Washington Elopement Photographer: My Pricing and What Is Included
Most photographers make you fill in a form to find out what they charge. I would rather just tell you. I am a Washington elopement photographer based in Seattle, elopement coverage starts at $3,500, and if you want the whole day handled instead of only the photos, the all inclusive package at my cabin is $6,500. Everything below is what sits behind those two numbers.
I have been photographing weddings since 2012. I shoot on two Canon bodies with three to six L series lenses, which matters less than it sounds like it does, except on the days when the weather turns and I need to keep working in bad light. Which in this state is a lot of days.
What a Washington elopement photographer costs, in my case
These are starting prices. They move with the length of the day and how far I have to travel, not with some hidden tier system.
- Elopement coverage, from $3,500. 600+ professionally edited photos. Built around the day rather than a shot list: chasing the light, hiking to the overlook if there is one, and staying out of your way for the parts that are only yours.
- Wedding coverage, from $5,250. 1,200+ professionally edited images, and two photographers.
- Engagement session, from $500. 300+ professionally edited photos.
An engagement session is the cheapest way to find out whether you like being photographed by me before the day that actually counts. I recommend it more often than I upsell it.
The all inclusive option: That PNW Cabin, $6,500
This is the one to look at if the planning is the part you dread. It is an A frame in the Cascade foothills that I run, and the $6,500 covers the venue, the day and the photos together:
- Three night stay at the cabin for the two of you
- Elopement planning and a schedule for the day
- Full day photography coverage, 8 to 12 hours of me and my assistant
- 800+ professionally edited photos
- Setup and takedown of all the decorations
- Decor, glassware, dinnerware, tables and chairs, linens, faux florals, candlesticks and a bouquet
- Dinner and reception setup for up to 14 guests
- Wood fired hot tub, infrared sauna and a firepit
Add ons, priced separately: fresh florals, an audio guest book, an officiant, and cake.
Compare it honestly. $3,500 of elopement coverage plus a venue plus rentals plus a planner usually lands north of $6,500, and you are the one making all the phone calls.
What I actually do on an elopement day
I scout the location before your date so I am not discovering the light at the same time you are. I help build a loose schedule, working backwards from sunset, because the difference between a good elopement day and a stressful one is almost always whether the timing was realistic. Then on the day I mostly stay out of the way. There is no receiving line to organise and no family group shots to herd, so the job turns into keeping an eye on the weather and knowing when to say nothing.
What is not in the price
Being straight about this saves everyone a conversation later.
- Your marriage license. County fee, paid by you.
- Park permits. See below. These are real money at Mount Rainier.
- Officiant, florals, hair and makeup, unless you take the cabin package add ons.
- Travel is not extra. I work worldwide and split my time between Seattle and Joshua Tree. There are no travel fees.
Your full gallery is delivered within 30 days of your wedding.
A 20% deposit and a signed contract hold your date.
Permits, and the legal part of eloping in Washington
The permits catch people out more than the license does, so start here.
- Mount Rainier National Park. A permit is required for every wedding ceremony in the park. There is a $25 non refundable application fee paid through Pay.gov plus a $250 management fee for weddings. You can apply up to a year ahead and should apply at least 72 hours out. Ceremonies get a three hour window that has to cover travel to and from the site, a 30 minute ceremony, and the photos. Which sites you can use depends on your group size. Details are on the Mount Rainier permits page.
- Olympic National Park. A permit is required once your group is more than five people. Five or fewer can go ahead without one as long as you follow Leave No Trace and do not disrupt other visitors, which is genuinely useful if it is just the two of you and an officiant. The application fee is $50, submit at least a month ahead, and ceremonies get a two hour window including photography. Wilderness ceremonies cap at 12 people total, front country sites go up to 50. No receptions, decorations, amplified music or confetti.
- North Cascades National Park. A special use permit is required, with a $50 non refundable application fee, and conditions vary by location.
- Washington State Parks. You need a Discover Pass to park, and most parks want a reservation for a ceremony.
The license itself is simpler. Washington imposes a three day waiting period that starts the day you apply and pay, and it cannot be waived. The license then has to be used within 60 days of being issued (RCW 26.04.180). You need an officiant and two witnesses at the ceremony. If you are flying in, apply online before you travel.
Where I shoot in Washington
Mount Rainier, the Olympic coast around La Push and Rialto, the Hoh and the Quinault rainforest, Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Snoqualmie Pass and Gold Creek, Stevens Pass and the Index valley, the Skykomish river, the San Juans, and the cabin. I have written up a lot of these in my guide to the best places to elope in Washington State if you are still choosing.
More on planning
- How to plan an elopement: the checklist I use with couples
- Your elopement and wedding questions, answered
- A Stevens Pass cabin elopement in the Cascades
- A La Push elopement in Olympic National Park
- The all inclusive elopement package at That PNW Cabin
- Wedding and elopement photography
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Washington elopement photographer cost?
My elopement coverage starts at $3,500 and includes 600+ professionally edited photos. Wedding coverage starts at $5,250 with 1,200+ images and two photographers, and an engagement session starts at $500 with 300+ photos. The all inclusive elopement package at my cabin, which covers the venue, decor, planning and photography together, is $6,500.
What is included in the $6,500 cabin elopement package?
A three night stay at the A frame for the couple, elopement planning and a schedule, 8 to 12 hours of coverage from me and my assistant, 800+ edited photos, setup and takedown of all decorations, decor, glassware, dinnerware, tables, chairs, linens, faux florals, candlesticks and a bouquet, dinner and reception setup for up to 14 guests, and use of the wood fired hot tub, infrared sauna and firepit. Fresh florals, an audio guest book, an officiant and cake are available as add ons.
Do I need a permit to elope in a Washington national park?
Usually yes. Mount Rainier requires a permit for every wedding ceremony, with a $25 application fee plus a $250 management fee and a three hour window. Olympic National Park requires one once your group exceeds five people, with a $50 application fee and a two hour window, though groups of five or fewer can proceed without a permit if they follow Leave No Trace. North Cascades requires a special use permit with a $50 application fee.
How does the Washington marriage license work?
There is a three day waiting period that begins the day you apply and pay, and it cannot be waived. The license is then valid for 60 days from issuance. You need an officiant and two witnesses at the ceremony. Out of state couples should apply online before they travel.
Do you travel outside Washington for elopements?
Yes. I am based in Seattle, split my time with Joshua Tree, and I photograph elopements worldwide. There are no travel fees, wherever you are.
How far is That PNW Cabin from the airport?
Roughly 90 minutes from SEA airport, in the heart of the Cascade Mountains.
Thinking about eloping in Washington?
Tell me the date, the rough part of the state you are drawn to, and how many people are coming. I will tell you whether I am free, what it would cost, and whether the spot you are picturing needs a permit. If it is a bad idea for the season you have chosen, I will say that too.
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