re working with an elopement photographer that also helps with planning, then you can ask them for guidance in this area.
But if you’re looking for inspiration and help narrowing your location down, I’ve got you! Washington has so many amazing locations to choose from, but here are my top choices.
NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK
Located approximately 2 hours north of Seattle is the North Cascades National Park. You’ll find some of the most stunning mountain views in the entire state here! It’s also home to the largest concentration of glaciers in the lower 48. It’s a popular spot for hiking, camping, and backpacking. It’s less popular than the other National Parks in Washington, making it a great option if you’re looking to avoid crowds.
MT. BAKER
Sitting on the west end of the North Cascade mountain range is Mt. Baker, a 10,781 ft. active glacier-covered volcano. Known for its record snowfall in the winter, it is home to hiking trails in the summer and skiing in the winter and stunning views all year round.
MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARK
Washington’s most well-known mountain, Mt. Rainier. It’s an icon of the state and for good reason. Mt. Rainier National Park is over 369 sq. miles and sits about 2 hours south of Seattle. You’ll find a variety of terrain from lush fern covered forests to the snowcap mountain (even in July!). There’s dozens of options for hiking, backpacking, camping, and wildlife watching.
MT. SPOKANE
If you’re looking for a spot with beautiful mountain views, is easy to avoid crowds, and is also pet friendly, Mt. Spokane is the perfect spot! This mountain is 5,883 ft. tall and is part of the Selkirk mountain range. It’s a 40 minute drive from Spokane in eastern Washington, near the Idaho border. It’s home to year round activities including hiking, camping, snowshoeing, and skiing.
Check out my full guide to planning an adventure wedding in Spokane!
DECEPTION PASS
Just under two hours north of Seattle is Deception Pass State Park. This park has some beautiful views of the Puget Sound, rugged cliffs, and old growth forests. It is close to several charming small towns and there’s access to several beaches along the coastline.
CAPE FLATTERY
Known for its stunning blue waters and steep cliffs, Cape Flattery is the northernmost point in the contiguous United States. It sits on Washington's peninsula, not far from the Olympic National Park. It is part of the Makah Reservation and is home to some of the most beautiful ocean views in Washington.
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Washington state's third National Park, the Olympic National Park is made up of four regions: the Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the west-side temperate rainforest, and the forests of the drier east side. Moody and rainy, the peninsula has beautiful rainforests, subalpine forests, as well as coastal beaches along the Pacific. You could easily spend a week here and only scratch the surface.
ORCAS ISLAND
One of the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound, Orcas Island is another perfect spot if you’re seeking beauty and adventure. This island is a great spot for exploring whether you like to hike or horseback ride, with adorable bed and breakfast in several of their charming small towns.
RIALTO BEACH
This beach is part of the Olympic National Park, but is worth mentioning separately because it’s so beautiful! The beach is 1.5 miles long and is one of the most popular beaches on the peninsula. It’s also known for being easy to access.
Leavenworth
A charming Bavarian-styled village in the Cascade Mountains, located in central Washington. This town is a destination for tourists all year round for its alpine-style buildings, authentic German beer and food, and access to the surrounding mountains. This town and the surrounding area is one of the most beautiful areas in Washington!
NEED HELP CHOOSING A LOCATION?
I can help you find the perfect location for your ceremony, portraits, or any other part of your day!
CHOSE A DATE
Once you have a location in mind, you’ll want to start narrowing down your date. This will depend on what kind of activities you want to include in your elopement. Washington is beautiful year round and offers fun opportunities year round!
SEASONS
Washington may be known for its rain, but contrary to popular belief, the whole state isn’t this way. And typically when it rains there, it’s more likely to be a drizzle than pouring rain. But central Washington and eastern Washington receive far less than the western part of the state.
SPRING
Spring in Washington is known for its colorful blossoms, mild temperatures, and drizzly days (though less rain than in the winter). At higher elevations, snow is still common into late March. This is a great time to visit if you’re looking to avoid crowds while still having mild weather to spend time outdoors.
