Olympic National Park Elopement

KATIE AND QUINN’S HOH RAINFOREST WEDDING

Katie and Quinn love to travel, they love to experience food and drink, they love to go, go, go. These two love an adventure. We are so fortunate that Katie and Quinn chose to trust us with their multiple day Washington elopement. We have become very close friends through collaborating on their elopement plans, and we even met them multiple times ahead of their elopement, once in California for their adventure engagement session and again in Denver for a night of food and drinks!

Katie and Quinn opted for a multiple-day elopement in an effort to have a balance of time for just the two of them, and time with their family and friends. The best part about multiple day elopements is that you can prioritize the things that YOU want for your celebration.

Why Washington? Well, back when Katie and Quinn started dating, Washington was one of the first places they traveled together. The decision to revisit Washington and experience it as a part of their elopement was an easy one! Especially with Washington’s incredible landscapes in all three of it's National Parks. Katie and Quinn opted for their ceremony to be in Olympic National Park, and to take portraits in North Cascades National Park for their second day.

Olympic National Park HOH Rainforest First Look & Vows

How to plan your Washington Elopement

Washington state has a ton of natural beauty to offer; the rocky pacific coast, mountain vista views, alpine lakes, and the lush rainforest. All of these make for an incredible backdrop for an adventure elopement! It’s safe to say that Washington is one of our favorite places to adventure and photograph elopements.

Choosing a location for your Washington Elopement

Mt. Rainier National Park

Olympic National Park
The Hoh Rainforest - Moss covered trees, temperate rainforest
The Washington Coast - Rugged Beaches
The Olympic Mountains - Hurricane Ridge

North Cascades National Park
Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest

Best time of year to elope in Washington

The summer months are the best time of year to be in the state of Washington. June through September will be the driest months, and in the month of October, we have experienced both sunny days and moody PNW days in Washington. No matter what time of year you choose to elope in Washington, prepare to embrace the overcast!

Other things to consider:

In the state of Washington, an officiant is required to be present and you will also need two witnesses to sign your marriage license. We can sign as your witnesses, and if you prefer, Travis is ordained and can perform your ceremony.

As for getting your marriage license, you will need to apply for it no less than 3 days in advance and no sooner than 60 days before your elopement date. You can apply by mail or by phone.

The National Parks will require a wedding permit if you choose to get married inside their boundaries. Same goes for the National Forest. Informing the park and/or forest of your plans and following their permit guidelines is essential to ensuring a smooth day. We can help you navigate everything regarding permits with the national parks and the national forest service.

To learn more about how to start planning your very own Washington Elopement, check our How To Elope in Washington Guide!

Olympic National Park Ruby Beach Wedding Ceremony

Day Two: North Cascades National Park

After their ceremony and celebration with family and friends in Olympic National Park, they drove up to Bellingham, WA to adventure in North Cascades National Park for a few days.

On the day of their North Cascades Adventure session, they started out in downtown Bellingham at Camber for coffee and pastries. Then brunch and a quick visit to the local brewery before heading into the mountains. Once we had arrive in North Cascades National Park, they snuck in a quick hike, scouting the area for their picnic they had packed. After changing back into their elopement attire, we set up their picnic and captured their time together. As the sun started to set, we packed up the picnic and started our hike for sunset portraits! As the sun disappeared below the horizon, the moon rose over the tree line, and we decided to take some blue hour photos with lanterns! You don’t want to miss these photos!