The Ultimate Guide to Eloping in Seattle
The Ultimate Guide to Eloping in Seattle: Tips, Locations, and Fun Photos
Eloping in Seattle is such a special way to celebrate your marriage. Without the added pressure or expense of a large wedding, you can customize your elopement to match your unique style.
And Seattle is the perfect place to elope! From a moody, rainy drizzle with luscious green backdrops to the sparkle of sunshine reflecting on Puget Sound, Seattle can match whatever your vision is for your special day.
I’ve photographed over a hundred elopements in Seattle and seen exactly what works. If you need an experienced elopement photographer who will cheer you on (and even be a witness if you need one!), I’m your gal!
5 Steps for Eloping in Seattle
Here are all my best tips for eloping in Seattle, including my favorite locations and vendors.
- Consider the Right Season for Your Seattle Elopement
- Choose a Beautiful Seattle Elopement Location (Mountain-Scaling Not Required)
- Hire Experienced Seattle Elopement Vendors
- Apply for Your Marriage License
- You’re Ready—Time to Get Married!
Consider the Right Season for Your Seattle Elopement
Seattle is known as the Emerald City, but all that rich greenery comes with a price: rain.
Seattle only averages 37” of rain each year, but it’s spread over about 85 rainy days. We get the most rainy days from September to May. If you want the best chances of a rain-free wedding, June through August are the prime months.
Thankfully, most of the rain we get in Seattle is just a drizzle or sprinkle. As a Seattle elopement photographer, I’ve shot lots of weddings with a bit of drizzle, and they were so fun! Clear umbrellas are a cute accessory to add to your packing list, just in case.
June, July, and August are also the warmest months in Seattle. Average temperatures in the summer months are in the low 70s. The other months are a bit colder, so if you’re considering an outdoor wedding, you might consider having a wedding coat or jacket in addition to your wedding attire.
Choose a Beautiful Seattle Elopement Location (Mountain-Scaling Not Required)
Regardless of the weather, Seattle provides a gorgeous backdrop for elopements. And trust me, you don’t have to scale a mountain or hike into the woods to have a beautiful elopement celebration! Here are some of my favorite Seattle & Washington elopement locations:
1. Snoqualmie Point Park (Snoqualmie, 30 minutes East)
Just 30 minutes East of Seattle, Snoqualmie Point Park is full of typical Pacific Northwest pines and offers views of the Cascade Mountains and Snoqualmie Valley. It’s a beautiful, quiet place for an intimate elopement ceremony.
See Arielle and Kevin’s elopement at Snoqualmie Point Park
2. Alki Beach (West Seattle)
West Seattle’s Alki Beach is a beautiful waterfront spot for elopement ceremonies. Couples love having the Seattle skyline as the natural backdrop for their special day!
Alki Beach also has another small ceremony gem: Salty’s on Alki. Their intimate special events rooms all have waterfront deck access, and their catering is top-notch.
See Willie & Traci’s real Seattle elopement at Alki Beach!
3. Olympic Sculpture Park (Downtown)
For couples wanting a unique architectural space, the Olympic Sculpture Park is an excellent downtown Seattle elopement location.
The Olympic Sculpture Park is also very close to the Seattle Cruise Port! You can fly to Seattle for your elopement and then hop on a cruise to Alaska for your honeymoon.
4. Willows Lodge (Woodinville, 30 min Northeast)
Willows Lodge is tucked away in Woodinville, a 30-minute drive from Seattle. It has several spaces perfect for micro-weddings, along with a lawn area that’s perfect for post-ceremony games, a spa, and beautiful post-wedding accommodations. Plus, Woodinville is home to 100+ wineries.
5. Volunteer Park (Capitol Hill)
Volunteer Park has several beautiful areas for intimate elopements. The Volunteer Park Conservatory’s glass greenhouse is particularly pretty, with its warm atmosphere and greenery.
6. The Charter Hotel (Downtown)
The Charter Hotel has a beautiful rooftop deck at their bar, the Fog Room. The interior is gorgeous, too—especially the cozy seating areas where you can sign your marriage license post-ceremony. It’s just two blocks from Pike Place Market.
7. Salish Lodge (Snoqualmie, 30 minutes East)
With gorgeous views of Snoqualmie Falls, Salish Lodge hosts lots of intimate elopement ceremonies. They even have specific packages for elopements and micro weddings that include accommodations for the newlyweds.
Hire Experienced Seattle Elopement Vendors
Even though eloping is a more intimate and casual way to celebrate your marriage, there are still a lot of details to plan! With many years of experience in the Seattle wedding industry, I know so many vendors personally—and I love recommending ones that match my clients’ tastes and needs.
Here are some of the vendors I know that are always a hit:
Officiant: AnneMarie Juhlian
Annemarie is one of my very favorite people to collaborate with for elopements in Seattle. Her warmth, attention to detail, and ability to create tailored ceremonies for each couple is astounding. Best of all, Annemarie and I have collaborated on dozens of elopements. You can see her in many of the photos in this post! You can learn more about Annemarie on her website, https://marriedbyannemarie.com/.
Hair and Makeup: OffWhite Makeup & Beauty
Megan and her team of stylists produce stunning results for anyone in the wedding party. They always bring out the natural beauty of each bride, groom, and wedding party. You can see lots of weddings I’ve photographed with OffWhite Makeup and Beauty here, and check out their website at https://anoffwhiteseattle.com/.
Florals & Decor: Aría Style
John and his team create beautiful, luscious floral arrangements, along with larger-scale event planning and decor. You can learn more about their services at https://ariastyle.com/.
Florals: Fena Flowers
Paula of Fena Flowers designs bright and cheery bouquets for her clients. They add such a gorgeous touch to elopement ceremonies! Learn more about Fena Flowers at https://www.fenaflowers.com/.
Best Seattle Elopement Photographer: Jenny GG
Hey, that’s me! As a Seattle wedding & elopement photographer, I’ve had the joy of photographing over 600 weddings in Seattle, from massive shindigs with hundreds of guests to intimate, one-of-a-kind elopements with just the couple, me, and their officiant.
My goal is to help you see yourself in the same way your loved ones see you. Click here to get in touch with me!
Apply for Your Marriage License
Once you’ve chosen your season, booked a location, and found your perfect team of vendors, you’re ready to make it legal!
There’s a three-day waiting period on marriage licenses in Washington State, so don’t leave this until the last minute. Once issued, marriage licenses in King County are valid for 60 days.
You can apply in person or by mail. If you’re coming from out of state, a mailed application is easiest, but it does require a notarized application. If you’re in Washington State but not in King County, you can get a marriage license closer to home.
You’re Ready—Time to Get Married!
With all the details in place, you’re ready to celebrate your special day. If you have any questions about eloping in Seattle—or you’re just looking for an elopement photographer to capture it all—be sure to contact me!
Get Inspired: Real Seattle Elopements
Here are some favorite Seattle elopements and small weddings for you to check out!