Written by our rad team member, Jessica Dastous
Adventurous Mt Rainier Wedding in the Summer
It’s hard to plan for the weather during your Mt Rainier wedding, especially in the Pacific Northwest. Katy and Kyle were convinced it was going to rain during their adventure elopement. When they woke up to cloudy skies and temps in the mid-40’s they embraced every moment. Keep scrolling to see how their day ended and the incredible views they took in during their Mt Rainier wedding.
Meet the couple of this Adventurous Mt Rainier Wedding
Meet Katy and Kyle, the couple of this adventurous Mt Rainier wedding. Katy and Kyle flew all the way from New York for their best day ever in the mountains! The entire time we were planning their day, they were convinced it was going to rain during their elopement. We planned their Mount Rainier wedding for August, which has a lower chance for rain in the Pacific Northwest. Sure enough, on their day we woke up to cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 40’s at their campsite (which is a bit crazy for the month of August!). Lucky for us, we only had a little mist and the rain completely held off. With perfect overcast skies, Katy and Kyle shared their first look at this stunning alpine lake with beautiful blue crystal clear water, it was truly magical. What was super fun and unique about their first look was neither of them had seen what each other was going to wear. Traditionally, the bride would see the groom’s suit before their wedding day, but the groom would not see the dress. After Katy and Kyle’s double first look, we headed back to the campground where they enjoyed a celebratory meal prepared by the one and only Kara from Meire Catering. Kara made them an incredible gourmet meal and even made little snack packs for Katy and Kyle to take on their hike. After they finished their meal, they changed into their hiking clothes and we were on our way to one of my favorite hikes at Mount Rainier for their sunset ceremony. The six mile hike started off with no views and we had no idea what the overlook would look like once we got to the top. Katy and Kyle were troopers and said it didn’t matter what views they had, they were just so excited to get married! As we hiked to their Mt Rainier wedding ceremony location, the clouds slowly started to part. When we arrived at the viewpoint, Mount Rainier came out in all her glory, it was truly stunning (the photos really speak for themselves, keep scrolling to see what I mean!)! It’s almost as if she was waiting for her grand entrance and we were her witnesses. Katy and Kyle changed back into their wedding attire and had their ceremony with the jaw-dropping backdrop of Mount Rainier herself. We spent the rest of the evening exploring and taking in the views as Mt Rainier turned pink at sunset. After, we hiked down in the darkness, with only our headlamps guiding the way. It was truly an incredible adventure with Katy and Kyle during their Mount Rainier wedding day!
Three things to do at Mt Rainier on your Wedding Day
Hike at sunrise or sunset
I always recommend hiking at sunrise or sunset or both during your Mt Rainier wedding, for two reasons. One, you’ll experience blue hour and golden hour, making your photos absolutely stunning. The second reason I recommend you hike at sunrise or sunset is because there are typically less people out on the trails. You’ll receive more privacy, even if it is one of the more popular trails in the park.
Canoe on a lake
Whether you enjoy canoeing, kayaking or paddle boarding, taking one of these out on one of the many alpine lakes in and around the park would make an epic adventure during your Mt Rainier wedding day! Most of the lakes allow canoes, kayaks or paddle boards, but you’ll want to double check just to be sure (or better yet- hire a photographer who will double check this for you!).
Have a celebratory picnic
One way to create structure within your Mount Rainier wedding is to include a celebratory picnic in your day as an additional event! Celebratory picnics are great for taking a moment to slow down and be with your partner, enjoying time with friends and family, and of course fueling you for all your adventure wedding activities! There are incredible picnic areas throughout the park, I’ll get to those in a moment, that would make a stunning location for your celebratory meal!
Three Mt Rainier Wedding Venues you never thought of
Sunrise Visitor Center Picnic Area
The Sunrise Visitor Center Picnic Area would make the perfect Mt Rainier wedding venue. This is not your average picnic area! It’s expansive with tons of incredible pine trees and wildflowers surrounding you. The tables are large and seat around eight to ten people, with some tables grouped together making it easy to accommodate a group of 15+ people. Plus, each grouping of tables is tucked away in the trees making it feel super private.
Paradise Picnic Area
The Paradise Visitor Center Picnic Area is very similar to the Sunrise Visitor Center Picnic Area, just on the other side of the park. You can find groupings of picnic tables nestled in the pine trees, surrounded by wildflowers in the Summer. This would make an incredible Mt Rainier wedding venue if you are looking to include friends and family in your day or just enjoy a celebratory meal with your partner!
Group Campground Site
There are a ton of campgrounds in and around the park that would make a great Mt Rainier wedding venue location. You can rent one of the group campsites and use it as your wedding venue. The best part- there’s already picnic tables so no rentals needed and the beautiful forest floor leading you down the aisle as you say your I do’s, is pretty hard to beat!
Inspo from the Blog to Plan your own Wedding at Mt Rainier
Looking for more inspiration for your Mt Rainier wedding? Check out these blogs to help you start dreaming up your day in one of the most stunning National Parks in the US!
Planning your Mt Rainier wedding doesn’t have to feel overwhelming! I’m sharing everything to help with your Mt Rainier elopement, from a checklist, to my rental recommendations, and even an all-star list of vendors. Read this complete guide below, for a stunning Mt Rainier wedding!
A fall Mount Rainier wedding can truly be unpredictable in terms of weather… and when Maggie and Billy postponed their elopement day from February to October, I gave them all the possible weather scenarios that could occur due to the change in seasons. As luck would have it, we didn’t need to use any of our back up plans because they had the most beautiful fall day I have ever witnessed at Mount Rainier. Tap the button to see what I mean!
If you want to capture the spirit and beauty of the Pacific Northwest, there’s really no better choice than shooting your sunset engagement photos at Mt Rainier. With pretty much everything that makes the PNW so incredible- views of Mt Rainier, fields bursting with different colored wildflowers, and some of the best weather I’ve seen at Rainier, we really could not have asked for a better engagement session. Tap the button below for the best time to take sunset engagement photos at Mt Rainier, three things to keep in mind, and more. You’ll even learn about one of my favorite wildflowers of all time… the wild Dr. Seuss truffula flower (the official unofficial species name)!
Although I’d never call myself a morning person, nothing gets me out of bed faster than meeting my incredible couples for a sunrise elopement. And this sunrise elopement at Mount Rainier was definitely *so* worth getting up before the sun! In this blog post, I’m sharing everything you need to know to plan your dream sunrise elopement. From things to keep in mind about sunrise elopements, to what to make sure you pack, this blog will have you ready to jump out of bed before the sun comes up for your own sunrise adventure elopement in the mountains.
I’m convinced there is nothing more adorable than an a-frame cabin tucked away in the forest. If you agree, then you will love this blog about an intimate a-frame cabin wedding at Mount Rainier! If you don’t agree with me, read this blog because I’m sharing all of my tips for planning an a-frame cabin wedding, including my list of favorite a-frame cabins at Mount Rainier.
Meet your Mt Rainier Wedding Photographers
We feel most at home in the outdoors, so it’s no surprise that is where we gravitate towards as your Mt Rainier wedding 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 Mt Rainier wedding. Since 2018, we’ve grown our team and hired two incredible photographers (cue Dawn and Kass)! Dawn has been photographing elopements 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 Mt Rainier wedding! Kass was previously an outdoor recreation guide and knows all the best locations to adventure during your Mt Rainier wedding. 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 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 Mt Rainier wedding photographers!
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