Mount Baker Elopement

Washington State has so many beautiful locations, it’s always difficult to decide where to elope. When this couple first contacted me, they knew they wanted to elope somewhere with a “beautiful backdrop” but weren’t sure where. They loved hiking in the mountains and were interested in one of the many National Parks in Washington. They also wanted to include their fur baby in their special day.

I delivered a 60-page document to them with many elopement location options – different mountain ranges, different lengths and difficulties of hikes and a variety of landscapes. Not all National Parks and trails let you bring your dog, so that limited the options. No less than an hour after receiving the list of locations, they responded…we want to have a Mount Baker Elopement!!  With amazing views of both Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan, this elopement location is one of the most epic in the Pacific Northwest.

Intentional Elopement Details

The couple met in Seattle and had been together for over 3 years before they decided to get married.  They were originally supposed to get married in St Thomas but decided to begin building their life together in Washington. 

Their Mount Baker Elopement was extremely meaningful. Everything had a particular significance or tie in with their family and cultural backgrounds. They also intentionally worked with Women-owned and BIPOC businesses as much as possible for their wedding.

• Bella is not just their pet, but she’s an extremely important part of their family. They wanted to make sure she was part of the ceremony, so she carried the rings and was in all of the pictures.
• The bride’s floral bouquet included aspects of their upbringings…flowers that represented the plains of Illinois and the rustic elements of Montana.
• Their best friends served as the officiant and dog caretaker, as well as the witnesses for their marriage license.
• They enjoyed their picnic on a Native American blanket representing the Maori and Salish communities. The Groom is part of the Salish people, so this was an important tribute. The blanket features a thunderbird boarded by patterns representing the Salish and Maori communities. The thunderbird is typically a symbol of power and strength in Native communities across the Salish Sea area as well as the Plains, where the Groom’s people are from.
• The bride surprised the groom with a beautifully engraved compass. It had their names on it for North and South.  It symbolized their theme for the day….“Our Adventure Begins”.

Picture Lake Ceremony

The snow was very late to melt in 2020, so the road to Artist Point wasn’t open at its usual time. The couple chose to hold their ceremony at Picture Lake with the iconic Mount Shuksan in the background. You can’t go wrong with any location you choose to elope in Mount Baker and the North Cascades.

If you want to elope here, you do need to request a Special Use Permit. The process is easy, but it’s important to do because the National Forest needs to know who is in the area and will also provide you with important rules and regulations and current conditions.

The couple chose not to have family members present. However, they were still there in spirit and on video.  I collected video messages from family members in advance and put the recordings together in a video. The couple watched the video messages after their ceremony.  It was probably my favorite part of the entire day. I had watched the videos many times by then, so I enjoyed watching the couple’s reaction to each message and how they held and supported each other through them all.

Mount Baker Elopement Adventures Continue

We then moved to another location and did a short hike to a spot where we shared cupcakes and the most epic champagne celebration I’ve ever experienced.  I was cleaning champagne off my camera and jacket for days! (LOL)

Their elopement didn’t end there. We walked along an alpine lake to a waterfall and then I had them spend some quality time together on a bridge over the lake where they watched the sun set on their Mount Baker Elopement.

Mount Baker Elopement Vendors

Dress:  Blue Sky Bridal Seattle

Cake:  Cupcakes by KJ’s Cakery Bakery

Picnic: Goodness Graziers on Mercer Island

Florals:  Mercer Island Florists

Hair & Makeup:  Alex Juel with Glitter and Gloss Beauty

Blanket: Native American blanket by 8th Gen, a Native American owned & operated store in Pike Place. The blanket itself was actually handmade by the owner of 8th Gen, Louie Gong.

Photography:  Outshined Photography (me)

Featured on Wandering Weddings

This elopement is featured in the Wandering Weddings guide on “How to Plan a Micro Wedding and Ideas to Help you Plan One”.

Testimonial from Couple

“During our elopement with Stacy it felt as though we were the only two people on Earth. With her at the helm it felt as though we got to carve out a whole day for ourselves & our best friends as witnesses where the rest of the world just faded away. We didn’t have to stress or to plan anything out. Stacy did all of the leg work, we were able to customize what we wanted and on the day of- we just showed up. We made sure to look dapper, and trusted her to capture us & our love; she delivered more than we could have hoped. 

Changing our plans to an elopement felt like the best of both worlds. We didn’t have to worry about the drunk uncle or whom might get along with whom & what people might think of our first dance song or the venue. We got to focus on us & celebrate just us. We’ll plan a celebration with family & close friends at a later date, when it’s safe to do so & we can worry about all that then. However, it feels a whole lot less stressful knowing we’re already married & that we got to spend a whole day with just us & our photographer capturing our love on film. We don’t have any drama stories behind our photos, just laughs and happy tears. 

Our advice to other couples-elope & have Stacy/Outshined Photography as your photographer. You get to have the day you’ve dreamed of without any of the drama.” ~ L&D

I am Stacy – your Washington Elopement Photographer

Do you love having new adventures together as a couple? Then what better way to start your life together than adventuring on your own terms on your wedding day.

I am here to help you work through the details, envision your special day, find the perfect location and activities, and then be there to make it happen! My approach as a photographer is to capture those loving moments that you will want to remember forever. I keep things light and fun.

I am also ordained! So, if you need someone to perform your ceremony, I’ve got you covered.

I believe that eloping is the most authentic way to start your life together. If you’re looking for a photographer to be your biggest supporter and help you have a stress-free day, then you’ve found her!