How much is the Cathedral Ledge wedding permit?

A Cathedral Ledge ceremony reservation costs $100 plus a $7 transaction fee through NH State Parks. Ceremonies are bookable May 1 through November 1, in sunrise or sunset time blocks, up to 11 months in advance, with a maximum of 40 people.

Can you get married in the White Mountain National Forest without a permit?

Often yes for the couple themselves at small gatherings, under general Forest Service policy for noncommercial events. However, paid vendors such as photographers and planners typically need their own special use authorization, and rules vary by site. Confirm current requirements with the White Mountain National Forest before your date.

Are drones allowed at NH State Park elopements?

No. Drones may not take off or land within NH State Park boundaries, which includes Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake.

Who arranges the permit if we book with Elope in New Hampshire?

We do. Location permitting is handled and paid for by us in The Summit and The Signature, and every location we book comes confirmed with a rain plan.

New Hampshire Elopement Permits (2026): Every Location, Every Fee

Q: Do you need a permit to elope in New Hampshire?

It depends on the location. NH State Parks such as Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake require an event reservation with a $100 fee for ceremonies. In the White Mountain National Forest, small private ceremonies often do not require a permit for the couple, but commercial vendors working the event generally need a special use authorization. Private land requires the owner's permission. Town and city spots vary by town.

Home / How to elope in New Hampshire / Permits

The exact costs, booking windows, guest caps, and phone numbers for getting married on public land in New Hampshire. Compiled and kept current by the team that files these permits for a living.

Updated August 2026. Sources: NH State Parks, ReserveAmerica, US Forest Service. Fees change, and we confirm current rules for every couple we book.

The short answer. Yes, many of New Hampshire's most photographed elopement spots require a ceremony permit. NH State Parks such as Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake charge a $100 event fee, bookable up to 11 months ahead for May 1 through November 1 dates. In the White Mountain National Forest, small private ceremonies often need no permit for the couple, but paid vendors generally need their own authorization. Private land needs the owner's yes. When you book with us, we arrange and pay for the permitting in The Summit and The Signature, so this entire page becomes our homework instead of yours.

Cathedral Ledge State Park

The famous drive up granite cliff above North Conway, and the most requested permitted ceremony site in the state. Here are the current facts:

Detail	Current rule
Ceremony fee	$100 event fee plus a $7 transaction fee
Season	Bookable May 1 through November 1
Time slots	Two blocks per day, sunrise and sunset
Booking window	Up to 11 months in advance
Guest cap	Maximum 40 people
Rain dates	None offered, which is why every date we book carries a rain plan
Privacy	The park stays open to the public during your ceremony
Facilities	One pit toilet, no staff on site, self serve payment station when unstaffed
Contact	Echo Lake State Park office, 603 356 2672 in season

Off season inquiries, November through May, go through the NH State Parks events office. Drones cannot take off or land anywhere within NH State Park boundaries, so plan on ground cameras only. Read our full Cathedral Ledge elopement guide for timing, light, and how we run the day.

Echo Lake State Park

The lake at the base of Cathedral Ledge, with the cliff itself as your backdrop. Echo Lake ceremonies run through the same reservation system: a $100 event fee, the same seasonal window, and the same public park reality. Sunrise here is the quiet hour, with mist on the water and almost nobody on the beach. Day use entry fees apply to guests when the park is staffed.

Franconia Notch State Park and Artist Bluff

Artist Bluff, Echo Lake in Franconia, and the notch overlooks sit inside Franconia Notch State Park, and ceremonies on state park land are subject to special use permitting. Rules and pricing vary by site, group size, and season, so the honest guidance is: contact the park or the Special Use Office before you fall in love with a date. When we book Artist Bluff for a couple, confirming permission is part of the booking, and our Artist Bluff guide covers the timing that beats the crowds.

Every other NH State Park

For any state park location, the path is the same:

Contact the NH State Parks Special Use Office at 603 271 3556 or [email protected].
A short qualification survey determines whether your ceremony needs a formal permit.
Fees and a certificate of insurance may be required before the permit is valid.
Confirm date, space, and pricing with the individual park manager.

White Mountain National Forest

The national forest runs on federal rules, and they work differently from the state parks. Under general Forest Service policy, a small noncommercial gathering, which is what a private elopement ceremony usually is, often requires no permit for the couple. The catch that surprises people: any commercial operator working your ceremony, meaning a paid photographer, videographer, or planner, generally needs their own special use authorization regardless of how small the group is.

Two practical notes. First, this is exactly the kind of compliance a couple should never have to think about, and never has to with us, because our authorizations are our responsibility. Second, specific sites within the forest, roadside pulloffs on the Kancamagus, waterfall areas, and trailheads, can carry their own rules and parking fees. Confirm current requirements with the White Mountain National Forest supervisor's office before locking a forest location.

Private land, farms, and gardens

No government permit, just the owner's permission, which we arrange in writing. Private properties are how you get chairs for family, florals styled to the setting, and zero strangers behind your vows. Many of the field, farm, and garden settings in our best places to elope guide work this way.

The marriage license is separate from all of this

A location permit lets you hold the ceremony. The marriage license makes it legal. New Hampshire's license is famously simple: any town clerk, $50, no waiting period, no residency requirement, valid statewide for 90 days. The full walkthrough lives in our guide to eloping in New Hampshire.

Permit questions couples ask us

Do you need a permit to elope in New Hampshire?

At state parks like Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake, yes, a $100 event reservation. In the national forest, often not for the couple at small ceremonies, though paid vendors need authorization. On private land, the owner's permission replaces the permit.

What happens if you skip the permit?

Rangers can and do stop unpermitted events, and there is no faster way to ruin a wedding morning. The fees are small and the process is easy when handled early, so there is no reason to gamble the day.

Can our photographer just meet us there?

On state park event reservations, your vendors are part of the permitted event. In the national forest, the photographer's own authorization is the piece most couples do not know about. Ours is handled, which is one of the quiet advantages of hiring a team that lives here.

How far ahead should the permit be booked?

Cathedral Ledge opens 11 months out and foliage dates go first. If you want a sunrise or sunset slot in late September or October, book the moment your date is chosen.

Who handles all of this if we book with you?

We do. Location permitting is arranged and paid for in The Summit and The Signature, every location comes with a rain plan, and we confirm current rules with the park for every single couple, because fees and policies change.

Or make the permits our problem.

Photography, film, flowers, a licensed officiant, license guidance, and every permit filed and paid. That is what a full New Hampshire elopement team is for.

Start planning your elopement