Hello and happy Friday, dear reader of The Traveling Hanans Blog! I originally started this blog while living in a travel trailer with my husband and our dog and working as a travel nurse, spending three months at a time in different places around the United States and working in some of the most understaffed emergency departments in the country. It was so fun to spend time in different areas, but the job aspect of it was incredibly hard (read more about my travel nursing career here).
Probably my favorite place we stayed was in Tacoma, Washington. Our campsite there had the most stunning view of Mount Rainier (the picture above was taken from right outside our travel trailer’s window). At the end of that assignment, as a combination birthday and assignment-completion present to myself, I attended a styled shoot in Mount Rainier National Park (if you aren’t familiar with the term “styled shoot”, I wrote a blog post about it a few weeks ago). Today’s post is all about how to plan a wedding or elopement in Mount Rainier National Park. *If you would like to see more photos from this shoot, you can click here. Or here. Or here.
Researching
Maybe you have known that you want to elope for several years, or maybe eloping is a new idea that you and your fiance are discussing (if you are still deciding, check out my blog post “Why Elope?”). Either way, I highly recommend doing your research. Though there are countless ways you could go about this, I have listed my top three methods for Mount Rainier National Park elopement research below:
1: Mount Rainier National Park Website
Mount Rainier National Park has one of the best resources for weddings and elopements that I have seen on a national park website – an interactive map of ceremony locations that allows you to narrow your search based on day of the week and party size! This is an incredible resource, one I wish had been available to me when I was planning my own wedding in Rocky Mountain National Park. Of course, all the digital resources in the world can not replace direct contact with park staff, but having as much information as possible before reaching out to someone directly is always so helpful for me (thank you, social anxiety).
Doing your research beforehand can also help you decide if a national park wedding is really for you. Read all rules and regulations associated with getting married in Mount Rainier National Park. The rules and permit requirements are there to protect the park and should never be bent or broken. I know that sometimes rules can feel frustratingly arbitrary, but they are there for important reasons and I personally would never photograph a wedding or elopement that went against park rules. For a full list of rules and regulations for weddings in MRNP, click here.
2: Google
A simple search for “Mount Rainier National Park elopement” will yield you lots of results. This can be so helpful as you search for advice and real life experiences from other couples who have eloped there or vendors who have worked there.
3: Pinterest
Pinterest is the perfect combination of search engine + social media. You can use it like Google to search for blogs and vendors and advice, and you can use it like social media to scroll and search for inspiration. Creating a dedicated MRNP inspo board can be helpful when it comes time to choosing your wedding vendors and to help them create your vision for your wedding.
Permitting
Currently in May of 2024, the steps to obtaining a wedding permit in MRNP are as follows:
Step One
Once you have definitely decided to elope at Mount Rainier National Park, download, fill out, and submit an application (the application is available for download from the MRNP website). To submit the application, email it to the park’s special use permit department (email address is also available at the website linked above). If you have any questions at all about your desired ceremony location or the permit, I would recommend including those questions in your email or calling the park. In general, and due to the remote locations they work in, I have not had the best luck with reaching NPS park staff via telephone on the first try; usually it takes leaving a voicemail and/or trying multiple times before speaking to someone. Once they are on the phone, I have found them to be incredibly helpful and kind.
Step Two
Once all of your questions are answered and you have chosen an appropriate location for your ceremony and have notified the park staff of all the activities your wedding will bring into the park (including photography!) and they have approved your permit, you will be required to pay a non-refundable permitting fee of $250.
Step Three
Applications must be submitted at least four weeks prior to the wedding date. There is no date listed for how early you can submit, a general rule of thumb would be as soon as possible and up to a year in advance.
Booking
Now that you have your permit, you can start assembling your dream team of vendors to bring your wedding to life! If you need help knowing where to start when searching for vendors, check out my blog post “How to Choose Elopement Vendors”. Although it can be helpful, I do not believe it is necessary to only hire vendors who have worked in the park before. I do, however, believe it is necessary that you choose vendors whose values align with yours. Make sure you bring up the topic of Leave No Trace with every vendor you are considering before you hire them. This is important for all weddings, but it is especially important for weddings on public lands like national parks.
Your Wedding!
What could be more perfect than committing to spend the rest of your life with your best friend surrounded by some of the most beautiful nature on the planet? It’s why I love photographing elopements. To me, being in nature is such a special and sacred experience, and you deserve nothing less than that on your wedding day. Whether you elope just the two of you, or you choose to include a small group of family and/or friends, Mount Rainier National Park is a beautiful choice. If you do have guests at your wedding, be sure to sign up for my newsletter to get access to my freebie “Leave No Trace: Wedding Guest Guide” so that you can be sure to leave the park just as beautiful and untouched as when you arrive.
Final thoughts …
I hope this post has been helpful to you as you plan your Mount Rainier National Park wedding or elopement! There are so many factors to consider, and while this (or any other) blog post can’t replace contacting the park directly, it should give you a good place to start your planning journey. If there’s one thing I hope I’ve impressed upon you, it’s the importance of following the seven principles of Leave No Trace. Happy planning, and if you are still searching for your perfect photographer, I absolutely love photographing elopements in the Pacific Northwest and would love for you to consider hiring me!
*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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