How to Elope in a National Park

Table of Contents

1. Be Prepared

2. Micro-Wedding vs Elopement

3. Find a National Park

4. Submit a Permit

5. Make it Official

6. Book Vendors

7. Stay in Touch

BE PREPARED

My number one tip I also tell couples before submitting permits, sending out invites and solidifying plans to to be prepared for a lot of tourists. Majority of the time you're scrolling on Pinterest or watching reels on instagram it looks so perfect, private, quiet, and while all that can be true, the reality behind having your ceremony in a national park is that there will be tourists. This is so important to keep in mind when choosing your ceremony space. First, fly out to the national park you are wanting to get married in and look for your spots in person. This guarantees that you will set yourself and all your guests and vendors up for success upon arrival. This allows you to see if the spot you desire requires a lot of hiking, if it's very touristy on the day of the week you're thinking of having your ceremony. You will also need to decide if you are wanting an elopement of 5-20 people or a micro wedding of 30-50 people. Once you decide your guest count then you can seriously consider where you want your ceremony and how much space you will need. If you have 5-20 people, you may not need to worry about seating because the ceremony will be 5-10 minutes long. If you're planning on having a micro wedding you will need to consider seating, tables for drinks and/or snacks, dj, florals, etc.

How do you prepare for weather:

I highly recommend researching the weather and the best times of year to visit a national park that you're thinking of! Depending on where you plan to get married, the weather can play a big role. I would not suggest somewhere like Joshua Tree National Park in the summer, nor Denali National Park in the winter. These weather conditions can be extreme and make for a very miserable day for you and your guests. As much of planner that I am, you also have to have the mindset that anything could change at any given moment when it comes to weather. It’s all part of the adventure, right? Make plan B's, C's, and D's in the case that your location could completely change when you arrive. Bring the proper gear, such as boots, sweaters, a change of clothes, and a couple umbrellas. Make sure to include this in your itinerary for guests as well.

Packing List - Basic Necessities:

1. Park Permit

2. Entrance Fee (always bring cash just in case)

3. Marriage License

4. Hiking Shoes

5. A change of clothes

6. Sweater or Jacket

7. Water, snacks, champagne?

8. Props (Rug, Flower Petals, Blanket for guests, etc. - check with a park ranger for approval first to avoid fines)

9. Headlamp or Flashlights

10. Umbrellas (always pack extras for guests in case they forget)

MICRO-WEDDING VS ELOPEMENT

This can be one of the hardest decisions to make when choosing to elope or have a small intimate wedding. Not only will you now be having what is considered a "Destination Wedding" but depending on how many people you invite, you are now responsible everyone's travel. I highly recommend when planning a destination wedding that you nominate a family member or a close friend to be the contact for all things itinerary, and travel details. This ensures that you and your soon to be spouse can enjoy your special day without any worries of your guests.

Micro-Weddings:

The perk of a micro wedding is that you get to pick a decent amount of friends and family to spend time with while also getting to pick the parts of a wedding day you want and the parts of an elopement you want. With your guest count being small, food is more affordable, and you can spend more on vendors you want like florals, photography and videography. You get to decide if you want a huge dance party or a chill dinner at a nice restaurant.

Elopements:

The perk of having an Elopement is you have so much freedom to spend your day exactly how you want to! This means a minimal timeline that leaves you with endless time to get ready and enjoy your morning. You'll have a memorable, intimate and quiet ceremony with minimal family drama. You can take as much time as you want taking photos and exploring the beautiful park. Then you can choose whether or not you want to spend the evening together or have a nice dinner with family and friends.

Regardless of what you choose, I recommend these options to the Bride and Groom that just want a simple easy going day that doesn't require a lot of planning, or moving pieces.

FIND A NATIONAL PARK

Finding a National Park can be as simple as picking the park you two have always dreamed of visiting. I highly recommend going on the USA National Parks website and looking through all of your options before deciding. This will also give you a pretty good idea if the park of your dreams has the option to get married there, if they have open availability for your day, and if they have a spot that can cater to the type of ceremony you are wanting. You may also discover along the way that there are other National parks that you may not have heard of before, or that would better accommodate guests (wheelchair accessible, minimal hiking required, hotels/airbnb's near by, or even kid friendly environments)

SUBMIT A PERMIT

Once you have decided on a National Park, submit for a permit. Permit are crucial to having a ceremony held at a National Park. Paying a parking fee and telling guests that are dressed up where to find you and illegally holding a ceremony is not a good idea. Plus permits are fairly cheap and can range between $100-$500 depending on the location you choose. However this does not include fees to get into the park or stay on the grounds of the park. This will also ensure that you don't have park rangers hunting you down and interrupting important moments. You will get fined without a permit.

Depending on the park, they can also limit access for tourists in your area for a certain allotted time. You can expect for your permits to be approved within 1 week to 1 month to be approved! But you can apply for a permit anywhere from 1 year to 21 days prior to your ceremony. However, I would apply for a permit asap. Some parks have designated spots for weddings and elopements that can fill up a year in advance. So don't make anything official with vendors or guests before you have been approved! Every National Park will have their contact information on their official website: nps.gov. Through this website you can get in touch with a park ranger to ask about specific permits and rules for their park. Each park also has its own website with information on wedding permits that are easily accessible. They will also require you to get a marriage license to have on site the day of your ceremony.

