I’ll admit, when I was a kid and went to Leavenworth, I thought it was WEIRD. And it kind of still is? But now as an adult, I really do love it and see the hype. So I just *had* to share with you how to elope in Leavenworth, Washington. From feeling like you’re in a European town nestled in the mountains, to the beer, wine, brats + pretzels, you cannot go wrong. And the major plus side? Knowing how many incredible outdoor activities and trails there are to take – and that you can always come back into town to cap off the hard work with a crisp beer. There are endless accommodations, from cozy Airbnbs to luxurious spas and inns. Whether you want to spend your time shopping, eating, biking, hiking, being pampered, or just hanging in town, you’re guaranteed to have a fun and special experience.

It’s no wonder why Leavenworth is now one of my favorite locations for folks to base their elopements out of! Magical trails amongst the Central Cascade Mountains, incredible seasonal weather all year, and a town to retreat to and enjoy afterwords are all a few of the reasons I love photographing elopements in this area. So without further ado, let me make this Leavenworth elopement planning process a whole lot easier!

How to Elope in Leavenworth, Washington

First, hire your good-time guaranteed Leavenworth elopement photographer 😉 That’s me!

Hi! I’m Emma. I’m a Leavenworth elopement photographer based out of Washington state. I spend my days planning, guiding and photographing epic and unique elopement days for couples who decided that traditional weddings just weren’t for them. Nice to meet you! Allow me to lay out some awesome tips + tricks for how to elope in Leavenworth, Washington.

Trails in Leavenworth to Elope At

Colchuck Lake – Colchuck Lake is not only one of the most stunning alpine lakes in Washington, it’s also the gateway into The Enchantments – a 20+ mile thru hike through the most breathtaking lakes and views you’ve ever seen. I did it this summer with some friends and it was amazing (and brutal!). However, you do NOT have to do the whole Enchantments – you can just do Colchuck! With about 6 miles round trip and 2000 feet in elevation, you’re guaranteed to get a good workout in and feel like you really got an adventure in on your elopement day! But it won’t wipe you out TOO bad.

Icicle Ridge – Icicle Ridge is another great hike options and it’s super close to the main town of Leavenworth. It’s a little easier than Colchuck, and because of it’s slightly lower elevation, sometimes the trail can be snow-free and ready to hike as early as April! That opens up things if you were looking into a Springtime elopement. The Spring also boasts lots of beautiful wildflowers (my FAVE) along this trail; you gotta check it out!

Lake Valhalla – Lake Valhalla is a gorgeous option for your Leavenworth elopement. It’s a little steep in the first .5-1.0 miles, but shortly you’ll find yourself overlooking an incredible alpine lake. There are also two different routes to take this trail, which we can discuss based on your needs! Valhalla is a fantastic summer or fall hike for your elopement… although beware of peak bug season… when it’s super hot, those things are pretty wild on this trail!

Patrick + Oli actually chose to go halfway up the Colchuck Lake trail so that it would be more accessible for their guests. Not a bad spot along the way, right??

What time of year should I elope in Leavenworth?

Summer – Summer truly is one of my favorite seasons in Leavenworth. The heat is that good, dry heat that just warms you up so well without getting too humid. The snow will also mostly be melted off the trails in mid-July thru August, and there’s lots of fun outdoor activities to do, like hang out by the river or go on a river float!

Fall – Fall is a dream in Leavenworth. The trees start to turn and the trails are some of the best Fall hikes you can get in Washington. There are golden larches, colorful leaves, and a cozy cool weather that will for sure make you want to make some tea or hot toddies at the top of your hike. Make sure to rent an Airbnb with a hot tub! Not to mention, this Bavarian town does a big Oktoberfest and it is a REAL good time.

Winter – Leavenworth in the winter can only be described as a full on Narnia. Truly. The Bavarian town goes all out on Christmas, and everywhere is covered in snow. It’s completely magical. Eloping in Leavenworth would be a winter wonderland of an experience. You get get a cozy cabin to stay at, go snowshoeing, skiing, sledding, or hang out in town.

Lodging for your Leavenworth Elopement

Namu Lodge – An awesome Airbnb turned wedding venue! It’s so close to town, has incredible mountain views, and such beautiful decor. This would be a great accommodation for housing some guests, or having a mini-ceremony in the afternoon after having said your personal vows somewhere epic at sunrise.

The Post Hotel – Reap alllll the spa benefits and swim in the infinity pool overlooking the river. Wear a fluffy robe. Book me a stay there as well. Get a gigantic discount on photography. (JK…. hahaha no I’m not joking truly let’s chat about it)

The Sleeping Lady Resort – I stayed here for the first time while photographing Sarah and Wyllie’s Leavenworth weekend, and let me tell ya, I did not want to leave! This resort is nestled in the woods, deer will certainly make your acquaintance, there’s a great restaurant, as well as a spa and all the boujie towels you could need.

Mountain Springs Lodge – Doubling as a wedding venue and lodging, this would be a great option if you wanted to do a sunrise hike + private vow reading early in the morning, then come back, rest, and have a more formal ceremony and reception with your loved ones.

LOGE – in town or riverside, Loge has TWO locations in Leavenworth and they are *so* cool. This company creates the perfect lodging scenario for the outdoors enthusiast (who also loves being greeted back at the hotel with a beer or an espresso). They rent out all sorts of outdoor gear, too! If you want an elopement experience where the funtivities never stop, definitely check out LOGE.

A few shots of Namu Lodge for you!

