Written by our rad team member, Kiersten Roy
When a couple loves visiting national parks, but they’ve never experienced the magic of Mt. Rainier, it only makes sense that they plan a Mount Rainier National Park elopement! Ashley and Sean got to experience this Washington gem on their best day ever and we aren’t kidding when we say they had the most perfect weather conditions! (If you know Mount Rainier, you know she is moody). However, on this magical day, she pulled out all the stops!). Keep scrolling to see more from Ashley and Sean’s Mount Rainier elopement. Plus, learn our top three tips when eloping at this Washington national park.
Meet Ashley & Sean: The Couple of This Mount Rainier National Park Elopement
Ashley and Sean love national parks (these two even got engaged at a national park so it was a no-brainer they wanted to get married in one.)! They chose Mount Rainier National Park as it was one of the parks they had not yet visited, and lucky for us, because this also happens to be one of our favorite national parks ever!
Mother Nature truly was on Ashley and Sean’s side during their elopement day because it turned out to be one of the clearest days we’ve ever experienced in the park! The thing about Mount Rainier is she is moody. She has a mind of her own so you never quite know if you are going to get to see her or not. But, lucky for Ashley and Sean, they got the mountain views (and more)!
Their elopement day started at their cabin in Ashford, right outside the park. After a first look, we packed up our things and headed into the park. We wandered through the old-growth forests before stopping for a picnic (because PB&J’s, duh). After their picnic lunch, the couple changed into hiking clothes and we started making our way up one of our favorite Mt Rainier hiking trails. This hike is so special because it takes you off the beaten path and is such a hidden gem!
Once we got to the top, we were met with the most incredible view! Ashley and Sean were truly just in awe! And, if you didn’t think this Mount Rainier National Park elopement day could get any better – think again, because it did!
Only a few days out of the year, this particular location forms a tarn (a small pond) before it evaporates. Well, we just so happened to visit during the right time of year so Ashley and Sean got crystal clear views and reflections of the mountain on the water’s surface.
After the couple exchanged vows, we spent the remaining hours roaming around and soaking in the magical sunset views! We ended the evening hiking back down with our headlamps – a truly adventurous ending to an adventurous day!
Check out this post on Instagram to see more photos from Ashley and Sean’s Mount Rainier National Park elopement!
Three Things to Consider When Planning Your Mt Rainier National Park Elopement
Timed Entry Reservations May Be Required
On top of your entrance fee and special use permit (which are pretty standard at almost every national park), you may also need a reservation to enter the park. In 2024, Mount Rainier National Park implemented a reservation system for timed entries to help reduce long lines and protect the park’s ecosystems. The reservation system is seasonal meaning you may or may not need one depending on the time of year you elope. Reservations are free and can be booked up to 3 months in advance, so we recommend booking one as early as possible to ensure your entry to the park will be allowed. To learn more about Mount Rainier National Park reservations, click here to read more on the park’s website.
Pay Attention to the Weather and Plan for Anything
As we mentioned earlier, Mount Rainier is moody! You never quite know what you are going to get. It could be clear skies in the surrounding area, but at the base of the mountain, it might be cloudy. Even different sides of the mountain experience different weather!
That being said, there are certain months that offer more promising views than others. If you want to experience wildflowers and have the highest chance of seeing the mountain, consider eloping from late July through August. While this is a pretty short window, we encourage couples to go into their day ready for anything because you never know what Mount Rainier has up her sleeve.
Find Accommodations Nearby to Reduce Drive Time
There are a handful of surrounding mountain towns that we always recommend to our eloping couples! Some of our favorites are Ashford and Packwood as they are located near the park and don’t require a lot of drive time to go back and forth. (Pro tip – this is important so we can make the most of your elopement timeline and not spend hours in the car driving around!). If you want to be even closer to the magic, there is also the National Park Inn which is located inside the park! Imagine, stepping right outside your door and starting your national park adventure!
What You Need to Know About Packages For Your Mount Rainier National Park Elopement
When choosing to have a Mount Rainier National Park elopement, we highly recommend either our full-day or two-day elopement packages to our couples.
Our full-day Mt Rainier National Park elopement package 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!
If you want to see all that this beautiful area has to offer, then we recommend our two-day Mount Rainier elopement package. This will allow you the chance to get to experience multiple locations and is also a great option if you plan on inviting guests. Click here to learn more about our packages for your Mount Rainier National Park elopement.
More Mount Rainier National Park Elopement Inspiration and Resources
Meet Your Mount Rainier National Park Elopement Photographers
We feel most at home in the outdoors, so it’s no surprise that is where we gravitate towards as your Mount Rainier elopement photographers. 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 best day ever. Since 2018, we’ve grown our team and continue to hire even more incredible photographers!
Our team at Between the Pine is passionate about our jobs and adventuring to the most beautiful locations to document your best day ever. 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 Mount Rainier elopement photographers!
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