Pick the setting, the month and the rain plan in one place: NOAA weather and sunset times for Seattle, 6 outdoor venue styles, park permit windows, tent costs, and venues we confirmed host weddings.
Illustrative
Aim for July, August and September. In Seattle those months average a 76°F high and about 2.8 rainy days each. Washington has 5 months that pass our comfort test, #10 of 50, tied among US states. For a peak-season Saturday, start talking to venues 12 to 18 months out.
Comfortable month = normal high between 65°F and 86°F and no more than 8 days with 0.10 inch of rain. That is our rule of thumb, applied to NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals for Seattle. The 12 to 18 month window is what venues commonly advise (Mayfair Farms, 2026). Venue budget is our estimate for an average Washington wedding (see the Washington cost breakdown); the US average wedding is $34,200 per The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study.
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Normal daily highs and rainy days for Seattle, with the best outdoor months marked.
Bars show the normal daily high in °F, with the normal low under each bar. The drop counts the average days per month with 0.10 inch of rain or more. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station SEATTLE TACOMA INTL AP, WA US (USW00024233). Mountain and coastal venues can run cooler than Seattle.
Share of days with 0.10 inch of rain or more: NOAA rainy days divided by the days in the month. Outlined cells are the best months. July is the driest at 6%, November the wettest at 43%. Our math from the normals, not a forecast.
IllustrativeWestern Washington has a long wet season, so plan a covered backup for any ceremony outside the summer months
IllustrativeEastern Washington is much drier and hotter in summer than the west side
IllustrativeWildfire smoke from regional fires can affect air quality in late summer, so check forecasts as the date nears
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Sunset time on the 15th of each month in Seattle, with the hour before it shaded. Build the ceremony and portrait times around it.
Local clock time, daylight saving included, for the 15th of each month in 2027 at the NOAA station in Seattle. We computed the times with the NOAA solar calculator equations; a venue in a valley or behind a ridge loses the sun earlier.
IllustrativeThe stretch shortly before sunset (and after sunrise) when daylight is softer and warmer, per the Wikipedia overview. How long it lasts depends on latitude and season.
One wedding studio puts the warmest window at roughly 20 to 40 minutes in practice (Candid Studios), so plan portraits for the last half hour before sunset, not the whole hour.
IllustrativeOn July 15 the sun sets around 9:03 pm in Seattle. Ask your photographer to slot portraits between about 8:18 pm and sunset.
Official booking windows tell you the earliest a park or venue takes reservations. Real demand runs earlier: for a peak-season Saturday, venues commonly advise 12 to 18 months.
Venue window: Mayfair Farms (2026). Engagement length: The Knot Real Weddings 2024 Vendor Report. Permit rows come from the official pages in the permits table below; a dashed line means the page sets a deadline but no opening date. Forecast: weather.gov.
IllustrativeMount Rainier National Park opens bookings 12 months ahead and wants applications at least 3 days before the date. That is the earliest you can book, set by the office that runs the land.
IllustrativeSide by side: typical guest counts and the months each setting looks best, from vineyard / winery to ranch / farm / barn.
IllustrativeWoodinville, Walla Walla, and the Yakima Valley wine regions offer vineyard ceremony sites with rolling desert-steppe and mountain views. Many wineries host weddings, so check each winery's own wedding page for ceremony space and dates.
IllustrativeMount Rainier, the North Cascades, and Olympic National Park provide forest and volcanic peak ceremony sites. Each national park requires a special use permit for wedding ceremonies, and group size limits apply.
IllustrativeThe San Juan Islands, Whidbey Island, and Bainbridge Island offer Pacific Northwest island weddings with waterfront views, lavender fields, and maritime forests. Roche Harbor on San Juan Island is one resort with garden and chapel ceremony options.
IllustrativeSeattle Parks lists Kubota Garden among its prime outdoor ceremony locations, and Wisteria Hall at the Washington Park Arboretum offers indoor space with outdoor garden areas. Rhododendrons and native plantings flourish in Pacific Northwest gardens.
IllustrativeOlympic Peninsula beaches, the Puget Sound shoreline, and the Long Beach Peninsula provide coastal ceremony settings. Driftwood-covered shores and rugged headlands are signature backdrops.
IllustrativeFarms in the Skagit Valley (known for its tulip fields), the Snoqualmie Valley, and Whidbey Island offer pastoral settings. Lavender farms and heritage barns add Washington character.
