Like a lot of people, I’ve always felt a deep connection with nature. Nothing makes me feel more alive than hiking in the mountains, rock climbing in the desert, or taking a cold plunge into a lake. I know I’m not alone in that. So many people share my sense of overwhelming joy when exploring the outdoors.

When my partner and I decided to get married, I initially pictured myself eloping at the courthouse. The thought of getting married indoors with a big wedding party was never my vibe. I preferred small and intimate. And a courthouse was the only other idea I had—until I discovered national park weddings and elopements!

Suddenly, I was extra excited to get married to my husband. Yes, the ceremony was about our history and future together, but something about getting married in a national park made it feel all the more magical. So, we tied the knot in Joshua Tree National Park, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

The experience was so incredible that I decided to make it my career path—photographing outdoor weddings and adventure elopements in national parks.

Over the years, I’ve seen a lot and learned a lot. And I wanted to impart some of that wisdom to couples looking to say “I do” in these beautiful, protected lands. Here’s what to expect when getting married in a national park.

How to Get Married in a National Park

National Park Wedding Permits

You’ll need a permit. National parks consider weddings as events. To protect the park, you have to let the staff know that you are planning to get married. Permits roughly cost between $100 and $300, depending on the park. All things considered, that’s very affordable compared to most wedding venues. The average turnaround time for a permit is 6 weeks, so start early if you can.

Again, different parks have different stipulations. Sometimes just the couple needs a permit, sometimes it’s just the photographer, and sometimes it's both. Work with your elopement photographer to make sure everything is squared away.

Follow Local Restrictions and Guidelines

There will be restrictions about where you can host the ceremony, what you can bring, and where you can photograph. Again, this is all about protecting the environment and making sure that the area isn’t overly impacted.

These regulations are very place-dependent. For example, some national parks welcome wedding arches, dozens of guests, seating, food, and all the rest—while others have very strict limitations regarding your setup and guest count. That’s why it’s important to call or check the national park’s website ahead and figure out all the rules before making hard plans. Your adventure wedding photographer is happy to help you out!

These rules can also be a blessing. Sometimes yours isn’t the only wedding or event happening that day. Regulations can keep too many people from overlapping, thereby giving you an easier and more private moment for your wedding ceremony.

While some locations let you photograph anywhere in the park, other locations have limitations to reduce human impact. Because it's the great outdoors, these restrictions can be put in place due to erosion or the aftermath of weather. Just go with the flow, knowing that your photos will turn out great no matter what.

What to Expect for Your Ceremony and Photos

You won’t be alone. National parks belong to everyone. Even if it’s your wedding day, it’s important to share the park with others. More popular locations like Yosemite or Joshua Tree will probably have other weddings happening on the same day.

Timing your outdoor wedding or national park elopement can make all the difference. Early morning ceremonies, weekday ceremonies, or weddings out of season can dramatically reduce the crowds.

Even if there are people out and about, it’s usually not too much of an issue. You might have to wait longer for photo opportunities, hikers might stumble upon your ceremony, and some folks might wish you “congratulations.” But in most cases, it’s A-OK.

Some additional tips regarding wedding photos in national parks:

Be patient when visiting popular areas. For example, if you want that classic shot at Glacier Point in Yosemite, you will be waiting a while for your turn.
If privacy is a must, consider getting married in remote parts of the park. Ask your photographer for options. Once you get away from the main attractions, there are usually lots of opportunities for privacy, especially when you visit on weekdays.
Other park visitors might try to take photos of your wedding—feel free to say no, or ask your photographer to intervene if you feel uncomfortable or shy.

Consider Seasons and Weather

Plan for seasonality. Prepare for the weather. There are important differences between seasonality and weather. Seasonality is predictable. Yosemite is cold and snowy in the winter. Death Valley is sweltering in the summer. Couples can review the yearly averages before their wedding day to ensure they are targeting the seasons most amenable to their plans.

Weather is more flexible. Rain can appear in dry seasons, wind can pick up suddenly, and cold seasons can experience a heat wave. Truth be told, the weather has gotten pretty weird due to climate change. The smart way to handle these surprises is to keep an eye on the weather before your big day, wear layers, and have a good attitude about whatever happens.

Oh, your weather app is probably not very accurate. Much better resources are the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or the park’s visitor center.

Good tips for any weather condition are to be flexible, be prepared, and bring extra supplies for whatever Mother Nature can throw at you.

Ingress and Parking

Parks are popular, and wait times can be long. Most national parks have entrance gates where they collect entry fees. Flashing your national park pass gets you through more quickly. But if there’s a long line, you might be waiting a while. Your best option is to enter the park early, at odd times, or to use less popular entrances.

But what about once you’re inside the park? It depends, but expect some traffic at popular destinations. You should expect limited parking, too. Arriving early and patiently waiting can make a world of difference.

Guest Limitations

Unlike wedding venues, national parks aren’t exclusively focused on hosting events. It’s more like they make room for you and your wedding ceremony. This gives you access to some amazing views of natural landscapes, but this also means your guest list might be limited.

For instance, Death Valley National Park can handle dozens of guests, while Saguaro National Park has an 18-person limit. It just depends on what the park can handle. Double-check requirements before booking your guest list, or find a park that can accommodate everyone you want to invite.

