How to Apply for a Yosemite Wedding Permit in 2025
When you plan to have any kind of commitment ceremony in Yosemite, you won’t want to skip this step – applying for a Yosemite wedding permit. I know that can bring some anxiety to the planning process, but let me start this blog post by saying there’s nothing to worry about. It’s not a complicated (nor expensive) process. So let me take you through this step by step!
1. Have a Rough Headcount of Guests
This is my number one step for two reasons:
- you’ll be asked to provide a “best estimate” for the total amount of people attending your ceremony (including yourselves, your photographers, and any other vendors present)
- each ceremony location has a different max amount of people allowed, it varies between 10-50, roughly
If your headcount is roughly 40 people, you will not be able to apply for a ceremony location that allows a max amount of 25 people. This is why it’s important to know more or less how many people will be there! That way, you can get the ceremony location you want/need right away, without having to communicate back and forth with the special permit’s office.
2. Pick a Ceremony Location & Time
This part is fun! Choosing where you’ll get married.
Yosemite has a pre-approved ceremony location list for you to choose from. If you’ll have fewer than 11 people that will attend your ceremony, you don’t need to choose from this list. You have more options! This is where hiring a local photographer comes in handy, so they can suggest all of their cool/secret spots in the Park!
Here’s the list! Please be aware that not every location is open year round. Glacier Point Rd and Tioga Rd close during the winter months, normally between November and May – since this is weather dependent, it changes every year. Follow @yosemitenp on Instagram for updates, and visit their current conditions page on the website.
Cascades Picnic Area
- 30 people maximum
- open all year-round
- limited to 8 vehicles
- bathrooms: yes
Lower Yosemite Falls Paved Trail:
- 50 people maximum
- open all year round except on holiday weekends
- parking: yes – especially at the lodge area
- bathrooms: yes
Swinging Bridge Picnic Area
- 20 people maximum
- open all year-round
- parking: yes, but limited, very few spots
- bathrooms: yes
Cathedral Beach Picnic Area
- 50 people maximum (monitoring required for groups of 35+)
- open most of the year – it closes from November through Memorial Day Weekend
- parking: limited to 6 vehicles
- bathrooms: yes
Sentinel Beach Picnic Area
- 100 people maximum (monitoring required for groups of 50+)
- open most of the year – it closes from November through Memorial Day Weekend
- parking: limited to 8 vehicles
- bathrooms: yes
Bridalveil Fall
- 50 people maximum
- currently closed for construction
- parking: yes
- bathrooms: yes
El Cap Meadow
- 10 people maximum
- open all year round, but we must stay within the El Cap viewing area of the meadow
- parking: yes
- bathrooms: no
Glacier Point Amphitheater
- 50 people maximum
- open along with the road schedule
- parking lot: yes
- bathrooms: yes, pit toilets
- weddings are not scheduled here during July & August
Chilnualna Falls Trailhead Parking Lot
- 50 people maximum
- open along with the road schedule
- parking lot: yes
- bathrooms: yes, pit toilets
- weddings are not scheduled here during July & August
Tenaya Lake Beach
- 50 people maximum
- open along with the road schedule
- parking lot: yes
- bathrooms: yes, pit toilets
Tuolumne Meadows Lodge Area
- 25 people maximum
- open along with the road schedule
- parking lot: limited, carpooling required
- bathrooms: at the lodge
3. Know That You’ll Have to Abide by Park Rules
When you apply for a Yosemite Wedding permit, you have to agree to some (very reasonable) park rules. These rules are in place to ensure that visitors and wedding guests are aware of the Leave No Trace principles that keep beautiful places beautiful and clean. The list of rules is on this page and, once you receive your wedding permit, it will also have a complete list of Park rules that you and your guests agree to follow.
4. Fill Out The Application
And now you’re ready to fill out your application! You can head over to this page to download it. Once you fill it all out, you can PRINT IT and mail it to either of the addresses below along with the permit application fee ($150 check):
Postal mail:
Special Park Uses/Film and Weddings
Yosemite National Park, National Park Service
P.O. Box 700
El Portal, CA 95318
Overnight (FedEx/UPS):
Special Park Uses/Film & Weddings
Yosemite National Park
5083 Foresta Rd
El Portal, CA 95318
5. That’s it!
Once the Park receives your application, they will cash your check. Not long after that, they will contact you via email to confirm that your ceremony location and time are available and scheduled for your wedding! If you don’t hear from them 2-3 weeks after you send in the application, you can get in touch with them yourself via email or phone at 209/379-1858.
It might seem like an intimidating process at first, but it really isn’t. Just a formality so you can have your wedding in one of the most beautiful places in the world!
For more information, including our favorite seasons, favorite locations, and favorite hotels/Airbnbs, please visit our blog post on How to Elope in Yosemite.