Restrictions to look out for:

Every National Park will have their restrictions for photographers and videographers. If you are hiring a videographer that uses a drone, make sure you check with the National Park that your videographer is cleared to fly there. A few common restrictions also include number of people who can attend (50 tends to be the max), props/rentals you can bring, pets may or may not be allowed. A couple BIG NO NO's for National Parks are sparklers or anything that involves fire, confetti (biodegradable might be approved depending on the park), glitter, etc. If you have specific questions, be sure to ask the park ranger.

TIP: If a national park feels too restrictive for your liking, check out a state park or national forest nearby! You’ll still get all the incredible scenery but with fewer crowds, and you can bring your dog! You will still need to submit for a permit if you go this route.

Common National Parks for elopements/weddings + permit fees:

1. Arches National Park Moab, UT — Special Permit Fee: $185

2. Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce, UT — Special Permit Fee: $100

3. Devil’s Tower National Monument Devils Tower, WY— Special Permit Fee: $100 plus $25/hr – $60/hr monitoring fee

4. Everglades National Park Homestead, FL — Special Permit Fee: $100

5. Glacier National Park West Glacier, MT — Special Permit Fee: $125

6. The Grand Canyon Grand Canyon, AZ  — Special Permit Fee: $240-$500 depending on location

7. Grand Tetons National Park Moose, WY — Special Permit Fee: $200

8. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Gatlinburg, TN — Special Permit Fee: $50

9. Joshua Tree National Park Twentynine Palms, CA — Special Permit Fee: $120 plus

10. Olympic National Park Port Angeles, WA — Special Permit Fee: Varies

11. Rocky Mountain National Park Estes Park, CO — Special Permit Fee: $300

12. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Three Rivers, CA — Special Permit Fee: $150

13. Shenandoah National Park Luray, VA — Special Permit Fee: $150

14. Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park, WY — Special Permit Fee: $250 plus

15. Yosemite National Park El Portal, CA — Special Permit Fee: $150 plus $50/hr monitoring fee

16. Zion National Park Springdale, UT — Special Permit Fee: $100

MAKE IT OFFICIAL

Now that you have selected your destination and your permits were approved, let the planning begin! I highly recommend sending a save the date so friends and family can start requesting time off work to celebrate you. Next, it's time to make the invitations! Your Invitations should include: 2-3 different cards. The first card should include your names, date, time of ceremony, basic destination "Redwoods National Park", along with your registry/honeymoon fund information. The second card should include a full itinerary of what your guests can expect out of this weekend, including exact location of ceremony and how to find it, nearest airport they can fly into, near by hotels you recommend they stay, ceremony time and a dress code if applicable. You should also include the dates, times and locations of a rehearsal dinner, and fun excursions you want to do with guests. AND last but not least a website that includes the option to rsvp, along with all of the info above in case your guests lose their invitations. You should also include the phone number of a friend or family member that will be in charge of all things travel communication for your special weekend.

BOOK YOUR VENDORS

As soon as you have dates and permits approved you should also start booking your vendors immediately! Vendors that travel for Weddings and Elopements typically book out a year to almost two years in advance. So make sure you nail your vendors down quick! I highly recommend asking your National Park Contact if they have any recommendations. I would also recommend using sites like wedding wire or the knot to find vendors in those areas or that have experience traveling to those parks. Cake, Florals, and a DJ can be really tricky to find near your park but I would love to help you navigate that and give you some recommendations!

BOOKING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER (Hi, I would love to be yours! Inquiry Here)

Hi, my name is Sydney with Sage Photo and Films and I would love to be a part of your special day! Booking a photographer/videographer has so many moving parts and can be one of the hardest vendors to come by. Obviously there are lots of photographers/videographers to choose from, I get it, it's kind of overwhelming. There is so much that goes into your decision like style of editing, the cameras we shoot on, how many hours you should book us for, why there are so many different price ranges, do you even click personality wise. Can I just say, you deserve everything on your Pinterest dreams and more!! You deserve to find a photographer/videographer that you love to be around, that is easy to talk to, whose style you're obsessed with all for a price that fits perfectly in your budget. Not only am I budget friendly but you will get the best client experience you could ever ask for! I love spoiling my clients because you deserve to have the best wedding day ever!!!

How long should you plan to take photos:

As long or as short as your heart desires! When I shoot at a National Park, I’m normally there for 4-6 hours to get ceremony, group (family) photos, along with portraits of the Bride and Groom. It also depends on the park, it could take more or less time!

What's better, photos at sunrise or sunset:

Time of day for photos is dependent on the National Park you choose and the weather! If you're wanting photos closer to the water or at a beach, I will always recommend sunset because that gives more time for the fog to burn off. If you're thinking somewhere in the mountains sunrise or sunset is dependent on the scenery and where the sun rises and sets. If your dream spot for photos faces the west, you will want to take photos during sunset.If it faces east, you'll want to take photos during sunrise. I love shooting at either time but sunset can be a popular time for hikers, so you could attract a crowd especially at popular spots. Sunrise tends to be more quiet and calm and it feels like you have the whole place to yourself. Sunrise has more of blue and purple tones whereas sunset has more golden and yellow tones.

What if our spot requires a lot of hiking to get to:

I absolutely love hiking, and I will go wherever your hearts desire! I'm all for an epic adventure. I would recommend bringing a bag that can fit your wedding attire along with comfy clothes and shoes to hike in as well. I will always provide a changing tent for my couples to use once we get to the top!

STAY IN TOUCH

Now that everything has been taken care of and all the boxes have been checked off, don't forget to stay in touch with the National Park and your vendors! I highly recommend communicating with your vendors and your park ranger monthly or every other month leading up to your special day! The last thing you want is for the unexpected to come day of or even in the weeks leading up to your wedding getaway weekend!