Jetty Island Wedding Guide: How to Plan a Micro Wedding in Everett, WA (Snohomish County)
Wedding on Jetty Island in Snohomish County
Your Complete Guide to a Jetty Island Beach Wedding in Everett, Washington
A wedding photographer’s honest guide to pulling off an intimate ceremony on Everett’s hidden gem.
There’s a moment I’ve witnessed more than once on Jetty Island — the moment a couple steps off the ferry, feels the warm sand beneath their feet, and looks at each other like this is exactly right. No grand ballroom, no choreographed cocktail hour, no seating chart drama. Just two people, the people they love most, and two miles of untouched Snohomish County coastline, just outside Everett.
As a Snohomish Wedding Photographer, I’ve photographed weddings in a lot of beautiful places. But Jetty Island? It has something I haven’t found anywhere else.
What Is Jetty Island, Exactly?
Tucked just off the coast of Everett, Washington, Jetty Island is a narrow, two-mile barrier island managed by the City of Everett Parks Department. It’s accessible only by a seasonal ferry, which means no cars, a short hike to your ceremony location, and no noise beyond the wind, the water, and your vows.
In the summer, the island transforms into a landscape that feels almost impossibly beautiful for a place so close to a city — warm, shallow tidal flats, driftwood-lined beaches, sweeping views of the Cascades and the Olympics, and golden light that photographers dream about. It’s the kind of place that makes you forget you’re twenty minutes from downtown Everett.
For couples planning a micro wedding — think 10 to 20 of your closest people — it’s close to perfect.
Getting There: The Ferry Logistics (Read This First)
The ferry is the first thing to plan around, and the most important logistical piece of the whole day. Here’s what you need to know:
The Jetty Island Ferry runs seasonally, typically from early July through early September. This makes it a summer wedding destination by nature — which honestly works in your favor. Summer light on the Salish Sea is extraordinary.
The ferry departs from the 10th Street Boat Launch in Everett. Parking is available nearby, but on busy summer days it fills up. Brief your guests to arrive early and consider coordinating a meeting point so no one misses the boat — literally.
Crossings run on a schedule, so everyone in your wedding party needs to be on the same page about timing. I always recommend sending guests a clear, simple timeline that accounts for ferry wait times. Plan for your party to cross together as a group — it makes for beautiful arrival photos, and it ensures no one gets left behind.
The ferry is $3-5 per person, plan to purchase everyones tickets ahead of time to ensure there’s enough space on your preferred ferry boat time. As soon as you have a date, book your tickets. Each crossing only have 60 tickets. That’s it! The cost of tickets is your only ‘venue fee’ in the traditional sense.
Pro tip from behind the lens: The ferry ride itself is a genuine moment. I’ve captured some of my favorite candid shots of couples and their guests during that short crossing — pure anticipation and joy. Don’t rush past it.
Permits: What You Actually Need
This is the part most couples don’t think about until too late, so let me save you the stress.
You will need a Special Use Permit from the City of Everett Parks Department to hold a wedding ceremony on Jetty Island. This is non-negotiable, and it’s absolutely worth doing properly — park staff are present on the island during operating hours, and they will ask.
Here’s what to do:
∙ Contact the City of Everett Parks Department well in advance — ideally 2 to 3 months before your date. Summer weekends book up, and permit processing takes time.
∙ Specify your event details — number of guests, date, approximate location on the island, whether you’ll have a photographer, officiant, or any structures (like an arch).
∙ Ask about any restrictions on décor, amplified sound, and fires. The island is a protected natural area, so there are real rules around what you can bring and leave behind.
∙ Leave No Trace is law here. Every decoration, every flower petal, every piece of ribbon goes home with you. Plan accordingly and brief your guests.
The permit process is manageable, but it requires lead time. Don’t wait.
Planning Tips for a Seamless Island Ceremony
After photographing a wedding here, a few things stand out as the difference between a stressful day and an unforgettable one:
Keep the guest list intimate. The island can accommodate larger groups, but the magic of Jetty Island is its quiet. With 10 to 20 guests, everyone feels close. Everyone can hear your vows. The photos look cohesive and connected rather than chaotic.
Time your ceremony around the light. Summer sunsets on the island are staggering — warm, golden, and long. If you can schedule your ceremony for late afternoon, you’ll have soft light for the ceremony and then that iconic Pacific Northwest golden hour for portraits. I can’t overstate how stunning it is.
Embrace the simplicity. Couples who try to bring too much to the island — elaborate centerpieces, rental chairs, sound systems — tend to spend the day managing logistics. The couples who bring just the essentials — an officiant, some flowers, their people — tend to be the most present, and their photos show it.
Bring everything you need. There are no vendors, no caterers, and no facilities beyond one restroom on the island during ferry season. Bring a cooler with champagne & ice water. Think of it as a very beautiful, very intentional outdoor gathering.
Hire a local photographer who knows the island. I’m biased, but genuinely — the light on Jetty Island moves fast and the landscape has specific pockets of magic. A photographer who has been there many times before will know exactly where to position you, when to move, and how to work with the environment rather than against it. That's me — and I'd love to be your person for this.
The Part That Makes It Worth It
Every wedding I’ve photographed on Jetty Island has had a moment — usually somewhere near the water, with the mountains in the background — where time seems to slow down. Where the couple looks around at the people they chose, and the place they chose, and something settles.
That’s hard to manufacture in a traditional venue. On Jetty Island, it just happens.
If you’re a couple who values presence over production, nature over napkin rings, and meaning over magnitude — this island was made for you.
Jetty Island Wedding Planning Checklist:
Everything You Need for Your Everett Beach Ceremony
Contact City of Everett Parks for Special Use Permit (2–3 months out)
Check ferry schedule and confirm seasonal dates
Brief guests on ferry logistics, parking, and arrival timing
Pre-purchase ferry tickets for everyone.
Plan for Leave No Trace — no décor left behind
Confirm officiant is prepared for an outdoor, informal setting
Schedule ceremony for late afternoon for best light
Pack all food, drinks, and supplies — no vendors on island
Hire a photographer familiar with the location
Enjoy it. You picked one of the most beautiful spots in Washington.
Planning a Jetty Island wedding?
I know this island.
I know this light.
I'd love to be there with you.
→ Book Your Free Consultation
I've had the privilege of photographing weddings on Jetty Island and it remains one of my absolute favorites. Couples who choose this spot always say the same thing after: it was exactly right.
