Okay so you know you want to get married somewhere beautiful, outdoors, with an adventurous vibe. You're not planning on having a ton of guests, and you've started to look into possible locations for your microwedding in Washington State. A lot of couples planning a small wedding or elopement think there's no point in getting a venue when there are so many parks and beautiful trails to choose from. Why pay for a venue when parks and public lands are free? And this is definitely true, a public lands wedding or elopement is a great option for many couples! But for others, an outdoor, small venue for their day is often the best choice for them and what they're really looking for out of their wedding location. So, before we get into our list of all the best small wedding venues in Washington state: first off: how do you know whether you even need a venue or not? Here are some things to ask yourself, and some general tips for when consider a small wedding venue:


1) If you have a mixed age group with a variety of accessibility needs. A venue is gonna be a place that best accommodates all your guests physical abilities and what they need to stay comfortable and have fun, from toddlers needing changing tables to grandmas needing wheelchair access.


2) If you’re wanting an outdoor ceremony, but you & your guests don’t want to hike, or hiking is not an option for some of your guests due to their accessibility needs. It's really important to remember: the most accessible, easy-to-get-to outdoor spots on public lands are going to be the busiest ones too! And you can't "reserve" a public space or trail for your wedding, really. If you’re hoping for beautiful scenery and privacy too, the best way to get that is to either a) hike away from the majority of the crowds or b) opt out by getting yourself a reservable space, like a small wedding venue. 


3) If you have a group of over 10 people for your wedding or elopement. While we love working with folks hosting adventurous weddings of any size, from the very large to the very small, many trails and backcountry areas simply can't support large groups of people without negatively impacting the landscape. In addition, some national parks, national forests, or federally designated wilderness areas don’t allow for groups of over a certain size, (usually 12 people is the max). In this case, a wedding venue will allow a better gathering spot for you and all your loved ones.

4) If you & your guests are coming from out of town. Many of the small wedding venues in Washington that have that outdoorsy, kind of adventurous feel are retreats, inns, or lodges that will often include lodging with any event venue rental. There's a ton of options on our list below for great places for you to stay AND get married at, which can really reduce the logistics of planning a destination wedding or elopement for you & your guests.


5) If you still want some traditional wedding design elements, like chairs and an arch for your ceremony, or a cute welcome bar for your guests, floral installations, a sit down catered dinner, projected music, a dance floor, etc. etc. All those things might not be allowed on public lands, or they might not be feasible on a trail, in which case a venue would be a great choice, allowing you to get a smaller group, a more outdoorsy adventurous feel, and still be able to incorporate elements of wedding design that you do really enjoy. 


6) If you want flush toilets (we're gonna be real about this one, not very many locations in the outdoors on public lands have flush toilets or running water!)


7) If you want a reservable space that’s totally yours for the day, without worrying about encountering other people hiking, other weddings, or finding parking. On public lands, the area of your wedding ceremon is never really reserved for just your exclusive use, even if you are issued a special use permit for that area. Other folks can be getting married on that trail maybe, and other trail users are always free to hike the trails or wander on by your wedding or use the scenic overlook or picnic area you might be getting married at. If this sounds like a real bummer or something you don’t want to deal with, a small wedding venue located somewhere beautiful might be a good option for you!

Alright, so now you've taken a good look at what your plans are, what your guests' needs are, and what you really want for your wedding day experience, and maybe a venue *would* be a good idea, now that you think about it. But what types of Washington wedding venues are even out there that still give you that outdoor, adventurous feel with the amenities you need? You’re not looking for a giant ballroom or a golf course, you don’t need a ton of space for a ton of people, and you’re still wanting a place to celebrate with your loved ones in the beautiful outdoors.


Not to worry, my friend. We’ve collected all the best small wedding venues in Washington state that have that outdoorsy, adventure feel for your micro wedding or elopement. They are all nature focused, so they’ll have beautiful scenery and solitude in spades, but will also have those amenities that you might need too, with the ability for outside vendors and design elements to be a part of your day. All the venues are organized by different useful categories below. You can use any of the tab switchers to view the venues by category: location, scenery, or our personal favorites (ie places we've been before and loved, or are really excited to work at). 

Airbnbs, VRBOs, and other short term vacation rental properties can also be a really great option for microweddings and elopements in Washington State! They're often located in beautiful scenic areas, they've got the amenities of a venue, lodging already taken care of, and privacy in spades. Sounds great, right?? And they are! We've photographed a lot of small weddings and elopements at vacation rentals through the years. Folks will often ask if there's a definitive list of Airbnbs in Washington state that allow weddings or elopements. And unfortunately, because vacation rental properties are often changing hands, updating their policies, or being sold to different property management companies with different rules: it's really hard to create a definitive list of all the best ones that allow weddings! Airbnb policies typically do not allow for events at their rentals, but VRBO does allow them at some properties. Some properties might be listed on multiple platforms, so it's always a good idea to check with the individual property, as opposed to the listing site you found it on.
Your best bet to finding rental properties that allow weddings is going to be looking for larger capacity rentals (think rentals that allow larger groups, like a ski lodge that can sleep 20 guests). Then, check their individual house rules, or get in contact with the owner to ask if they would be willing to accomodate your small wedding. It can be helpful to be specific with your plans and what you're hoping for here. Some owners might be more flexible if they get a personal request from a couple that gives them an idea of what to expect from your proposed wedding, as opposed to an anonymous reservation, or a simple "do you allow weddings" qustion.

And lastly, although it might be reaaaaally tempting for that perfect dream backcountry lodge, don't lie to property owners! Even if your wedding is small and you think you can fly under the radar by saying you're just hosting a family gathering or something: you don't want to be stuck with a big fine for violating the terms of your rental by hosting an event they didn't know about. It's really not worth the risk, or the stress!

If you’re looking through these micro wedding venues and thinking “hmmm these look great but they’re a little too involved for what I need, I’m looking for something simpler and less expensive than a full blown venue, but with more amenities than a public overlook or a trail”, well: a campground wedding might be the best fit for you! 

Wait a second, getting married at a campground? Yep! Campgrounds often have ampitheatres, reservable day use or picnic areas, group campsites that can accommodate bigger groups, as well as RV power hookups and flush toilet bathrooms with running water. They have all the benefits of a reservable space in a beautiful scenic location for a fraction of the cost of privately owned venues. For the best campgrounds & reservable day use areas for your wedding in Washington State, we've got a super handy blog post you can check out here!