If you’re considering eloping in a National Park, this blog post will help guide you through the process!

There are over 400 National Parks in the United States, and they span across over 84 million acres, so your options for an epic elopement location are endless!

Scroll down to learn more about how to have your elopement or intimate wedding in a National Park!

1. Pick Your Park

Each National Park is unique and has something different to offer. One of the best things about eloping in a National Park is how many options you have! But if you’re not sure which one to pick, here’s some information about a few of my favorite National Parks. Each of these parks have incredible elopement locations to choose from!

• Zion National Park

  • Located in Springdale, Utah

  • Zion National Park is 229 square miles and features steep red cliffs, canyons, and stunning views

• Yosemite National Park

  • Located near Mariposa, California

  • Yosemite National Park is over 1,100 square miles and features incredible mountains and giant sequoia trees

• Haleakala National Park

  • Located in Maui, Hawaii

  • Haleakala National Park contains over 30,000 acres and features a gigantic volcanic crater. You can literally get married above the clouds here!

• Glacier National Park

  • Located in Montana’s Rocky Mountains

  • Glacier National Park is over 1,500 square miles and features mountains, glacier-carved peaks, valleys, forests, and gorgeous lakes

• Death Valley National Park

  • Located along the California/Nevada border

  • Death Valley National Park is over 5,000 square miles and is the hottest, driest, and lowest National Park with tons of colorful rocks and hills

• Isle Royale National Park

  • Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

  • Isle Royale National Park is 893 square miles and is the least visited National Park, giving you lots of privacy! The only permanent residents on Isle Royale are wildlife, and this unique park is only accessible via ferry or plane

• Olympic National Park

  • Located near Port Angeles, Washington

  • Olympic National Park is over 1,400 square miles and features incredible mountains, forests, and coastlines

• North Cascades National Park

  • Located in northern Washington

  • North Cascades National Park is over 1,000 square miles and features gorgeous mountains and lakes

• Redwood National Park

  • Located in northern California

  • Redwood National Park is 172 square miles and is home to the tallest trees in the world!

• Bryce Canyon National Park

  • Located in southwest Utah

  • Bryce Canyon National Park has over 35,000 acres and features unique red rock formations

This is not even close to an all inclusive list of the best National Parks to elope in, but just a short list with a few of my favorites! I provide all of my couples with custom location scouting to help them find the perfect spot for their day, so don’t worry if you haven’t been able to pick a spot yet!

2. Narrow Down The Time

The best time to visit each National Park varies based on the location. It definitely helps to do some research on the average climate during the time of year you’re hoping to elope.

Also keep in mind the cost to travel, as this varies depending on the time of year. I recommend checking out Google flights and signing up for a service like Scott’s Cheap Flights to get alerted to the best flight deals! If you travel often, a travel card like the Capital One Venture Card (my personal favorite!) is amazing for the travel rewards.

For the time of your elopement or intimate wedding, I cannot recommend sunrise enough! While I always scout for the most private locations, National Parks are popular places to visit, so I highly recommend sunrise for the most privacy. If getting up early isn’t your thing, don’t worry! We can still find some private spots later in the day.

3. Get Your Permit(s)

The other consideration is the permit required for your location. The cost varies based on the location you pick, and weddings are not permitted at every spot in National Parks. Each park website contains some helpful information about the permit requirements, such as how long before your elopement to apply, what areas you can elope in, and how much a permit costs. Costs can vary quite a bit, anywhere from $50-$500, depending on the park. Some park websites don’t have all of the information listed, but you can always reach out to the park directly!

Also, keep in mind that many National Parks have restrictions on how many guests you can include, where pets are allowed within the park, if you can play music, etc. Most of this information is usually on the park websites, along with the permit information.

It helps to hire a photographer or planner who is familiar with the permit process and restrictions for National Parks and can help you with all of the permit requirements!

4. Get Your Marriage License

The process of getting married varies in each state. Many states require two witnesses (but these can be anyone, even strangers we meet on the trail), while some states don’t require any witnesses at all. The waiting period is usually a few days after applying for your license, but this also varies by each state. But don’t worry, I’ll send you all of the information you need for your marriage license!

While I cannot perform your complete ceremony (as I’ll be busy photographing!), I am legally ordained and can sign your marriage license as an officiant. If you’re wanting to privately exchange vows without an officiant walking you through a formal ceremony, this could be a great option for you as I don’t charge any additional fees for this service. If you’d prefer a more formal ceremony or someone to walk you through your vow exchange, I can recommend some great local officiants.

You also have the option of getting legally married at home and then having your elopement or wedding in a National Park. The date on your marriage license does not determine your anniversary date – you do!

5. Hire Vendors

I always recommend starting with hiring your photographer as many (including myself!) will also assist with location scouting, vendor recommendations, and timeline/activity suggestions.

Some other vendors to consider hiring for your elopement or intimate wedding are a planner, videographer, florist, officiant, or private chef (many couples prefer a private reception at their Airbnb opposed to a restaurant!)

No matter where you choose to elope, I’m here to help guide you through the process. There are endless amounts of epic locations in the National Parks, and I would love to help you pick the perfect location and find a unique spot for the best day of your life!

x Brittany