Intimate Mountain Elopement with a Breathtaking View
Oh, it’s nothing… just a twig in my eye. (But if it’s between you and me, this intimate mountain elopement in the Pacific Northwest is the culprit.) Emily and Austin kept their special day on the DL and wouldn’t have had it any other way. Raw emotion just pours from these photos by 28 North Photography, and when you get to the crux of a day like this, you see that that’s what it’s really about. Be prepared for some breathtaking bird’s eye views + a couple waterfalls too! But most of all, brace yourself for E + A’s cuteness overload.
How did you decide to elope?
From the bride Emily: After dating for over 6 years, choosing to elope was an easy decision for us. We never loved the idea of having a wedding, in the traditional sense. The tedious planning. The family drama. The mediocre results. We’ve seen it all too many times in the lives of our friends and family. Doing a traditional ceremony was never on the table for us. Being that my family lives in Washington State, and Austin’s family lives in Florida, the decision to elope was made even easier. After wrestling with a few different options, planning an intimate elopement in the Pacific Northwest with a few good friends was everything we could have hoped for.
How did you find the location?
From the groom Austin: Emily spent the first nineteen years of her life in Washington State, which made our search for locations pretty easy. She was familiar with most of the spots that we went, which made planning our elopement remotely from Florida much easier than it could have been. However, finding the prime spot for our actual ceremony was something we put a lot of thought into. We did our research, consulted family friends who had hiked our prospect locations, and even looked at weather patterns. We finally settled on Rattlesnake Ledge; a massive rock face overlooking the crystal clear Rattlesnake Lake in the heart of the Snoqualmie River Valley. Traversing the two-mile hike before sunrise provided a breathtaking sunrise ceremony that was even more moving than we imagined it would be.
How do you feel about eloping now?
We kept our elopement plans a secret from everyone who was not involved in our small ceremony. Eloping was something we had talked about for years, but our adventure only took about three months to plan. In the process, we also wanted to be respectful of our parents. This seems to be the tension that most couples we talk to have with the idea of eloping. Giving them a few weeks notice, we shared the exciting news with our parents and shared the heart behind our plans. Our elopement was never meant to disrespect family or tradition. It was simply the most memorable and intimate way that we could imagine committing our lives to each other. We wouldn’t change it for the world. We are so content with our decision to elope! No drama, no stress, and a truly spiritual encounter with creation. We made the start of our marriage our own and we are so thankful for the experience. We cannot wait to share our memories with those we love for years to come. Elope. You won’t regret it.
Wedding Vendors:
Photography: 28 North Photography
Bride’s Dress: Forever 21
Groom’s Shirt: H&M
Groom’s Jeans: Levi
Bride and Groom’s Shoes: Red Wing Shoes