SUMMER
There’s a saying in Washington that summer doesn’t start until the 5th of July, because it’s not uncommon for it to rain up-to and including Independence Day. By mid-June, the temperatures average in the mid 60’s with less rain and clear blue skies. This time of year is the most popular for tourists and destinations such as National Parks will be at their busiest.
FALL
The Fall’s in Washington are unlike anywhere else! Temperatures start to fall quickly, and rain begins again, but the scenery comes alive with beautiful autumn colors! This time of year is less crowded and the weather is still good enough to get out and explore in the mountains.
WINTER
Rain increases and temperatures drop into the 30’s and the mountains will become covered in snow. The lower elevations receive some snow with an average of 6.3 inches in Seattle. There’s plenty of opportunities for winter sports in the mountains with ski season kicking off in late November and typically running through April.
CROWDS
Western Washington is very populated as well, as a popular destination, and can be very busy during the summer months. This is especially true for Mount Rainier during the Summer.
AVOID PEAK SEASONS
Seattle has a big outdoors culture as well as drawing tourists from all over the world to their National Parks and other outdoor recreation opportunities. The peak seasons in the state are July and August, with June and September following closely behind. If avoiding crowds is a big priority for you, it’s best to avoid holidays and weekends and to stick to the shoulder seasons to get the most privacy.
BOOK YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER AND OTHER VENDORS
If you haven’t done so already, you want to start booking your vendors, especially your photographer! Most elopement photographers (such as myself) also help with planning and choosing a location. A good elopement photographer is an invaluable resource for planning because they will guide you through the process, help you find locations you might never of known about, and help you choose the best time of day for your ceremony and portraits to get the best light. All on top of documenting your day!
You’ll also want to start considering what other vendors you want to include in your day.
THIS MAY INCLUDE:
Florist
Caterer or Chef
Officiant
Hair & Makeup Artist
Videographer
How to Get Married in Washington
APPLY FOR A MARRIAGE LICENSE
In order to receive your marriage license in Washington, both you and your partner will need to complete a marriage application either in person or via mail. You will need to bring your government issued identification and the price is approximately $72. If you apply through the mail, you must sign the application in front of a Notary Public.
Once the application has been approved, you will be issued a marriage license which will have a 3 day waiting period before you can get married. The license will expire after 60 days.
The exact details can be found on the county website of whatever location you will be getting married in.
OFFICIANT
Your officiant must be an ordained minister to legally perform your marriage. This can be a judge, a retired judge, or an ordained minister.
WITNESSES
Washington State requires 2 witnesses be present at your wedding to sign your marriage certificate.
OBTAIN ANY REQUIRED PERMITS AND/OR PERMISSIONS FOR YOUR LOCATIONS
Now that you’ve decided on a location, it's time to obtain any permits or permissions needed for you to have your elopement there. This is another aspect that your elopement photographer should be able to help.
All three of Washington's National Parks require a Special Use Permit for elopements taking place within the parks boundaries. The processing time and cost vary from park to park.
PLAN YOUR DAY
Now’s the fun part, you get to start planning the details of your adventure elopement! Have fun finding activities and ways to make your day special, unique, and memorable. Your photographer should be able to help you with pulling together your timeline, activities, researching places to stay, and more.
Don’t forget to follow Leave No Trace when planning your day!
SOME ACTIVITIES IDEA’S TO INCLUDE IN YOUR ELOPEMENT DAY:
Explore a National Park
Go Hiking and/or backpacking
Rent a cozy cabin
Hire a personal chef
Go skiing
Have a mountain picnic
Go kayaking
Watch the sunset on the coast
Check out this list of 50+ elopement day activities for more ideas!
CREATE A TIMELINE
Once you’ve decided on what activities you want to include in your day, put together a timeline for your day. Ask your photographer for help with this, as they can help you arrange your day to give you enough time for everything as well as suggest the best times for photos.
Check out how to make your elopement timeline.
GET MARRIED!
The day is here and all of your planning comes together! You get to have the best day every while your photographer documents it. Take your time and enjoy the day.
