The Ultimate Guide for Eloping in the Mountains in Washington | Best Mountain Elopement Locations in WA State | Washington Mountain Elopement Photographers

Why Washington Has the Best Mountains for Elopements

Washington is one of the most mountainous states in the U.S. and with over 3,167 named mountains to choose from, we aren’t just biased when we say that Washington has the best mountains for elopements in the country. From the well-known summit of Mt. Rainier to lesser known peaks like Chimney Rock, Washington state is filled with a variety of mountainous landscapes, each as beautiful and unique as the next. No two mountains are the same and with abundant trails and activities, you will never run out of options to explore for your adventure elopement.

As elopement photographers, we love capturing photos of couples who are intentional about planning a day that is true to them and focused on their love. You can read more of our general adventure elopement planning and resource tips or explores some of the Best Places to Elope in Washington here but in this post, we are going to focus specifically on how to plan a mountaintop adventure elopement.

Things to Consider When Eloping on a Mountain

One of the biggest and first decisions you are going to need to make when planning a mountaintop elopement is which mountain you want to elope on. We will show you some of our favorite locations later on in the post, but this initial decision is one that will require a little bit of research, and answering the questions below can help you determine which Washington mountain will best suit your needs.

How far do you want to hike?

The great thing about Washington mountains is that there are many trails of all types of length and difficulty, so we will have no problem finding the perfect hiking trail for your elopement. Do you want a short walk or are you up for a longer hike? Depending on your preference, we can find a trail that meets your needs.

All Trails is a handy website tool and app that lets you search hikes around the country and filter according to length and difficulty levels. You can see photos and average hiking times as well, so this is definitely a handy tool to use during your research process.

Will you have guests?

This may also be a factor in determining the length and difficulty of your hike as well as understanding which locations you can hold the ceremony due to park restrictions and permits. If you have older or young guests you may want to hold your ceremony at an easily accessible location to help accommodate. We can always go on a longer adventure hike for your couple portraits before or after your ceremony.

The number of guests in attendance will also play a part in which locations are available for you to choose from. Most national parks require wedding permits and limit or provide guidelines around the number of guests that can be in attendance, but don’t worry, as your elopement photographers, we will be with you every step of the way to ensure you have all the necessary information to plan your Washington mountain elopement.

What scenery do you have in mind?

This is where the fun part of the planning really begins! Do you have an idea in mind of how you want your day to look? Maybe you envision a lake in the background, or a lush field of wildflowers, and of course you want a mountain! All these are factors that play a part in choosing the best location for your mountaintop elopement.

Oftentimes, people think of how high a mountain is when choosing a mountain elopement location however, there are some additional things we like to consider such as the range, shape and valleys of the mountain and surrounding areas. The surrounding scenery oftentimes makes for some of the most beautiful photos and when you start to combine all of these factors together you can really see just how small we are compared to the rest of nature!

What time of year are you planning on eloping?

Time of year can play a huge part in how your Washington mountain elopement photos will look. For example, some mountain trails are frozen until late summer so you might need to be flexible when it comes to making sure we can get the optimal weather for the beautiful location you pick.

Our favorite time of year for mountain elopements is July - September as you can hike up anywhere you want with snow-free trails. The wildflowers are also stunning this time of year (see what we are talking about on this beautiful elopement.)

March - May and October - November provide that classic PNW mood with overcast / rainy weather that makes for the most epic moody elopements.

And, of course, November - February will give you the most magical snowy winter wonderland elopement vibes.

Things to Bring To Your Mountain Elopement

Hiking on it’s own is a great adventure, but hiking for your elopement is an even greater adventure and there are some items you will want to bring with you in addition to your other elopement items so you are well-prepared for the hike.

In the mountains, temperature can be varied. The temperature at the bottom of the mountain will not be the same 2 or 3 miles up the mountain so it’s best to check the weather the morning of your elopement and be prepared with extra layers to change into as needed.

