California National & State Parks require a Special Use Permit in order to reserve your ceremony location. You can apply 6 months to 1 year ahead and within a minimum of 30 days before your date. Currently, elopements and intimate weddings are becoming more popular than ever, the permit office is receiving an influx of applications. As soon as you know your location (ceremony location), date, guest count, and discuss the time with your photographer, I advise you to apply immediately to ensure you have your date and time! Some parks can take up to 1-2 months to process your request and they often only have 1 staff member working on the applications so please be patient!