Autumn Elopement at Tipsoo Lake, Mt. Rainier
M+N eloped at Mount Rainier on this beautiful fall day! We worked together to find the perfect spots for their all day adventure, including the perfect little cabin to get ready, spots in the woods including an epic waterfall, and a hike to get us into the mountains for their sunset vows.
Words from the couple
What are some of your favorite qualities in your partner? What keeps you falling in love with them?
N: M is definitely the opposite of me in lots of ways which is something I need. She's extremely organized, driven, and thorough...as you may have noticed. She also has a huge heart, is very caring. And she loves nature and adventuring as much as I do. Her appreciation for the small things in life is refreshing and helps to find joy in unusual places.
M: I love N’s sense of adventure and willingness to go into the unknown without overthinking anything. He is also my opposite in many ways, and I love how he meets me in the middle so we can leverage both of our qualities - we balance each other out so well. He is incredibly thoughtful and often goes out of his way to make me feel special and loved. I love his willingness to learn and to teach - we are constantly learning from each other and he is always interesting to learn about the things I'm nerding out on. I also love that he's an awesome dad to his two kids — it's so fun to see him with them. He is the hot rock to my lizard, and he let's me be my weird self. His beautiful baby blue eyes don't hurt :)
What are you most looking forward to about being married?
N: I'm excited to share every little bit of my life with her, and to grow old together.
M: I'm most looking forward to doing all the day-to-day stuff together, and knowing that I always have someone on my side that is going to support me and be my guidepost for life.
Why are you deciding to elope versus holding a big, traditional wedding?
We want our special day to be just for us. It's as simple as that!
Can you describe your overall "big picture" vision for your day?
We want our day to be relaxed, joyful, intimate, fun, and adventurous.
What moment of your elopement day are you most looking forward to?
N: The moment after we say "I do" and I get to be in an incredible location and see my wife for the first time.
M: I don't think I can pick just one thing... I'm looking forward to the entire experience
Imagine, it’s your wedding day, the sun is setting at Lake Tipsoo…
The groom chose these song lyrics to read aloud during the ceremony, before sharing his own handwritten vows.
You are a sight for aching eyes
A river for my thirst
When all the world is harsh and dry
Wasted by the curse
All words seem beggarly and poor
Then set to sing your grace
What could I've know of love before
My eyes had seen your face?
My love, how beautiful you are
My love is ever where you are
I know you fear the wounds of time
The wandering feet of crows
But I am yours and you are mine
And none but me can know
How all of you enraptures me
'Til I can't look away
I pray that I will live to see
You wear a crown of gray
My love, how beautiful you are
My love is ever where you are
And when you kiss me I am lost
Or is it that I'm found?
My feet send roots beneath the rocks
To fix me to the ground
Never to float away again
A captive to the tide
No more to wander in the wind
Without you by my side
My love, how beautiful you are
My love is ever where you are
“Of Crows and Crowns” — song by Dustin Kensrue (read to the bride by the groom during their ceremony)
(After the adventure…) How was your experience?
From the moment I stumbled upon the Wilderpines website, I knew in my heart that they were the right choice for our elopement in Mount Rainier National Park... and they only confirmed that with every step of the process.
Ashton & Tess were incredible throughout the planning phase of our elopement. We had multiple touchpoints/meetings (including an in-person meeting at their studio in Seattle to finalize all the details) with them where they helped us plan every single detail of our day. The elopement planner google doc they provided was so helpful in planning and organizing every aspect of our elopement. They were on top of all the nuances of an adventure elopement and kept us up-to-date on those nuances, including national park rules and requirements, road and weather conditions, leave no trace principles, contingency plans, and more. As adventure elopement planners, Wilderpines is top notch and exceeded our expectations.
Our elopement day experience with was above and beyond. Ashton & Tess are a fantastic team and worked well together to capture the incredible scenery, the love between my husband and I, and all the small details that made our day special. It truly felt like we were on an adventure with friends (that just so happen to be incredible photographers). They kept track of all the details, the big and little things, to make sure our elopement went as smoothly as possible. They expertly guided us through our day to keep us happy and stress-free, which allowed us to soak up every moment together. While our day was structured with a timeline, it also allowed flexibility for us to do what felt right in the moment. We made a few changes for our ceremony location along the way on our elopement hike, and Ashton and Tess were there to help strategize and make sure we could get those epic ceremony shots right as the sun was tucking behind Mount Rainier. It was everything we wanted for our wedding day and more.
Ashton officiated our ceremony and worked with us throughout the planning process to develop a ceremony script that was tailored to us and included all the things that were important to us. It was perfect.
[The photos] blew us away. And we’re obsessed with the poster and postcard elopement announcements that Ashton designed! I am completely in awe of our wedding photos, and I'm SO glad we followed our hearts for our wedding day.
Trip report
Date: October 4
Location: Tipsoo Lake, Mount Rainier National Park
Elevation: 5,850 ft
Weather & conditions:
Guest count: 0 — just the couple!
