Mt. Rainier Elopement

If I could dream up the most perfect elopement, this day would come pretty dang close. Elisabeth and Andrew decided to elope in the Pacific Northwest at Mt. Rainier National Park. These two are not from Washington, so choosing to elope her was a true destination elopement for them. They hired Erika from The Greatest Adventure Weddings to help them plan their ultimate PNW elopement. She brought together an amazing team of vendors for this day, including make up artist Angela and florals from Rusted Vase co. They got ready at a small cabin right outside of the park, where they had some lunch and we did our first look and initial portraits. Then we all piled into cars to head to our trailhead. When planning adventure elopements in any National Park, it’s crucial to always follow the Leave No Trace principals. These include sticking to designated trail spots to preserve the natural wildflowers and foliage, always packing out whatever you pack in (even corks and food) and mostly leaving the land how you found it. I encourage traveling into parks in as few of cars as possible as some trailheads have limited parking spots and there is not much service inside the park in the event anyone separates. For hiking elopements, couples can either wear their wedding attire if it’s comfortable enough or they can change at the top of their hike. Regardless of attire, I always recommend a pair of comfortable hiking shoes (there is absolutely nothing worse than blisters on a wedding day) We hiked up to their ceremony spot which is a pretty popular viewpoint for hikers along this trail. We had many fellow hikers stop and smile, share their congratulations and watch the sunset with us. They exchanged their vows and Erika officiated a sweet ceremony then they had their first dance nearby. The Greatest Adventure Weddings team packed up a small table and donuts to be shared in celebration following their first dance and signing of their certificate. We had some time to enjoy together waiting for the perfect sunset photo moments but once that light started to approach it was absolutely beautiful. The golden sunset on Mt. Rainier was absolutely breathtaking. When planning an elopement that involves hiking, it’s always wise to buffer in some extra time between hiking and photography time. Factoring in both hike time, changing of any clothes or shoes and some water or snack breaks so you aren’t feeling rushed. I typically recommend starting the planning for these by starting at sunset time and working backwards from there. We stayed up there until the sun set behind the mountain then began our hike down. We shared hugs and laughs and said our goodbyes at the trailhead. It was a beautiful and amazing day for these two and I feel lucky to have been able to spend it with them.

PLANNING: The Greatest Adventure Weddings | HMUA: Makeup Artist Angela