Traveling To The Seattle/Puget Sound Area For Your Elopement - 3 Important Things To Know...

If you are a couple traveling to the Seattle/Puget Sound to elope, here are three planning tips to help you have a beautiful and intimate ceremony and celebration, much like Ben and Sarah did on April 4th at a sweet bed and breakfast in Sequim, WA - rain drop, umbrellas and all!

1) Marriage License - Contact the marriage license office at King County for more information at 206 296 4021. You will need to pick up your marriage license before you arrive or have your Officiant pick it up for you. There is a 3-day waiting period from the day your license is issued so if you decide to wait until you land in Seattle to apply for your license, there is a 3-day wait before you can get hitched.

King County Marriage License: http://www.kingcounty.gov/courts/marriage.aspx

2) Selecting A Best Venue: Here are things to consider. Do you want to be married at the top of the Space Needle, waterside on Alki Beach, on a Washington State Ferry or perhaps at your bed and breakfast or hotel? Seattle offers so many romantic and remarkable possibilities along with grand celebration restaurants include Palisade, Canlis and Cafe Campagne, to name a few.

3) Spend Some Time! Don't rush to get back home (if possible!) Plan to spend a few days (like Ben and Sarah did) to explore the area and to have a few adventures. You will not have an opportunity like this ever again to enjoy your "just married" status so kick up your heels and celebrate, as big as possible!

Fabulous Photo: Mitzi at Firstlight Photography - www.firstlight-photography.com

A Sweet Elopement On A Rainy Day At The Conservatory - Volunteer Park, Seattle!

Take one very happy couple. Mix in 20 people who love them. Show up on a rainy day at a beautiful Seattle Park. Do a last minute check: rings, bouquet, ring boy, officiant.

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And finally, exchange vows - get married! Ryan and Angel did it their way - elegantly and simply. And with so much love.

Elope in Seattle! How To Secure A Valid Marriage License in Seattle, Washington...

To be married in Seattle, Washington, you need a valid marriage license. Whether you are being married in three days, next week or next month, here are easy steps to obtain and use your license in Seattle.

1) How To Apply and Obtain A Valid Marriage License in Seattle If you are being married in Seattle, Washington, you need a valid marriage license issued by King County (or any County in Washington State).

To do this, you and your partner will visit a Marriage Licensing office in Seattle/King County during regular business hours. The cost for the license is $64, cash or debit/credit card. No blood test is required and both of you must at least 18 years of age.

When you leave the government office, you'll walk away with a packet of legal paperwork which you will give to your Officiant or Minister on your wedding day. The person who marries you must review this paperwork before your ceremony takes place and he or she will then get required signatures (both of yours and two witnesses) and return your signed legal document back to the County for processing/certification.

Note: There is a 3-day waiting period from the date your marriage license is issued. What this means is that from the date your license is issued, you must wait 3 full days before you can be legally married. Also, most people who reside in the Seattle area secure their marriage license in Seattle. If by chance you are being married in any other County in Washington State, the license you secure in Seattle/King County is valid in all Counties in Washington State.

For more information, please visit the King County Marriage License website at: http://www.kingcounty.gov/courts/marriage.aspx or call (206) 296 4021. All particulars are on this website (including office locations) and while most couples do apply for a license in person, you may initiate the process via phone and regular mail.

2) Get Married in Seattle: How To Use Your Valid License Once you have your valid license in hand and have exhausted the three-day waiting period, you can get married!

If you have a Minister or Officiant to marry you, fantastic. If you need someone to marry you, fire up Google or your favorite search engine and do a little bit of snooping for someone who resonates with you.

I wish you a happy elopement!

http://www.elopeseattlestyle.com/

Special Place To Elope in Seattle - Volunteer Park!

I was at Volunteer Park yesterday - March 26, 2011 - to marry Ryan and Angel in a sweet and intimate ceremony at the Conservatory.

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Volunteer Park is a beautiful venue/place for a wedding ceremony in Seattle, no matter what the size. Depending on what you desire, you can be married at most any location around the Park including the Fountain, Conservatory, Asian Art Museum and under the huge willow tree in back of the Museum. To secure your permit, contact the Seattle Parks Department - happy elopement!

Elope in Snohomish County, Washington? Yes, Really! Here Are 5 Easy Steps To Get Hitched...

Elope to Snohomish County, Washington!

Snohomish County is a beautiful County just north of Seattle and offers unique and memorable location/venue opportunities for an elopement.

As you consider eloping in Snohomish County, here are 5 steps to get you from engaged to married.

1) Apply and Pick-up Your License from the Snohomish County Marriage Licensing Office. You can't elope in Snohomish County without your valid marriage license so securing your license is one of the first things you must do. Snohomish County has a very comprehensive website loaded with all of the information you need to apply and secure a valid marriage license.