Miles hiked: 4.5 miles
Where they stayed: Cedar & Pine A-frame in Packwood, WA
Hair & makeup: Black Fern Beauty
Private chef: Miere Catering
Photography, planning, officiating, & decor: Wilderpines Elopements — that’s us! (Seattle-based, serving all of Washington state)
THINKING OF ELOPING IN WASHINGTON?
Washington state, in my opinion, is hands down one of the best places in the world for an adventure elopement. Whether you want snow-capped mountains, mossy rainforests, gorgeous coastlines, meadows blooming with colorful wildflowers or desert canyons—the Evergreen state has got it all. If you want to elope in Washington, these are a few things to know and take into consideration beforehand, and how to get started planning!
HOW TO START PLANNING YOUR WASHINGTON ELOPEMENT
STEP 1: DO SOME RESEARCH
Hey look at that, you’re already ahead of the game! The first step in planning an elopement is to do research, and that usually starts with locations. And if you know you want to elope in Washington, you’re already ahead of the game!
Once you have a general idea of what you want, you can start to get ideas for all the rest of what your elopement may entail: travel, hiking trails, elopement-day activities, ceremony ideas, and so on. It’s also a great chance to brainstorm and explore!
STEP 2: CONNECT WITH A PLANNER & PHOTOGRAPHER WHO KNOWS THE AREA, AND PICK A DATE
I recommend hiring your photographer early on in the planning process because a great photographer is so much more than a camera person—they’re also a wealth of knowledge!
You want someone who knows the area (psst, that’s us!) and who can help you find the perfect location and give you valuable insight into the area, and help you with all the logistics like travel, timelines, marriage law, and permits, provide recommendations for other vendors and activities—plus tips for what else to do and see on your elopement trip!
A few tips on finding a photographer and picking a date:
LOOK LOCAL: I recommend looking for someone local to the area you want to elope, since they’ll know the ins and outs of that specific region.
GO WITH A SPECIALIST: Look for someone who specializes in adventure elopements (like us). There is so much more logistically involved with an adventure elopement than a big wedding or a photoshoot, and you’ll want someone with the right expertise and knowledge, plus the proper gear and outdoors experience to be as prepared and safe as possible.
TIMING & SEASONS: Even if you don't have an exact date, having a season or time of year in mind is helpful when you start looking for your photographer—but if you’re still unsure, we’re happy to help steer you in the right direction and find what’s best for you.
PICKING A DATE: Weekends can be overwhelmingly crowded pretty much anywhere you go in the region, especially in the busy season (April through October), so I highly recommend picking a weekday for your elopement. You’ll end up with less crowds and a far more intimate experience.
TIP FROM A PRO: If you have a specific photographer in mind that you’re dreaming of working with, I recommend coming to them with a flexible date range for a better chance of securing a booking with them!
Our packages are pretty darn-near all-inclusive and come with planning services, officiating services, gear and decoration rentals (what we call “outfitting”), even videography and custom elopement announcement postcard design. We also offer 35mm and 8mm film!
STEP 3: NARROW DOWN THE DETAILS
After you’ve got a date, a location, and a photographer/planner, you can start to book the rest of your vendors and get into the nitty gritty details. Make sure you’ve got an officiant lined up (psst, we’re ordained and include officiant services with all our packages!), hire your other vendors, research marriage laws and apply for your marriage license, apply for your permit (if applicable), book your travel and accommodations, get together a packing list, and craft your timeline so your elopement day can go off without a hitch.
We can also help you navigate the ins and outs of elopement logistics and provide you with personalized recommendations for vendors and more so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed with all the planning.
A few logistical notes:
FINDING AN OFFICIANT: You will need a licensed officiant for your elopement adventure. Great news: we’re all ordained, and we offer complimentary officiant services with all of our elopement packages!
MARRIAGE LAW: Once you apply for your marriage license (which you can do online), there is a 3 day waiting period before you can go have your ceremony. When it comes time for your ceremony, you will also need two witnesses to sign your marriage license. If you to learn more about finding witnesses and navigating marriage law for your elopement, read our blog post about that here!
PERMITS: Depending on where in Washington you want to elope, you will most likely need a permit. National parks in Washington require permits even for small elopements, as do some of the national forests, depending on the logistics and size of your elopement. Contact the office in charge of your location to find out what if any permits are necessary, and what the steps are to apply.
STEP 4: PACK YOUR BAG, GET OUT THERE, AND HAVE THE BEST ELOPEMENT DAY EVER!
HEY THERE, WE’RE
WILDERPINES ELOPEMENTS
Creating wildly intentional & intimate adventure elopements for rad couples in the PNW
We’re here to inspire you and help you create a unique, intentional, unforgettable wedding experience that reflects who you are, then to capture it all so you can relive those moments forever.
If you’re dreaming of an adventure elopement in the Evergreen state, get in touch and let’s make some magic!
PHOTO | PLANNING | OFFICIATING | OUTFITTING | VIDEO | & MORE
ALL-INCLUSIVE ELOPEMENT PACKAGES IN WASHINGTON STATE