Getting Married at Ruby Beach
Imagine this. It is the morning of your wedding. Raindrops patter on your window, and you look out to see the dark waves of the Washington ocean pound the beach. In a few hours, you will be driving into Olympic National Park to elope on Ruby Beach. You will be exchanging vows with the love of your life in your favorite place on earth.
Stephanie and John decided to have their wedding in Olympic National Park on a moody November day, surrounded by their closest family and a friend as the witnesses to their love. They had been together for nine years at this point, and the care and tenderness was so evident in their vows and interactions. When I asked about the details of their wedding, Stephanie said that she would be disappointed if it didn’t rain, a Hallmark of the Washington Coast and Ruby Beach in particular.
Wedding Morning in Kalaloch Lodge
If you are planning a wedding at Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park, there are two main neighboring places you can stay – Forks (lots of beautiful aribnbs and cabins here), and Kalaloch. This wedding morning took place in Kalaloch Lodge. Stephanie got ready with her girls in the upper room with the most scenic view of the coast out the wall of windows. It was one of the most beautiful “getting ready” spots I’d ever photographed in. While Stephanie got zipped into her dress by her sister, John got ready on the other side of the lodge with his best man.
As the time got near to head to Ruby Beach, it was time for the first look. John stood on the balcony of Kalaloch Lodge facing the ocean and watched bald eagles fly over, when Stephanie came up behind him for them to see each other for the first time on the wedding day. There were some very sweet tears. With that, they put on their caving shoes (what’s the point of wearing heels on a rocky beach?) and we headed into Olympic National Park to get them married.
Private Vows on Ruby Beach
Rocks crunched under our feet as we walked down the trail to Ruby Beach. Because of the late time of year, the parking lot was nearly empty and the beach a place of privacy. We walked down the river a short ways away from the ocean for Stephanie and John to exchange private vows.
Though this wedding was filmed on super 8MM film, I still recorded the audio from their vows to include in their wedding film. It is a beautiful way to mix vintage film with modern tech to capture emotions in their fullness. I’ve included that wedding film at the bottom of this post!
Oceanside Wedding Ceremony in Olympic National Park
It is not hard at all to get a permit for a wedding in ONP! To get married here, there’s a few steps to follow.
Permit Process for Weddings in Olympic National Park
- Download the Wedding Ceremony application from this website.
- After filling it out with the necessary information, email it to OLYM_Permits@nps.gov.
- There is a $50-$100 processing fee that you’ll need to pay (which is cheaper than many parks!). This will be paid through a link sent to you after your initial email with your permit application.
- Once you’ve received a confirmation email with your official permit, print it out and bring it on your wedding day! You’re all set to get married in Olympic National Park.
Event Dinner at Kalaloch Lodge
After the ceremony, we drove back to Kalaloch Lodge to sign the marriage license, followed by dinner and wedding cake. It was sweet and casual in the ambient lighting, with the sounds of laughter against the rain hitting the windows. Stephanie, an artist, created most of the decorations herself, and they had National Park postcards for their wedding guest letters.
Blue Hour on Ruby Beach | Editorial Lantern-Lit Wedding Photos
A priority for Stephanie and John was artistic blue hour photos on the beach after the main wedding celebration was over. Immediately after dinner, we ran back to Ruby Beach to end the night under the moody cloudy skies of Northern Washington.
Tips for Planning a Wedding in Olympic National Park
After spending some time in Northern Washington, I have a few notes on planning a wedding in Olympic National Park.
- Consider getting married in the off season. Late fall through early spring will help you avoid the immense crowds that come in the summer!
- Weekdays will also help you avoid crowds and those that come to camp over the weekend.
- If you choose a beach location like Ruby Beach for your wedding, plan for the tides. The tides change with the season, and the time of day matters. High tide will make certain areas of the beach unavailable and could make certain areas dangerous to get near. Low tide is ideal for wedding ceremonies. This ceremony took place as the tide was withdrawing.
- Don’t wear fancy shoes on the beach – it can be difficult to walk on if you don’t know what you’re getting into with the slippery wood and rocks.
- Make sure to get a marriage license the week or days leading up to your wedding!
Washington Wedding Videography and Photography
If you’re looking for emotional and cinematic photos let’s talk!! I am a traveling wedding photographer and videographer based out of Utah, but intimately know the PNW and its beautiful locations after several summers of living in my car out here. I would absolutely adore to document your own day here.
