Gateway Arch National Park
Missouri · National Park · Midwest Region
The 630 foot Gateway Arch on the Mississippi River. It is an urban NPS site, not a natural setting, but the stainless steel arch and riverfront grounds make for a distinctive ceremony backdrop.
- Best season
- Year round
- Permit required
- Yes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Max group size
- 30 people
Permit Information
NPS Special Use Permit required for weddings and ceremonies at Gateway Arch National Park, which includes the Arch grounds and the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis. Submit NPS Form 10 930 to Gateway_Arch_Permits@nps.gov. The application fee is $200 non refundable. Applications are handled first come, first served and should be submitted well in advance (at least 30 days, longer for popular dates). Contact the Special Park Uses Coordinator at 314 655 1768 to confirm ceremony location options…
Ceremony Spots at Gateway Arch National Park
- North Grand Staircase Overlooking the Mississippi — Couples wanting a sweeping Mississippi River backdrop with the Arch towering behind and a true downtown St. Louis sense of place
- Luther Ely Smith Square — Couples who want the Arch and the historic Old Courthouse in a single frame, with a landscaped park feel in the middle of downtown
- North Gateway Gardens and Keyhole View — Intimate elopements that want the iconic under the Arch 'keyhole' angle with softer native plant surroundings and fewer tourists than the west entrance plaza