Photos are illustrative, not of specific Washington venues. The guest bar runs from 0 to 400 guests. For indoor and all-season options, see all wedding venues in Washington.
November is the wettest month in Seattle. Every outdoor date needs a backup written into the contract.
Days with 0.10 inch of rain or more, NOAA 1991-2020 normals.
How wet Seattle gets, and a four-step backup plan to agree with your venue.
Get the rain plan into the venue contract: a covered space, an indoor room or a tent, plus the hour you have to decide by.
Size the backup to the month. July in Seattle averages a 77°F high, a 57°F low and about 1.8 rainy days, so book sides, fans or heaters to match.
Follow the National Weather Service forecast for the venue's town every day and agree who makes the call: you, the planner or the venue manager. weather.gov
Make the call at the agreed hour, text guests where the ceremony is, and move the QR photo signs to wherever the party ends up.
IllustrativeFirst dance
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Ballpark rental prices by tent size, from one 2026 cost guide. Local quotes vary, so treat these as a starting point.
All-in assumes the tent plus standard flooring, sidewalls, basic lighting and a generator. Bar height follows the top of each all-in range. Source: Paperlust, How Much Does a Wedding Tent Cost? (July 2026), which says it draws on Zola, WeddingWire and national rental companies. The same guide says moving from a peak June Saturday to an October Thursday can save 20 to 40 percent on the same tent.
These are examples from three counties, not Washington rules. Ask your venue or the local fire marshal what applies at your site.
Settings like the ones you find in Washington, plus the moments guests catch on their phones. Landscape photos are illustrative, not specific venues.
Public land usually needs a permit or a reservation. Here is what the official pages say.
Washington State Parks requires a Special Activities Permit for weddings, with an application fee and insurance requirement, and asks for applications at least 60 days ahead. Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks each require a special use permit for any wedding ceremony and set group size and time limits. Seattle Parks issues outdoor ceremony permits for most of its parks. Fees vary by agency, so check with the park or city office before booking.
IllustrativeCheck the permit before you print the invitations| Place | What the official page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier National ParkOpens 12 mo ahead3+ days before$50 + $275 management fee | A permit is required for all wedding ceremonies in the park. Weddings are permitted for a 3-hour timeframe that includes travel, a 30-minute ceremony and photography. Wilderness weddings are limited to 12 people total, and larger groups must use front country locations such as roadside spots, overlooks and amphitheaters. Wedding permits do not include an on-site reception, and applications are emailed to the Special Use Permit Coordinator with a $50 application fee paid on Pay.gov, plus a separate $275 management fee. Applications are accepted up to one year ahead and at least 72 hours before the date. | National Park Service, Mount Rainier National Park, Permits & Reservations Checked 2026 |
| Olympic National ParkOpens 12 mo ahead30+ days before$50 | A permit is required for all wedding ceremonies. Weddings are permitted for a 2-hour timeframe, wedding groups of more than 5 people need a permit, wilderness weddings are limited to 12 people, and the maximum for any wedding permit is 50 people, which is only feasible at a few locations in the park. | National Park Service, Olympic National Park, Special Use Permits Checked 2026 |
| Washington State Parks60+ days before$45 | Weddings fall under the Special Activities Permit. Contact the park first, then submit the application at least 60 days in advance with a $45 application fee (additional fees may be assessed) and a certificate of insurance of $1,000,000 general liability and $1,000,000 personal injury. Not all applications are approved. | Washington State Parks, Special Activities Permit Checked 2026 |
| Seattle Parks and Recreation30+ days before | A permit is required to hold a ceremony in a public Seattle park. Applications must be received at least 30 days before the event, the park stays open to the public during a ceremony, and all outdoor ceremony sites are alcohol-free. Allow 14 business days for processing. Seattle Parks lists Kubota Garden among its prime ceremony locations, with the Arboretum, Parsons Gardens and Volunteer Park Conservatory. | Seattle Parks and Recreation, Outdoor Ceremony Reservations Checked 2026 |
Fees and rules change. Confirm with the office on the source page before you put down a deposit.
Each one links to the page where we confirmed it hosts weddings (checked October 2026). Ask for current prices, most do not publish them.
Illustrative settingThe ranch's wedding page lists Pond View, River View and Mountain View ceremony spaces, up to 175 guests, and 7 on-property cabins that sleep 35 overnight. Couples choose their own vendors, and pricing is not published, couples use the Inquire form.