As your elopement photographers we always do our best to come prepared with the essentials for your adventure elopement, but the below is a list of items you will want to consider bringing with you as well.

Elopement Hiking Essentials

Snacks and drinks
Hiking Boots / Shoes
Hiking Backpack
First Aid Kit
Handwarmers
Umbrellas
Skin colored leggings

The Ultimate Best Mountain Locations to Elope in Washington

Washington is filled with so many epic mountain ranges and locations that it’s hard to only pick a few, but here are some of our favorite mountain locations in Washington.

Mount Rainier

No mountain location list is complete without mentioning Mt Rainier. Not only is this mountain an icon for Washington state, but it is also an active volcano! It spans five major rivers and is surrounded by lush wildflower meadows and forests so there is an abundance of stunning locations to see around this iconic mountain!

Want to elope at Mt Rainier? Check out our blog on How to Elope at Mount Rainier National Park for more inspiration.

Olympic Mountains

Located on the western side of the state, the Olympic Mountains is home to the 7,980 Mount Olympus summit. Located off the Pacific Ocean, Olympic National Park is not only filled with miles and miles of beaches but it is also full of ranges that are filled with peaks, meadows, glaciers and lakes overlooking the ocean. With panoramic views like Hurricane Ridge, this mountain range is not one to be missed!

Interested in learning more about what it’s like to elope in the Olympic Mountains? Check out our blog post on How to Plan an Olympic National Park Elopement.

Cascade Range

This vast mountain range is not just limited to Washington state; it spans all the way from Canada through Washington and Oregon into Northern California, making it the ultimate PNW mountain range! This range includes well-known mountains like Mt Rainier, Mt Adams, Mt Hood and Mt Shasta. Outside of these towering peaks, this range includes cascading waterfalls, alpine lakes and forests.

Fun fact, Peak Visor states that “The Cascades are part of the Pacific Northwest section of the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a ring of volcanoes and associated mountain ranges that contains 75% of the planets active and dormant volcanoes.”

For all your questions on How to Elope in the North Cascades, check out our North Cascades National Park Elopement Guide!

Leavenworth

Nestled in the middle of numerous mountain ranges, one of the cutest German towns in Washington is Leavenworth. Outside of serving great bratwursts, this town is also home to some of the best hiking trails in Washington! No matter which difficulty or duration you are looking for Leavenworth is sure to have it! From backpacking to the alpine lakes in the Stuart Range to skiing, snowboarding or mountain biking in the Wenatchee Mountains, this area is full of adventure!

Leave No Trace

What Is “Leave No Trace” and Why Should We Care About It?

As experts in adventure elopement photography, we care a whole lot about “Leave No Trace”, which is where we go on adventures for photos but also making sure we leave things the way they are by doing our parts to preserve the beauty of nature. Here are some things we do and expect our couples to do (not limiting to):

Stay on trails
Not climbing over fences, roped off areas, or places with visibly signs of “Do Not Trespass”
No meadow stomping
No confetti inside National Park (doesn’t matter if they are bio-degradable or not): Each National Park has their own living organisms, plants, animals, etc… By us leaving things behind, we can harm these living organism. Bio-degradable confetti takes a while to degrade and might need rain or water to speed up that process. In the meantime, other animals might still be able to ingest them. If you are thinking about confetti, we can do so at your cabin (if allowed)

Washington Mountain Elopement Packages

Are you ready to start planning your Washington Mountain Elopement? Check out our elopement experience page to learn more about what it’s like to elope with us.

All packages will include:

Document THE REAL YOU by Henry or Sergio:

From multiple phone calls and meetings to customized questionnaires, our goal is to get to know you so we can document what’s real and important
What kind of views are you in love with? Who’s going to be there with you? Do you have a fur baby and is the fur baby going to be there? These are some of many more questions we will ask in order to help plan + photograph

Unlimited Guides and Resources: