Coleman and I had the absolute honor of documenting Nicole and Jeff’s Mt. Rainier National Park adventure elopement with both still photography and videography . It was right in the heart of peak wildflower season in August!
Mt. Rainier is unequivocally and eternally awe-inspiring
in each of the four Washington seasons.
There is something extra magical about the sea of rainbow colors that take over the meadows in the fleeting few weeks of wildflower season though!
(Please practice Leave No Trace (LNT) ethics and never step off trail or pick wildflowers. We are ALWAYS on trail and often use low angles so the trails aren’t visible, but we never step off trail because of the extremely fragile ecosystem of the park! We value the parks and meadows immensely and want to be able to enjoy them for so many decades to come!)
First, early in the afternoon of their Half-Day Elopement Adventure, we kicked off the excitement by stopping by their cabin for:
- Detail photos
- Getting ready photos (dress from The Wedding Bell! https://www.theweddingbell.com/)
- An exquisite charcuterie board picnic (courtesy of Crisp Greens Tacoma https://www.crispgreens.co/)
- A beautiful cake cutting (Spilled Butter Desserts https://www.spilledbutterdesserts.com/)
- An emotional first look
- A snuggle on the hammock to center themselves and reflect before heading up to the mountain to exchange vows!
Next, Nicole hiked up the entire way in her dress (something that we only recommend for certain locations!) with her bouquet attached to her pack. Can you believe she made that bouquet herself?! She is an incredible florist who has had some of the most envy-evoking gardens. This made it all the more special that these two were able to experience such a gorgeous day during peak wildflower season!
It was so fun seeing some hikers along the way and hearing them all congratulate Jeff and Nicole! Tahoma (Mount Rainier’s native name) was looking her best for us. The light during golden hour for their *just us* love-filled intimate ceremony, was dreamy and glowy perfection!
Without reservation, Nicole and Jeff left behind the stresses of a big traditional wedding filled with rules, expectations and obligations, and did something for just the two of them. And isn’t that what a wedding day should be all about?!.
No limits. No boundaries.
They chose to be authentic, intentional and just plain badass! And there’s a whole lot of freedom that comes with saying, “Yes!” to your dream.
After their *just us* ceremony, we explored the trails and meadows around Mt. Rainier with unforgettable views of the Tatoosh Range. After the sun set, and we enjoyed the pastels of the sky during the blue hour, we then used beautiful lanterns on the hike back in the dark to the parking lot to sign their marriage license and make it officially official!
We are so excited that Nicole and Jeff’s Mt. Rainier wildflower adventure elopement has also been featured on Wandering Weddings! https://wanderingweddings.com/ashford-wildflower-elopement/
If you are planning an adventure elopement, we would absolutely love to hear from you and help you plan your absolute dream day! https://www.thecrawfordsphotography.com/contact/
