If you’ve been dreaming of getting married in Muir Woods, you’re in the right place. Just outside of San Francisco, this iconic redwood grove is one of the best places to elope in California, especially for couples who love the redwoods but don’t want to travel too far off-the-grid (I’m looking at you, Redwood National Park).
As a redwoods elopement photographer, I’ve helped tons of couples plan private weddings here, even in a location that’s known for its crowds. With the right timing and planning, it’s absolutely possible to have a quiet ceremony surrounded by some of the most beautiful trees in the world.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to get married in Muir Woods, from permits and ceremony locations to timing and logistics. Let’s get into it!
How to Get Married in Muir Woods in 6 Steps
This is my foolproof step-by-step guide on how to get married in Muir Woods in just 6 steps (seriously, only 6).
1. Choose Your Date
You can get married in Muir Woods any day of the week. However, from May 15th to October 15th, weddings are only allowed on weekdays.
Muir Woods does not issue permits for holiday weekends.
Best Time of Year to Get Married in Muir Woods
Muir Woods is open year-round, but some seasons offer a much better experience than others, especially when it comes to crowds.
Winter (November–March) is one of the best times to get married here if you’re looking for fewer people. Granted, this is the rainy season so there’s a good chance you’ll get a little wet. Umbrellas, jackets, and good shoes are always a good idea as the weather can get a bit chilly and the trails can get muddy. However, I still stand by the fact that it’s one of the most slept-on times of the year to elope.
Spring (April–early May) is another great option. In fact, I’d say this is the best time of year to elope in Muir Woods. The weather is really nice, everything is super lush and green from the winter rains, and there aren’t a ton of crowds yet. Personally, this is the time of year I’d choose to get married in Muir Woods.
Summer and early fall (mid-May–October) are the busiest times of year. While the weather is nice, ceremonies are limited to weekdays only, and you’ll be sharing the park with a lot more visitors. You probably won’t get any sections of the trails to yourselves, and you may even have people passing through as you’re having a ceremony. The end of October tends to be one of the better times of the year to get married if you’re looking to avoid the crowds, but anything in the summer can be quite chaotic.
Pro tip: If you like the sun rays like you the ones you see this guide, summer is by far the best time of year for this, as the fog is at its strongest, especially in the morning!
Not Into Crowds?
Muir Woods is beautiful, but it’s also one of the busiest redwood locations in California. If you’re dreaming of something more private, you might want to check out places like Humboldt Redwoods State Park or Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park instead. I also have guides on Armstrong Redwoods and Redwood National Park you might like, too!
2. Choose Your Location
You can take portraits anywhere in the park. However, these are the following sites in Muir Woods that are permitted for ceremonies:
- Founders Grove – Up to 30 people.
- Bohemian Grove – Up to 10 people.
- Fern Creek – Up to 30 people.
Muir Woods Ceremony Locations
There are only three sites where you’re allowed to have a ceremony in Muir Woods: Founders Grove, Bohemian Grove, and Fern Creek. Here are some photos of each site.
Founders Grove
Bohemian Grove
Fern Creek
3. Choose Your Ceremony Time
Ceremonies in Muir Woods are only allowed between 9am-10am or 4:30pm-6:00pm.
Mornings tend to be less crowded than evening ceremonies. Mornings are also better for light rays.
4. Apply for a Muir Woods Wedding Permit
It costs $700 for a Muir Woods wedding permit. Here’s how to get one:
- Fill out the special use permit application here.
- After your application is filled out, email it to goga_permits@nps.gov and pay the nonrefundable $60 application fee on pay.gov.
- It will take the park 4-15 business days to review your application.
- If approved, you’ll pay the remaining $640. You will get the permit a few weeks before your wedding day.
You can apply for a permit up to a year in advance. I recommend applying as soon as you can, as Muir Woods is a popular place for weddings and tends to go through permits quickly.
