Acadia National Park Wedding Locations and Tips
As photographers, we’ve had the privilege to photograph quite a few intimate weddings and elopements inside Acadia National Park. Here is a list of our favorite Acadia National Park wedding and elopement locations. All are listed with information about privacy, the best time for ceremonies, the number of guests allowed, and more!
If you’re looking for a photographer and Acadia elopement expert, learn more about us here!
Helpful Information for your Acadia Wedding
National Park Pass: You’ll need a pass to get into the park which is $35 or you can get the America the Beautiful Pass which is $80 and lasts for a full year!
Ceremony Permit: Acadia requires a special use permit for any wedding ceremony that has over 10 guests. The permit is $125 and can be filled out here.
Marriage License: Marriage licenses can be filled out anytime within 90 days of the ceremony. Maine residents must apply in the town/city they currently live and out-of-state residents can apply anywhere in the state. Here is a blog post outlining how to elope in Maine.
Weekday Elopements: I highly recommend planning your elopement or an intimate wedding for a weekday. Acadia, especially during the summer, is very busy on the weekends making it hard to find a quiet location. Opting for a weekend elopement means you won’t have to worry about crowds.
Time of Day: Depending on what location you choose, we’ll probably want to decide to do your ceremony at either sunrise or sunset to get the best lighting and fewest crowds.
Guest Count: If you’re looking to elope with just you two or only a few guests, you have the entire park to choose from! Acadia allows any group under 10 (including photographers, officiants, and any other vendors) to have their ceremony anywhere in the park without needing a permit. If you are planning an intimate wedding with more than 10 guests, the park gives you 12 options to choose from with a variety of scenery options! Each location has a maximum number of guests allowed to attend with the maximum size being 50.
Leave No Trace: During your elopement in Acadia National Park, make sure to follow leave no trace guidelines. That way we can make sure the park remains beautiful for years to come. Here is a link about how to leave no trace on your wedding day!
Complete List of Acadia Wedding & Elopement Locations
Here is a complete list of Acadia National Park wedding locations in order of how many guests can attend:
- Cadillac Mountain – 30 (no ceremonies at sunrise or sunset)
- Otter Cliff – 20
- Little Hunters Beach – 20
- Schoodic Point – 25
- Sand Beach – 30
- Ocean Drive – 30
- Otter Point – 30
- Fabbri Picnic Area – 30
- Seawall Picnic Area – 30
- Thompson Island – 50
- Frazer Point Picnic Area – 50
- Islesford Historic Museum – 50 (on lawn after hours only)
Acadia has a great resource here that gives all the information about having your wedding inside the park, park regulations, and where to fill out and send the permit!
A Few of our Favorite Acadia Wedding Locations
Otter Cliff & Otter Point
Otter Cliff and Otter Point are two of the most popular locations within Acadia National Park. If you’re dreaming of saying your vows on rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean, these two locations are for you! The best part is both of these locations require little to no hiking in order to find the perfect wedding ceremony site! There’s a plethora of diverse ceremony locations to choose from that range from a few steps out of a parking lot to a short hike along the coastline.
Otter Cliff has a maximum count of 20 people and Otter Point allows up to 30. The best times for ceremonies at these Acadia wedding locations are sunrise and sunset because during the day it can get a bit crowded with other hikers.
For inspiration, check out the posts below.
Cadillac Mountain
Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the eastern seaboard and the first place in the United States to see the sunrise, which makes it one of the most dramatic ceremony locations in all of Acadia. The summit offers 360-degree views of the ocean, the surrounding islands, and the mountains of Mount Desert Island.
One important thing to know: the National Park Service does not permit ceremonies at sunrise or sunset on Cadillac, due to the volume of visitors at those times. Ceremonies are allowed at all other times of day, with a maximum guest count of 30.
For everything you need to know about planning a wedding on Cadillac Mountain, including our honest take on the best time of day, what the experience is actually like, and a real wedding we photographed there, see our complete Cadillac Mountain wedding guide.
Seawall Picnic Area
If you’re dreaming of a private ceremony on the water surrounded by the beauty of Maine and Acadia National Park, Seawall Picnic Area is your dream Acadia Wedding Venue! Seawall Picnic Area is located in the quiet town of Southwest Harbor and features a rocky beach flush against the lush forest. You can choose to have your Acadia National Park wedding in the woods with the ocean as your backdrop or choose a ceremony site right next to the water.
This location is a very accessible permitted ceremony location in Acadia National Park, so if you’re inviting guests with limited mobility, this is a great contender. The National Park Service allows groups of up to 30 to have a wedding ceremony here.
Not sure where to start?
Get our free Acadia National Park Ceremony Location Guide. A detailed resource covering park-approved spots, permits, and what makes each location special. Inside you’ll find,
It includes:
- The most popular park-approved ceremony sites
- Tips for choosing the perfect location for you
- Information on how to apply for your ceremony permit
