2020 sure has been a doozy. With the understandable restrictions being placed on weddings in Washington state, elopements and Seattle elopement photography have become much more popular this summer. I love photographing elopements all over Washington state and have also traveled to other states and countries to capture elopement photography for some amazing couples. I believe elopements and small, intimate weddings will still be just as popular in 2021.
Planning an elopement may take a little creativity when it comes to timing and location since there are so many incredible spots out there, many of them very close to, if not within, the city of Seattle. I’ve compiled a list of five of my favorite romantic elopement locations in the Seattle area and have written a short blurb about what makes each elopement venue great. If you’ve got questions on either of these locations send me an email or click the button at the bottom of the post. I’m always happy to chat with couples in all stages of wedding planning!
Colorful Elopement Venue in Seattle: Volunteer Park Conservatory
There are plenty of great locations for elopements and small weddings in Seattle but one of the prettiest has to be the Volunteer Park Conservatory in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. This venue is super popular and hosts intimate weddings after hours (generally from 4pm and on). No matter the weather outside you can be sure that you’ll have a dry, bright space to exchange your vows in and there is room for more than a dozen guests. To utilize the Conservatory as your wedding venue you MUST book a specific date and pay the permit fee, but it’s more than worth the small expense to make the space your private wedding venue for a couple hours!
Picturesque and Quiet Puget Sound Elopement Location: Deception Pass State Park
Deception Pass State Park gets overlooked too easily in my opinion! It’s such a gorgeous place to be. I have photographed many photo sessions and editorial shoots at Deception Pass over the past few years and always find a new corner or spot to use for photography. While the park can be busy and feel crowded in places during peak summer/vacation dates, if you visit in the off season or want to utilize space that’s not directly adjacent to a parking lot you’ll find plenty of good spots for your small ceremony. It’s important to note that the Deception Pass rangers strongly enforce the park’s daily closure at sunset and will lock you in, so make sure you plan your ceremony and photos accordingly.
Romantic and Woodsy South-Sound Elopement Location: Point Defiance Park
Point Defiance Park has a perfect combination of forest and water, with plenty of little spaces for a ceremony. It is in Tacoma, so if you like the look of Deception Pass but it’s too far of a trek then Point Defiance may be a perfect fit! You can easily access different parts of the park by car and it is such a large park that you should have no trouble finding a quiet space.
Perfect Seattle Skyline View Elopement Location: Harbor and Alki Drive
The West Seattle neighborhood and Alki Beach area of Seattle are some super popular spots for seeing stunning views of the downtown Seattle waterfront. Before you make it all the way to Alki Beach on Harbor Drive there are a few grassy areas that would each be great for a private and small ceremony. The Alki area gets very crowded and busy during the summer months, especially when the weather is warm enough for swimming, so keep that in mind if you’re planning your ceremony during the summer.
Picturesque Park Elopement Location Near Seattle: Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island
Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island is one of our area’s best kept secrets for photography locations! It offers easy parking and has a little something for everyone - a small beach, really cool public docks along the water, gorgeous views of the lake, a big meadow, wetland boardwalk, dairy farm ruins, a super unique and cool amphitheater and the list goes on! Being easy to access and being lesser known make it a great spot for photos and small ceremonies because you won’t have to fight crowds like you potentially would at other popular Seattle-area locations.
While all of these locations are beautiful in their own way, please keep in mind that they are public parks and most of the time permits to have your ceremony are required. Before setting your plans in stone check with the specific location you are thinking of to see what is required of you to be able to utilize the public land for your ceremony. In most of the cases in this blog post, the locations would accommodate standing-only and are not set up to bring in chairs or rentals - something to keep in mind as well. Elopement location options are pretty endless when you really get down to it. Talk with your partner about what kind of vibe or location you’d like and if you decide that something within or very close to Seattle is the most ideal for you, perhaps one of these suggestions above will be the winner.
My elopement photography package includes location consultation and timeline assistance so that the couples I work with can be sure that every detail is covered. I am always happy to assist with planning and prep for these special and intimate wedding ceremonies and would love to chat with you if you’re thinking of planning an elopement.
