If you’re dreaming of a Port Angeles elopement, it’s hard to imagine a better place to start your adventure. Nestled between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Olympic National Park, Port Angeles puts you within easy driving distance of mountains, lakes, old-growth forests, waterfalls, and beaches. Few places in Washington give you access to so many completely different landscapes in a single day.
Below, I’ll walk you through my favorite Port Angeles elopement locations, permits you’ll need to know about, and a real wedding that visited some of the areas most iconic spots.
Best Port Angeles Elopement Locations
Lake Crescent
If you’ve seen photos of the park, you’ve probably seen Lake Crescent. This gorgeous lake is only 30 minutes from downtown Port Angeles. It’s also the gateway to a plethora of different trailheads that lead to forests, waterfalls, and overlooks. It also has a huge shoreline for elopements with up to 50 people!
Hurricane Ridge
If mountain views are your thing, Hurricane Ridge is hard to beat. Just a 40-minute drive from downtown Port Angeles, it offers jaw-dropping views before you even leave the parking lot. In summer you’ll find colorful wildflowers and hiking trails, while winter transforms the area into one of Washington’s few ski areas. It’s one of the easiest places to experience the mountains without committing to a long hike.
Salt Creek Recreation Area
If you love the beach but don’t love the drive, Salt Creek Recreation Area is a must. This is one of Port Angeles’ biggest hidden gems for elopements. Go tide pooling, stand on a cliff, catch the sunset, or do all three here. This is a great alternative to the more popular beaches in the area.
Do You Need a Permit to Elope in Port Angeles?
If you’re getting married within the city of Port Angeles, you won’t need a permit.
If you’re planning your ceremony inside Olympic National Park, you’ll need a $50 Special Use Permit for ceremonies with more than five people. I’ll help walk you through the process and make sure you’ve got everything you need before your wedding day.
When’s the Best Time of Year to Elope in Port Angeles?
June-October. I personally like either June or October for great weather, minimal crowds, and access to all the best ceremony locations in the area. However, Port Angeles remains snow-free year-round so you really can’t go wrong any time of year here!
Jeff and Andrea’s Port Angeles Elopement
Now that you’ve got the inside scoop on eloping in Port Angeles, let me show you an example of what it looks like in action.
When Jeff and Andrea reached out about eloping in Olympic National Park with all their friends and family, Port Angeles quickly became the obvious choice for a home base. It’s the main hub of the park, close to just about everything, and perfect for couples who want a full-day adventure instead of being tied to one location.
Their day started bright and early just outside of Port Angeles at Lake Crescent. If you’ve ever been there in the summer, you know how busy it usually gets, so walking up to a completely empty shoreline felt borderline unreal. We took our time soaking in the morning and snapping portraits before hopping back in the car and heading toward the coast. Ruby Beach was next on the list. It’s definitely a bit of a drive from Port Angeles, but Jeff and Andrea were fully committed to seeing as much of the park as possible and it was worth every mile. We walked the beach, climbed over driftwood, and drank lots of coffee (we did wake up at sunrise after all).
Later in the day, we tackled one of Port Angeles’ most underrated hikes: Klahhane Ridge. We caught the very tail end of wildflower season, and the trail was bursting with color. Yellows, blues, and reds covered the trail everywhere you looked. Hurricane Ridge in the distance, and somehow, even mid-day, we had the top practically to ourselves.
After the hike, we made our way to one of my favorite hidden gem ceremony locations about an hour from Port Angeles. This is where Jeff and Andrea met up with their family and exchanged vows with gorgeous mountain views, the Strait of Juan de Fuca below, and even a glimpse of Canada in the distance. It was emotional with not a dry eye in the house. With everyone flying out from the East Coast, including Jeff and Andrea themselves, nobody could believe a location like this even existed.
We wrapped up the night back in Port Angeles at their Airbnb overlooking the Elwha River, eating local BBQ and reliving the day together. It was the perfect ending to a true adventure, and a perfect example of why a Port Angeles elopement gives you the best of everything in a single day.
If you’re planning a full-day adventure with multiple landscapes, my Olympic National Park elopement guide will help you map out the rest of the park. And if you want more inspiration nearby, check out this Lake Crescent elopement and this Hurricane Ridge elopement.
Port Angeles Wedding Vendors
- Photographer: Me!
- Hair and Makeup: It’s Likely Makeup by Min
- Florals: Farm and Flower
- Officiant: Vows and Forever
- Tablescape: Celebrations for Every Season
- Catering: Papa Harv’s Catering
- Cake: Middle Name Baking Co.
Port Angeles Elopement Packages
I’m Brianna, a Pacific Northwest elopement photographer who specializes in planning and photographing intentional, experience-driven elopements throughout the Olympic National Park area. I work with a limited number of couples each year so I can offer a hands-on planning experience, from helping you choose the best locations around Port Angeles to building a timeline that lets you explore multiple landscapes in one day. Whether you’re dreaming of a sunrise ceremony at Lake Crescent, portraits along the coastline, or a private mountain to exchange vows on, Port Angeles makes it all possible. Check out my elopement packages for Olympic National Park here or get a sneak peek of what’s included below.
- 4 hours – 2 days of elopement coverage anywhere in Port Angeles
- 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 Washington are already included
- Starting at $6,500
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.