5. Purchase a Vehicle Reservation
You will need to purchase a parking reservation before entering the park. The cost is $10 for a standard vehicle or $13 for an electric vehicle.
6. Get Married
You’re all set! It’s time to day “I do!” I told you it’d be easy!
Real Muir Woods Wedding Photos
Now that you know how to elope in Muir Woods, let me show you what is actually looks like.
Audrey and Austin’s Muir Woods wedding is proof that with the right planning, you can have both convenience and the scenery you’ve always dreamed about.
Originally, they wanted to get married in Redwood National Park. But with guests flying in from all over, they needed something close to a major airport so their loved ones wouldn’t have to endure an entire day of travel just to get there. So the idea of getting married in Muir Woods was born.
These two had the most incredible ceremony at Founder’s Grove early in the morning. The best part? Not a single person walked by during the entire thing. For a location as busy as Muir Woods is, this was a shock (in the best way possible of course). Granted, we did plan for November which if you remember earlier in this guide, I said was one of the best times of year to elope.
After the ceremony we took some portraits along the trail which was definitely the highlight of the day for me. The light rays?! The fog?! It’s literally a photographer’s dream.
After portraits, we headed to Muir Beach where they ran barefoot along the shoreline and soaked everything in.
It’s days like this that remind me why I love being a redwoods elopement photographer. And I can’t wait until the next couple comes along and gets to experience the same.
Planning a Redwoods Wedding Beyond Muir Woods?
If you’re still exploring your options, you might also love:
- Redwoods Elopement Locations in California
- Redwood National Park Elopement Guide
- Humboldt Redwoods State Park Wedding Guide
- Best Places to Elope in California
- Northern California Elopement Guide
Muir Woods Elopement Packages
If Muir Woods sounds like the dreamiest place to tie the knot (spoiler alert: it is) then you’ve come to the right place. I’m Brianna, a Northern California based elopement photographer who helps plan and photograph elopements throughout the redwoods. I take on just 18 couples a year to be sure that you’ll get the hands-on memorable experience you deserve for a day as special as this one.
If you’re stressed about permits, marriage licenses, locations, or vendors, don’t sweat it. I’m here to help through all of the above and more. You can view my elopement packages page here or take a peek below to how I can help.
- 4 hours – 2 days of elopement coverage anywhere in California
- A personalized elopement planning experience with unlimited assistance
- Personalized elopement location recommendations
- Vendor, lodging, and activity recommendations
- Assistance and information to help you with permits, licenses, etc.
- 90+ page elopement planning guide filled with tips and tricks
- Customized elopement timelines
- Optional complimentary officiant services
- Online gallery with full resolution images and printing rights
- Complimentary album design
- 24-48 hour sneak peeks to share with the world
- Travel fees to anywhere in California are already included
- Starting at $6,500
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Don’t forget your FREE elopement guide!
An all-in-one planning guide for all things elopements! Whether you’re hoping to hike through the mountains of Washington or sip a margarita on the beaches of California, this comprehensive elopement guide has everything you need to know about how to plan the perfect elopement.
You? You’re the kind of person that gets a lil’ teary eyed looking at an epic view…
That moment when you turn to the person you’re with and ask, “Are you seeing this?” I live for it. Places with trees and mountains and soft breezes that make you say, “I can’t believe this place exists,” I spend pretty much all of my free time searching for and exploring them.
These places have always felt like home to me. And if you’re the kind of person who also feels more at home surrounded by trees than by people? Then we’ll get along really well. The Pacific Northwest is full of secret spots that are too special to share with just anyone. But it would make me happy to share them with you on your wedding day.
If the mountains/beaches/redwood forests are calling your name, go ahead…
(I promise you won’t regret it.)
P.S. I’m Brianna. I’m a Pacific Northwest elopement photographer whose mission is to create custom, one-of-a-kind elopement experiences in the Pacific Northwest that allow couples to fully immerse themselves in the highest levels of excitement and wonder on a day designed exclusively for them.
