Summer Sunrise Elopement in Mt. Baker

We instantly connected with Rachel and Zach even before their day! We had so much in common including our love for backpacking, travel, and coffee. Rachel and her Mom had already visited and hiked around the Mt. Baker area the year before, so they were both so excited to share these beautiful mountains with Zach and the rest of the family too! Already being experienced with backpacking and sunrise hikes, Rachel and Zach opted to do a short hike with us at sunrise to have more privacy.

You never know what kind of visibility or weather you’ll get out here, but August is usually the best chance at a clear sunrise or sunset! And wow, we really did get a crystal-clear morning! They both got dressed separately, had their first look, and then exchanged vows right as the sun was about to rise. We were all blown away by the warm sunrise and the light cascading literally on all of the mountains around us. After exploring for photos, we did a Rachel and Zach tradition of setting up their backpacking chairs and eating pop tarts! Ryan even boiled water for them so Rachel could have her coffee and Zach could have a hot chocolate!

Rachel and Zach spent the afternoon at their cabin relaxing with family before their early evening ceremony. Everyone was so excited and blown away by the views! They kept their formal ceremony short and simple with Rachel’s brother there to officiate. They snuck away from family after lots of hugs and sweet moments to have a private first dance in the mountains. We stayed farther back and gave them space alone to be themselves and enjoy the moment. After a few tears and hugs, we headed out on another trail to enjoy Mt. Baker for sunset.

The final few photos of this gallery are so meaningful for Rachel and Zach (and for us too). We just gave them space to enjoy the final moments of the sunset without any interruptions from us. It’s so important for us to be mindful of how we impact your day with our presence. And often moments can be so much more meaningful when our couples just have some quiet time alone to watch the last light of alpenglow.

These are not just photos–these are memories. Often times our couples’ favorite photos have a lot to do with how they felt at that moment with all of their emotions and reflections of the day coming together all at once. It was a beautiful way to finish the day and we can’t thank these two enough for giving us the privilege to guide them through such a special chapter in their lives together.

Elopement Tips:

Having two photographers is really helpful for doing first looks. It’s a very exciting and nervous moment and we’re able to be with each of you and guide you through that moment! It also makes coordinating a lot easier too.
Have a tradition when you go backpacking or traveling? Incorporate it into your day! Poptarts were a really important tradition they developed together while backpacking. It just makes the day extra special.
Make sure to have moments alone to just enjoy each other and the moment. It can be easy to get caught up in the events of the day or taking photos. We’ll always guide you to have moments alone without interruptions from us to give you time to enjoy each other.