Written by our rad team member, Jessica Dastous
Incredible Elopement in the Mountains at Sunset
A wildfire in the North Cascades was no match for Jena and Kristin during their elopement in the mountains. Being flexible and having an elopement photographer who is experienced in adventure weddings, Jena and Kristin were able to shift their plans just a day before to still have the mountain views they both dreamed of during their best day. Keep scrolling to see where they ended up during their elopement in the mountains!
Meet Jena & Kristin: The Couple of this stunning Elopement in the Mountains
Jena and Kristin originally planned to have their elopement in the mountains within North Cascades National Park, but a week before their epic adventure some wildfires broke out! The fires started to grow and the day before their elopement the air quality was deemed hazardous and there was absolutely no visibility. You couldn’t see any of the mountains located in and around the park. I hopped on a call with Jena and Kristin after doing some research on the areas affected by the fires and pitched the idea of shifting their elopement in the mountains to Olympic National Park. I found a new Airbnb for them and presented a few different hikes that would be a similar experience for what they had planned for in the North Cascades. For Jena and Kristin, their top priority was to have a mountain backdrop during their ceremony. After we got off our call, they took some time to think about our back up plan and decided to go for it! They booked the new Airbnb that night and were excited about this new adventure!
The next day we met up at their cabin in the North Cascades, where Jena and Kristin got their hair and make up done for their elopement in the mountains. After they got ready, we took a road trip to the Olympic Peninsula. We hopped on a ferry and once we got to the Olympics we headed to one of my all time favorite campgrounds in all of Washington for a stunning forest picnic. Jena and Kristin got into their wedding dresses inside maple (my trusting camper van!), then enjoyed a celebratory cake before heading off to their ceremony location. Their cake was one for the books- it was made completely from cheese that Jena and Kristin picked up in Pike Place Market in Seattle. After enjoying their cake, we ventured through the forest to take in all the lush greenery. Then we headed to their final destination during their elopement in the mountains. Jena and Kristin got to experience the most jaw dropping golden hour during vows and took in the incredible sunset as we explored the overlook. After we finished up their photos, we hiked down in the darkness with headlamps lighting the way. Jena and Kristin were so happy we shifted their plans. They got to experience the mountains and stunning views of the Pacific Northwest while eloping in the mountains.
Three unique experiences to add to your elopement in the mountains
Sunrise or Sunset hike
One of our favorite activities to do during your elopement in the mountains is take a sunrise or sunset hike or even both! Hiking during sunrise and sunset allows you to have more privacy while eloping in the mountains because less people are on the trails during this time. And the best part, you’ll experience incredible colors from golden hour to blue hour in one of the most stunning locations.
Picnic in the forest below
Jena and Kristin enjoyed a spectacular picnic, during their elopement in the mountains. Adding a picnic in the forest is a great way to add a little more adventure to the day and incorporates a lush green landscape into your elopement in the mountains. Plus, you have to eat during your day so why not make it fun and fancy!
Read letters from family and friends
Looking for a really fun way to include friends and family during your elopement in the mountains without them actually being there? We recommend couples ask their friends and family to write them letters before their elopement day. This allows the couple to feel like their friends and family are with them while eloping in the mountains. You and your partner will open the letters and read the kind words from your loved ones during your best day ever!
Four places to consider having your elopement in the mountains
When choosing to elope in the mountains, there are so many stunning backdrop options for your best day ever! From the Pacific Northwest to the Rocky Mountains, we’ve listed our top picks for your elopement in the mountains. Keep reading to find out!
There are so many backdrop options for your elopement in the mountains when choosing Olympic National Park. From the coast, to the rainforest and of course a mountain overlook, you can experience it all in one day. Olympic National Park is known for its diverse landscape and is the least visited national park in the United States, meaning you are less likely to have onlookers during your elopement ceremony. You can also stop by a glacier blue alpine lake and even a waterfall before heading to your sunset ceremony!
Standing 14,410 feet above sea level is Mount Rainier, an active volcano and an icon to Washington state. Experience the tallest mountain in all of Washington as she turns pink at sunset and take in the most spectacular views your eyes will ever see. If you choose to have a summer elopement in the mountains, you can experience the best wildflowers in the state, here. The fall is also an incredible time to visit Mount Rainier National Park, with the stunning fall colors.
Hike among the most rugged mountains in Washington state and say your I do’s on the side of an alpine lake or maybe take in the sunset at one of my many fire lookouts in and around the park. North Cascades National Park would make the perfect destination for your elopement in the mountains! So many of our favorite hikes are located within this park and we can’t wait to help you plan your best day ever here.
Head to Wyoming to experience one of the most iconic ranges in the Rocky Mountains! Experience mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers and cattle ranches in and around the park. Take in the wildflowers during the summer months and explore the diverse forests during your elopement in the mountains. You may even encounter some of the local wildlife during your elopement day!
What you need to know about packages for your elopement in the mountains
When choosing to have an elopement in the mountains, we highly recommend three elopement packages to our couples – half-day, full-day or sunrise to sunset. If you are looking for a more budget friendly option, our half-day package would be a great choice and can take place at either sunrise or sunset with a stunning backdrop for your elopement in the mountains.
Our second option for your elopement in the mountains is our full-day package, which includes first look photos at your cabin in the early afternoon. We will then head out to two unique locations for you and your partner to explore. After, we will head to your ceremony location, where you will elope in the mountains with the most stunning backdrop at sunset!
The last elopement package option is our sunrise to sunset package. This is one of our most popular elopement packages booked by our couples and here’s why: when booking a sunrise to sunset elopement, you are going to have golden hour and blue hour at BOTH sunrise and sunset! This means you are going to get the best light on your day (twice!!) and get to experience multiple locations. Click here to learn more about our packages for your elopement in the mountains.
Meet your Photographers for your Elopement in the Mountains
We feel most at home in the outdoors, so it’s no surprise that is where we gravitate towards as your photographers for your elopement in the mountains. Between the Pine was founded by Mollie in 2018 and she has hiked hundreds of miles all over the Pacific Northwest and Kauai, to capture couples during their elopement in the mountains. Since 2018, we’ve grown our team and hired two incredible photographers (cue Dawn and Kass)! Dawn has photographed many couples’ elopements in the mountains all over the Pacific Northwest for the last seven years and is truly incredible when it comes to capturing all the in-between moments of your best day ever! Kass was previously an outdoor recreation guide and knows all the best locations to adventure during your elopement in the mountains. She transitioned from guide to photographer six years ago and hasn’t looked back since! Our team at Between the Pine is passionate about our jobs and adventuring to the most beautiful locations to document your elopement in the mountains. We know the Pacific Northwest like the back of our hands and are dying for a reason to head back to the mountains, forest and everything in between! Click here to learn more about the Between the Pine team, your photographers for your elopement in the mountains!
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