Can I Bring My Pets?

The short answer is: No, not really.

Pets, including dogs and cats, are not allowed on most trails or landmarks within national parks. And there are good reasons for this. First, is that the introduction of domesticated animals can drastically affect the wildlife in the area. Second, there’s the issue of potty breaks and the risk of pets eating the local flora. Finally, it can be an issue for other guests in the park.

Yes, some national parks do allow for dogs or cats in the parking lots—but that still requires someone to watch them, keep them safe from traffic, and potentially leaving them in the vehicle during your ceremony.

We love pet, but national parks really aren’t the places to bring your four-legged family members. If you choose to include your pets on your wedding day, consider areas that allow for pets, or we can take photos with them before/after the ceremony at your hotel or Airbnb.

Accessibility Needs

Do you or does anyone in your wedding party have accessibility needs? Bring this up early in the process. Some designated ceremony locations might require a short hike or disallow chairs for guests. This can be troublesome for folks with accessibility needs. But if you let the park and your photographer know about any of your requirements, they can help you find the perfect spot for you and your guests.

Respecting the National Environment

Leave No Trace (LNT). It’s important to remember that you are a guest when you visit a national park. It’s home to a wide variety of plants and animals. To keep their environment happy and healthy, it’s vital to apply leave no trace (LNT) principles.

These include:

Plan ahead and prepare. It’s easier to follow the rules when you know what’s expected of you. Take a moment to plan and prepare for anything that might happen on your big day. Rely on your national park wedding photographer to help with this.
Stay on designated trails. Traveling on designated trails reduces your impact on the area. Remember, plants grow by the inch and die by the foot.
Be thoughtful with your trash. Litter is ugly and harmful. Even if there are trash cans inside the park, it’s wise to pack out what you pack in.
Leave it alone. Nature is full of pretty leaves, stones, pinecones, flowers, and so much more. No matter how tempting these might be to pocket and take home, just leave them where it is. It’ll do more good in its environment anyway.
Be careful what you bring into the park. There are obvious things that you’ll want to avoid bringing into a national park, including fireworks. But some things are not so obvious. A go-to example is baby’s breath, a tiny white flower that’s often included in wedding bouquets. Why? Because these flowers are an invasive species and can spread all too easily. Pets are not allowed in national parks (except maybe the parking areas) because their scent can impact the wildlife. Ask what you can and should bring into the park before you arrive.
Respect wildlife. Give animals space to be animals. Don’t feed the animals. Don’t get too close. And generally, just let them be.
Be considerate to other visitors. The great outdoors belongs to everyone, even on your wedding day. Let them enjoy the park too. In most cases, this just means letting hikers by and giving visitors a chance to snap photos at popular lookouts.

Read our Leave No Trace blog

Park regulations. Our national park system covers a wide variety of environments—each with its own stipulations about what we can do to keep the parks healthy and thriving. Be sure to find out the regulations for flowers, arches, chairs, rugs, the number of guests, alcohol, and whatever else you might want to bring or do when inside the park.

Wildlife. It’s kind of awe-inspiring to have your wedding attended by a surprise animal guest. Leave them be and make room for them if you have to. Animals play by their own rules, so you never really know what to expect. A songbird might pipe up in the middle of your vows. Deer might lock horns in the distance. And a bear might even take a dip in the water, drawing people’s attention. Whatever happens, it’ll make a good story.

Getting the Most Out of Your National Park Adventure Wedding

Getting married outdoors is intoxicatingly beautiful. Whether you surround yourself with towering granite cliffs, vast desert valleys, thick green forests, or white sand beaches, it’ll be an experience you and your spouse will cherish forever.

Photography. Choose a wedding photographer who loves national parks as much as you do. But passion is only one part of the equation. As you can tell from everything we’ve discussed so far—there’s a lot to consider regarding national park adventure weddings. I pride myself on years of experience—and of course, great photography—to help you have a romantic, fun, and stress-free wedding day!

Consider your wedding ceremony. We’ve covered a lot of the need-to-knows. But it’s also important to think about your wedding ceremony. And that includes the legal stuff.

You might also have to think about the following questions and more: Do you want something short and sweet? Or do you prefer something a little more formal? Do you want a friend, family member, or religious leader to conduct the ceremony? Or do you need an officiant? Do you want a religious wedding or a secular ceremony? Will you have decor for your wedding ceremony like an arch, flowers, or a rug? Make sure the park allows for those items. Are you going to exchange rings and read vows? Will you be adding any traditions like handfasting, jumping the broom, or sharing a glass of wine? Luckily, we can talk you through all those details too.

Activities. Your wedding day will fly by. There’s just so much to think about before the big day, that when it finally comes, it can flash by in a blur of emotions. That’s why wedding photography is so important to help you reflect on everything.

Another good tip is to fill the day with activities. Maybe you’re into wine-tasting, a picnic, and a first dance in the great outdoors. Or maybe you’ve always dreamed of hiking, camping, and watching the stars. Or maybe you want to go offroading and grab a bite to eat. It’s all up to you. Here’s a list of fun wedding day activities to consider.