Vendors for your Leavenworth Elopement or Intimate Wedding

Gather Leavenworth – Gather Leavenworth is an awesome event team based right in Leavenworth, so no need to pay for anyone’s travel! They do everything from elopements to weddings, check them out!

Elle Fleurit  – Elle did such an amazing job with Oli’s bouquet, pictured below!

Amanda Dang – One of my favorite gals to recommend for all things hair and makeup!

Emma Studley Photography – Shameless but can you blame me? I’m trying to have more excuses to get some pretzels in Leavenworth okay!

Some of Elle’s fabulous work – and everything stayed so perfectly intact even after hiking several miles!

Activities for your Leavenworth Elopement or Wedding Week

🌊 River Float!! – Yup, we totally did that for Sarah + Wyllie’s second day of celebration. It was an honor to join them, not to mention SO fun!! Check out Blue Sky Outfitters for a super fun summer activity for your Leavenworth elopement.

🍷 Wine taste

🍻 Drink lots of beer

🚴🏻‍♀️ Mountain biking

🏔 Take a hike – hmu for trail recs!

🐎 Horseback riding

🥾 Do the Enchantments – A 20+ mile through hike for our adventurous honeymooners! I did this with some gal pals last summer and it was INCREDIBLE. And real tough, too!

A few shots of my time in The Enchantments…

Favorite Eateries + Shops

J5 – for yummy coffee! ☕️

Tumwater Bakery – for beautiful pastries and of course, pizza 🍕

Muchen Haus – for all the Bavarian brats 🤤

Louie’s Cafe – for the perfect breakfast diner craving 🍳

Just a very small start here; there are so many great places to eat in Leavenworth throughout your elopement weekend!

Cost of Eloping in Leavenworth

Elopement photography packages: $4500-$8000 depending on the package and experience you’re hoping for. For example, Patrick and Oli hired me for 4 hours to do half of the Colchuck lake trail, and head back down shortly after ceremony. Sarah + Wyllie went for the 2-day option, because they knew they wanted photos of their friends on the river float with them. It was such a blast!

Accomodations: $200+ a night; of course there’s lots of ways this could vary! Depending on if you’re housing guests at an Airbnb, spending time together at the luxurious Post Hotel, or even camping! There’s a lot of variance in this one.

Attires: Starting points of $300 per person in wedding attire, whether a suit rental or a dress from Lulu’s.

HMUA: Average of $200-$400 for one bride

Florist: Average of $250-$300 for a bouquet! More if you add on a boutonierre or hairpiece.

Food: I like to always have a big food budget wherever I go, but that’s just me! I’d count on $200 a person depending on how long you’re in town.

Timelines for Leavenworth elopements:

2 day timeline:

Day One —

8 hours spent together capturing your getting ready at your Airbnb, taking off for an epic hike, saying your vows and celebrating at sunset, taking some more golden and blue hour photos, and hiking back down and taking photos with the stars ✨

Day Two —

4 hours spent together doing something FUN. Could be floating the river, horseback riding, skiing if it’s winter, doing a beer tour, or another hike because you just couldn’t decide between two vastly different and beautiful locations!

Sunrise + Sunset timeline:

4am – Hike up colchuck in the dark, say your vows to one another as the sun comes up and lights up the teal alpine lake, eat your packed breakfast + celebrate!

10am – Hike down. Head to Airbnb for a little break/nap time

5pm – Small ceremony with loved ones

7pm – Dinner + toasts

9pm – games, s’mores, and dancing into the sunset.

8 hour timeline: Getting ready, first look. Fun activity. Head to the mountain to celebrate with sunset photos and your favorite bevies.

2pm – getting ready photos + first look at your lodging

3:30pm – head to the trailhead + begin the hike, taking rest breaks and photo breaks along the way

8pm – sunset vows + photos + celebrating!

9pm – sun starts to fade and we make our way back down

10pm – starlit photos in the trailhead parking lot, we bid our adieus :’)

Sarah + Wyllie’s words about their Leavenworth elopement experience:

‘”So, how long have you known Emma?” Several people asked us this during our wedding weekend thinking Emma was just another friend — one of the crew. And that’s exactly what she feels like. Emma is so natural and easy to be around that she put us at ease too which is exactly how I wanted to feel on our wedding day. No contrived poses, no stressful timelines. Just us, experiencing our day, trusting that she was working her magic behind the scenes capturing it all. It was a fantastic feeling.

We would 10/10 recommend Emma. Her work is stunning and she brings the energy you want to be surrounded with on one of the biggest days of your life.

We even asked her if she’d be down to photograph a Sunday river float we had planned with our friends in lieu of brunch and she did not hesitate. This girl threw on a bathing suit, braved the water and kicked it with us on the river for two hours and I am so glad we have her awesome photos to remember the experience.

I’m so glad we found Emma and you will be too 🙂 She was super easy to communicate with, collaborative, and at the end of the day, delivers beautiful work! She churned out a sneak peek gallery the DAY AFTER our wedding. I can’t wait to get our full gallery but until then I’ll cherish these sneak peeks and continue to relive the best weekend of our lives through Emma’s beautiful captures. We feel so lucky to have them. Emma is a gem.’

Ready to plan your Leavenworth adventure elopement?!

I know I am! Inquire to get the full pricing guide + let’s schedule a time to chat!

How To Elope in Leavenworth, Washington

By Emma Studley Photography

Psst… if this guide was helpful, Pin this image to your elopement Pinterest planning board! 👆🏻