Seattle is one of the most beautiful places in the world. I love summer days when I get to photograph a wedding at a beautiful waterfront location. I have made a list of some very cool venues that have views of the water. Here are five of the best waterfront wedding venues in Seattle.

Seattle Aquarium

First on the list is the Seattle Aquarium. It has amazing facilities both inside and out. Getting ready can happen in a couple of places around the Aquarium, but you may want to do it someplace cool in the area like the Edgewater. The waterfront from Myrtle Edwards Park at the north end down to the ferry docks is filled with beautiful places for portraits. One of my favorites is the big open space at Pier 62 next door to the Aquarium. The back of the Aquarium has an amazing place on the pier for the ceremony with jaw-dropping views of the water with the Olympic Mountains in the distance. Inside they have a wonderful room at the front of the building where the dinner and dancing happen in front of a giant fish tank, but even before that, there is the cocktail hour in the spectacular room with the touch pools. Then, late at night, there are views of the Seattle (newly without a freeway obstructing the view) above the waterfront which features the great wheel. In addition to all of that, your guests can wander through the displays and they usually have an otter feeding for a massive dose of cuteness. Truly a cool, fun, beautiful experience your guest will not forget.

See more weddings and other things I have photographed at the Seattle Aquarium!

MV Skansonia

Speaking of unforgettable, the next place on my list is the MV Skansonia. The Saknsonia is a retired ferry that sits on the North end of Lake Union and has fantastic views of Seattle a couple of miles south on the opposite shore of the lake. Everyone will remember the funky, cool ferry wedding. It has a beautiful area for getting ready that makes for beautiful images of that part of the day. In addition to using the boat for portraits, Gas Works Park and other cool places are nearby. The ceremony location on the deck is a fantastic spot and the views are amazing. Dinner seating is a little tight last time I was there, but I know they were remodeling that section of the venue. I will have to go over and check out the changes this summer when the pandemic is over (fingers crossed!). The dance area works quite well. The guests will eventually make their way back to the deck to see the view during sunset and the lights of Seattle at night once it gets dark. A very cool place for a wedding.

See more weddings I photographed on the Skansonia!

Golden Gardens Bathhouse

My next place is mostly there because it sits in the middle of one of my favorite places to take photographs in Seattle even if the venue itself has some flaws. The Golden Gardens Bathhouse is, obviously, within Golden Gardens which has a fantastic beach, a beautiful stand of trees on the beach, long grasses, and even a forest trail and tunnel for portraits. You will probably need to get ready and have the ceremony someplace else since this is more of a single room type of place without the additional cocktail hour space for doing a room change. But, it is a nice room for dinner and dancing, while having great views of the beach (and the party-goers playing volleyball). But it is just amazing for portraits and at sunset time.

See more portraits and wedding I have photographed at Golden Gardens!

The Woodmark Hotel

Fourth on the list is a more conventional venue, The Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland. It sits on the eastern shore of Lake Washington and has wonderful views of the lake and Seattle in the distance. It has beautiful suites to get ready in, well-manicured grounds, and amazing docks for portraits. The ceremony takes place in a tent on the lawn outside that has beautiful views. When the weather is good, cocktails are on the lawn next to the lake. Dinner and dancing happen in the tent or inside the ballroom. A highlight is a private boat ride for the couple around the lake before joining their guests for cocktails and dinner. It is a beautiful place for an elegant and fun event.

See more weddings from the Woodmark Hotel!

Washington State Ferry

One last idea that is a little outside the box is that you can have your wedding on a Ferry! You and your guests walk onto the ferry, have a quick ceremony with the best possible views of Seattle behind you and then go for a ride. Obviously, this is a very different and pretty casual way to do things, but you get an amazing view and it is entirely memorable. Then, you make your way back to your dinner and location to meet up with the rest of your friends and family. It is certainly not traditional or for everyone, but it is fun and makes for some cool images.

See more images I have shot on the Washington State Ferry!

More Waterfront Venues in Seattle

There are lots of other fantastic places in Seattle. Here are a few more that you may want to check out!