Interested in eloping in Olympic? This Olympic National park elopement guide is here to provide you with all of the information you need to know about the park, getting there, what you need, as well as amazing Olympic National Park elopement locations! Read on to learn how to elope in Olympic National Park.

Where is Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is located on the Olympic peninsula in Washington State. It goes along the coastline in Washington providing gorgeous rugged shores, as well as so many other different types of eco-systems.

How to Get to Olympic National Park

The best way to get to Olympic National Park is by flying into the Seattle-Tacoma National airport. This airport is only two hours away from Olympic, making it an easy destination to get to coming from out of state. I highly recommend getting a car, as Olympic National Park is massive and has many different entrances. For example, the Hoh Rainforest is 100 miles away from Hurricane Ridge.

When to Elope in Olympic National Park

Since Olympic National park is in lower elevation, it has snow-free locations year round. This means that you can access the park during whatever season you’re most interested in. Summer brings in a lot of crowds, so if you’re looking to enjoy some solicitude, then late fall would be the best time to elope in Olympic National Park. This is when tourism starts to die down, and all trails should still be open and without any new snowfall.

Olympic National Park Wedding Permit

A special use permit is needed to elope in Olympic National Park. You can find and fill out the application here. You will need to pay a $100 application fee to apply for your permit. Following that, it may require a payment of cost recovery charges. This will depend on a few factors such as how many guests you’re having. Once your permit is approved, you will be asked for the final payment. I believe it only goes up to $250.00

How to Elope at Olympic National Park

You plan a Olympic National Park elopement in similar ways as you’d plan any adventure elopement. There are a few major steps, and you can read about those here on my thorough guide on how to elope. For this Mt. Hood elopement guide, I’m going over the major things you’ll need to consider!

1. Decide if You’re Having Guests

This is an imperative part of the planning process for elopements. This is because some guests won’t have the hiking ability, some might not want to drive or forest roads, and others will be apt to altitude sickness. Choosing a location will be much easier once you’ve determine who you’re inviting, and how many guests total you’ll have.

2.Hire your Olympic National Park Elopement Photographer

This might feel early in the planning process, but bear with me. Elopements don’t have wedding planners. Most elopement photographers have taken it upon themselves to help couples with some of the planning. Many actually help you find your location! And they will think of things you might not have considered, such as: lighting, elevation, difficulty in hiking in a dress, permits, and so much more.

Each elopement photographer offers something different. Personally, I send my couples a customized list of locations based on their preferences, hiking ability, who they want to invite, and what they want to see. I also help them determine lodging options, get permits, get their marriage license, recommend vendors, and create a comprehensive day of timeline, and offer unlimited guidance calls for any questions along the way.

The being said, hiring your Olympic National Park elopement photographer early is going to take a massive amount of planning stress off of your shoulders. Wanna chat? Contact me here!

3.Determine What Weather You Want to Be In

This is going to help you choose a date and location. There are rainy seasons, dry seasons, and even seasons that you THINK would be warm, but can still be snowy and cold in the mountains. So, when you’re doing that research, you’ll already want to have in mind what kind of weather you want.

4.Pick Your Olympic National Park Elopement Location

Once you’ve decided on how much you’d like to hike, how many guests are coming, your ideal weather, and the landscapes you want, you’re ready to deep dive into researching mountain elopement locations. Finding the perfect spot will be a lot simpler after considering all of your needs and logistics.

This is information I collect from my couple through a questionnaire, and then use to make a customized list of Olympic National Park elopement location options for them.

5.Hire Vendors

Once you have your location, it’s time to consider if there’s anything you need vendors for. Do you want a friend or family member to officiate, or will you need an officiant? Do you want a bouquet from a florist or are you down to make your own from Trader Joe’s flowers? Will you go out to eat, or do you want something catered, like a meal at an Airbnb from a private chef?

Figure out what you want, and hire your vendors in advance

6.Get Your Permits

You will need to get the correct permits for your elopement. These are usually “special use” permits that you apply for on the National Parks website.

Personally, I get all permit information for my eloping couples that hire me. With that, all you need to do is fill out the application when it’s sent to you and pay the fee. Fee’s vary, but are usually around $100 or less.

7.Choose Additional Elopement Activities

Activities are such a fun part of an elopement. When you choose to elope, you’re opening yourself up to having a wedding day celebration that feels unique and resonates with you. Incorporate things that will elevate your elopement day experience. Here’s just a few ideas to get you brainstorming:

• Going on a hike
• Having a bonfire
• Having a picnic on a mountain top
• Star-gazing or astrophotography
• Swimming
• Cliff jumping
• Visiting waterfalls
• Camping
• Glamping
• Hiring a private chef
• Hot air balloon ride
• Helicopter tour (landing on glaciers, mountains, etc)
• Kayaking
• Paddleboarding
• Sightseeing
• Scenic driving with time to stop for pictures
• Visiting hot springs
• Exchanging gifts
• Reading letters from friends or family

8. Make a Day Of Timeline

Making a timeline is an important part of any elopement. It strings together all of your locations, activities, and lets guests know where to be and when. Creating a well thought out timeline will help you feel relaxed during the day, instead of stressed or rush. Make sure to include drive times as well as buffer times between each “event.”

Here are the things I include in the timelines I make for my couples:

• All addresses
• Sunrise time
• Sunset time
• Drive times
• A linke to Accuweather
• A list of all names for group shots
• Vendor info
• Emergency contact info
• A packing list

Lodging in Olympic National Park

There are a lot of options to stay in Olympic National Park. Wether you’re looking for some privacy in a vacation rental, want a unique cabin in the woods, or even a hot spring resort! Here are a list of some options for eloping in Olympic National Park

• Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort
• Lake Crescent Lodge
• Lake Quinalt Lodge
• Hoh Valley Cabins
• List of Airbnbs Near Olympic National Park

If you want a list of beautiful nearby Airbnbs, click here!

How Much Does it Cost to Elope in Olympic National Park?

With a special use permit and entry fees, it costs around $119-$169 to elope in Olympic National Park. That being said, most couples spend an average of $5000-$20,000 on their elopement. This includes flights, lodging, permits, vendors, wedding attire, meals, and anything extra a couple might want.

Olympic National Park Elopement Locations

There are tons of gorgeous Olympic National Park elopement locations. Since there are so many different types of landscapes and eco-systems, you have a ton to choose from. This list is the tip of the iceberg:

Hoh Rainforest

Ruby Beach

Hurricane Ridge

Shi Shi Beach

Lake Crescent

Olympic National Park Elopement Packages

Elopement photography by Emilee Setting Photo, and everything included in my packages:

• Explore anywhere within Washington, all travel fees included in the price!
• Packages from half day elopements to multi-day elopements
• Receive a customized location list
• Help finding lodging that suits your needs if you’re having an intimate reception
• Included comprehensive timeline design
• Help obtaining your permits
• Help obtaining your marriage license
• A planning checklist
• Unlimited planning and guidance calls 
• All of your stunning photos delivered under three months
• Day of polaroid sneak peeks

Olympic National Park elopement packages starting at $5800. Want more information on my pricing and what’s included? Click here

Ready to Elope at Olympic National Park?

This Olympic National Park elopement guide is a way to get you excited about all the possibilities of what your day could look like. Although, this amount of information can be overwhelming. I’m here to help. I can answer any and all questions you have on a complimentary low pressure consultation call. If you then choose you’d like to work together, I’ll do all of this planning right by your said to alleviate any stress, and bring your Olympic National Park elopement vision to life. We can chat here!