You may apply and pick-up your license in person or you may start the process via phone and regular mail. If you apply for your license in person, you must both show up. The license fee is $64 and no blood test is required. Note: there is a 3-day waiting period from the date your license is issued before you can get married and your license is good for up to 60 days from the date it is issued.

2) Decide On "Where" To Elope in Snohomish: Snohomish County is popular with local couples and couples traveling to the area because it offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor venues/locations for an elopement. Whether you want to get married on the water, at the top of the mountain, at a quaint country bed and breakfast or perhaps on a ferry departing from Mukilteo to Whidbey Island, your options are endless.

Check out the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau for more information and ideas: http://www.snohomish.org/

3) Your Guest List: 2 Witnesses (and maybe more!) - As you plan your elopement, don't forget you will need two witnesses over 18 years of age!

4) Locate an Officiant Or Minister Who Is Happy To Officiate Your Elopement. There are many wonderful Officiants and Ministers located in Western Washington and in Snohomish County who would love to participate in your elopement - including me!

Use the internet to locate a few folks and find a person who resonates with you. Most of all, if you are eloping in the popular Summer wedding season, make up a short list of several candidates as finding someone can be often more challenging during this busy time of year.

5) Your Wedding Day: Show Up, Get Married And File Your Legal Paperwork. That's right! Show up for your elopement, exchange your vows and don't forget to file your legal paperwork with the County. Oftentimes, your Officiant or Minister will do this for you as a courtesy. So, elope today and enjoy every moment of creating a lifetime memory!

For more specific marriage license information, please visit the Snohomish County Marriage Licensing website: http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/

Places To Elope in Washington State: 5 Ideas For Your Small And Intimate Wedding Ceremony

Washington State and the Pacific Northwest offer some of the most fantastic elopement locations and venues for a couple and with picturesque mountains, water, countryside and much more, this State offers many wedding site options.

As you consider "where" to elope in Washington State, here are 6 fun location ideas for your easy and small wedding ceremony:

1) Leavenworth, Washington - A two-hour ride from Seattle, Leavenworth is a sweet little German town that welcomes weddings of all sizes in a big day. Here, you can find quaint inns and bed and breakfast places offering elopement packages at affordable rates, especially during off-season. While in Leavenworth, you can get married, enjoy a great overnight or two at a special place and perhaps celebrate your wedding bliss by taking advantage of many of the guided outdoor adventures - cross-country skiing, white water rafting or hiking.

2) Ruby Beach and the Washington State Coast - The Coast of Washington is a big place and little known Ruby is a beautiful and mesmerizing place to exchange wedding vows. Ruby Beach is located just South of Forks, Washington. Once you reach Ruby Beach, you and your officiant and witnesses can take a short hike down to the ocean and get married waterside. Consult the tide schedule to insure a best time for your ceremony and also take a peek at the map and Washington State ferry schedule as you plan your journey to the Washington Coast. For instance, if you are traveling to Ruby Beach from Seattle, it will take you 4-6 hours to get there, depending on what route you take.

3) Ashford, Washington (Mount Rainier) - If you and your Sweetheart are outdoor enthusiasts, consider getting married near or at the base of Mount Rainier. Eloping to the Ashford area and Mt. Rainier is best in the Spring and Summer season and the surrounding area offers luxurious as well as rustic accommodations for your wedding night.

4) Tulalip Resort & Casino - Calling all casino lovers! Believe it or not, the popular Tulalip Casino & Resort hosts a number of small and intimate wedding ceremonies each year. Located one hour North of Seattle, this plush resort not offers a fabulous casino but a wonderful resort where you can snuggle in and relish in your new married status!

5) The San Juan Islands (on the ferry or Island) - There is nothing more fun than getting married on a Washington State Ferry and/or hitching a ride on ferry and getting married on a Puget Sound island. Orcas Island and San Juan Island are two of the most popular "marrying islands" in Washington and offers a wide variety of locations and venues. Contact the Chamber of Commerce on both Islands for venue information.

6) Port Townsend, Washington - This seaside town is a favorite for couples in Washington State who want to elope but don't want to travel too far. Port Townsend offers waterside locations as well as city parks for your wedding ceremony. And if you want to be married in a historic castle, check out Port Townsend's Manresa Castle!

NOTE: For more information on eloping to Washington State, go to: www.elopeseattlestyle.com

Elope to Leavenworth, Washington ~ Over The Mountains To Get Married!

Chris and Joey fell in love with Leavenworth and decided to host a small group of family and friends for their "elopement!"

Leavenworth is a very fun place to get married. There are many bed and breakfast establishments and small inns for a tiny and intimate ceremony and celebration.

Chris and Joey rented out The Snowgrass Lodge and hosted a lunch for their family and friends. They decorated the lodge themselves and were very thoughtful with details, gifts and activities for children.

An elopement is all about the "feeling" - taking a bit of time to decide what you truly desire for your wedding day and with simplicity as the rule, making a dream come true.