Wedding pageIllustrative settingThe wedding page lists a garden and chapel ceremony venue, a private waterfront welcome dinner location, indoor-outdoor reception space and on-site lodging. Pricing is not published on that page.
Wedding pageIllustrative settingUW Botanic Gardens describes Wisteria Hall as an indoor/outdoor space with south and west terraces inside the 230-acre arboretum. Availability and pricing are by contacting the venue.
Wedding pageIllustrative settingThe wedding page describes an intimate ceremony on the Hidden Terrace near the crest of Snoqualmie Falls, with weddings for 24 to 100 guests. A 2026-2027 wedding pricing chart is linked from the page.
Wedding pageIllustrativeLawn games, the dock, the sunset walk: guests scan your QR code and upload from the phone browser, no app and no account.
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Comfortable outdoor months per year across the US, from the same NOAA normals and the same rule. Tap a state to open its guide.
Tile map, not to scale: each tile is one state with its number of comfortable months. Alaska and Hawaii sit bottom left.
Each state uses one NOAA station: California (Los Angeles), Washington (Seattle), Oregon (Portland), Idaho (Boise), Montana (Billings).
What makes the setting different, and what to sort out early.
IllustrativeWashington outdoor weddings thrive on Pacific Northwest contrast: couples can pair a Woodinville wine country day with a ferry ride to the San Juan Islands. Long summer daylight lets outdoor ceremonies stretch into golden hour without rushing the reception. Sequim sits in the Olympic Mountains rain shadow and is generally drier than Seattle, and farm-direct menus, oysters, foraged mushrooms, and stone fruit show up at many receptions.
Washington law (RCW 26.04.180) says a marriage license may not be used until three days after the date of application and becomes void if the marriage is not solemnized within sixty days of issuance.
Washington State Legislature, RCW 26.04.180, 2026IllustrativeJuly through September is usually the driest stretch for western Washington outdoor events
San Juan Island weddings require ferry planning for all guests and vendors
Monitor wildfire smoke forecasts for late summer events
Eastern Washington wine country is hot and dry in summer, a good fit for those who prefer reliable sun
A bride looks back on planning her outdoor wedding. Watch it next to the Washington weather and permit notes above.
LIZ DINEEN on YouTubeWeather, booking lead times, rain plans and permits: what couples ask before booking an outdoor venue in Washington.
July, August and September are the best months for an outdoor wedding in Washington. NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Seattle show highs of 72°F to 78°F in those months, with about 1.8 to 4.2 days a month that get 0.10 inch of rain or more. July is the driest month there.
Plan on 12 to 18 months for a Saturday in peak season. That is the window venues commonly advise (Mayfair Farms, 2026), and the average engagement runs about 15 months according to The Knot's 2024 vendor report. For public land, Mount Rainier National Park takes bookings up to 12 months ahead ($50 + $275 management fee). An official opening date is the earliest you can book, not a promise that your date is still free.
In Seattle, November is the wettest month with about 12.9 rainy days, and July the driest with about 1.8 (NOAA normals). Write the backup into the venue contract (a covered space, an indoor room or a tent), agree on a time to make the call, and follow the National Weather Service forecast in the last week. One 2026 cost guide puts a tent for up to 50 guests at $1,500 to $3,500 all-in.
Washington State Parks requires a Special Activities Permit for weddings, with an application fee and insurance requirement, and asks for applications at least 60 days ahead. Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks each require a special use permit for any wedding ceremony and set group size and time limits. Seattle Parks issues outdoor ceremony permits for most of its parks. Fees vary by agency, so check with the park or city office before booking.
Book a venue with a covered or fully enclosed backup space included in the contract rather than an optional add-on tent quoted separately, since Washington's outdoor wedding season can still bring surprise showers, especially in shoulder months. Ask vendors for a rain-call deadline, since many venues need advance notice to flip the layout, and consider a clear-top tent rental as insurance even in peak summer. Sequim and parts of eastern Washington are generally drier than Seattle, which makes them useful alternatives for outdoor-focused couples.
Yes, with a special use permit. The National Park Service requires a permit for all wedding ceremonies in Mount Rainier National Park, allows a 3-hour timeframe with a 30-minute ceremony, and limits wilderness weddings to 12 people total. Larger groups must request front country locations such as roadside spots, overlooks and amphitheaters, and permits do not include an on-site reception.
