Michael and Diana’s Elopement Adventure Filled with Fog, Rain, and Wind in Cascades, WA

Michael and Diana journeyed from Missouri to Washington for their dream mountain elopement. Despite perfect weather the day before, their wedding day brought fog, rain, and wind, hiding the stunning views of Mt. Baker and the North Cascades. They didn’t let the weather ruin their perfect day and instead exchanged vows under umbrellas, embracing the true beauty of their Pacific Northwest adventure. Get all the details below.

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About This Elopement

Photography by Sea to Summit Photography

“Michael and Diana traveled all the way from Missouri to have their dream elopement in the mountains in Washington. The day before their wedding day was stunning, with the weather around 70 degrees and just the slushy snow to deal with. As beautiful as Washington is, their wedding day was filled with fog, rain, and wind! The visibility was less than a mile, hiding Mt. Baker, Shuksan, and the North Cascade range away from view. This didn’t stop them from braving the rain and having a beautiful ceremony where Mt Baker would be. They pulled out their umbrellas, read a few verses from their treasured Bibles, and said their vows.

We bailed on the idea of a sunset picnic outside and went instead to one of my favorite picnic shelters where we strung some lights around the shelter, lit a fire, and popped some champagne. They were able to dance under the twinkle of the lights with the rain softly hitting the shelter. It was a PNW elopement through and through!

We did a trek to Leavenworth the next day and had the couple put on their wedding gear one more time to capture some portraits with mountain views! I didn’t want them to leave without them seeing some of Washington’s mountains before heading back south.” [Doug, the photographer]

Check out our North Cascades elopement guide.

Permits and LNT

“Although Artist Point is on Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, LNT principles always apply to any trail. There is no special use permit required, however we did have to make a reservation for the picnic shelter we used for part of their reception and post-wedding ceremony location. For Leave No Trace Principles, it was super important to carry a map with me at all times as the trail was still covered in snow. However, you never know what is just underneath that snow and practicing correct route following was important to keep the wildlife beautiful and make sure everyone is safe. Always be sure to carry out anything you bring in!” [Doug, the photographer]

Learn how to leave no trace during your elopement adventure. 

Top Tips for Couple Eloping in Washington

“For couples looking to elope in the North Cascades and Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest area is to always be ready for inclement weather and backup locations! Because the Artist Point area is so far north in Washington, the snow will melt much later than other national parks such as Mt Rainier and Olympic National Park.

Roads to Artist Point often don’t open until early July and will still have lots of snow. Wildfires are an unfortunate thing we have been noticing which is why it’s good to have some backup elopement locations. The ideal time to elope here if you want little to no snow and a better chance of good weather is to elope in August or September! Artist Point gets many visitors each year, so my last tip is to try to elope during the weekday to minimize crowds!” [Doug, the photographer]

Memorable Moments From This Elopement

From the photographer:

“I loved how they did some axe throwing before heading over to their wedding location. I also loved how they immediately lit up once we got a fire going, wrapped them in blankets, and let them truly soak in their day. The way they melted into one another really showed how special the day was despite the weather impacting their outdoor plans. I couldn’t let them get back to Missouri without seeing ANY Washington mountains, so we trekked to Leavenworth where they were greeted with warm sunny weather and some beautiful cascade mountains. Their look of awe and wonder was another highlight of this day.”

Details We Love

“I loved how they brought their Bibles and read some scripture to one another during their wedding ceremony. No vow books were needed as they had everything they wanted to say to one another during their ceremony. I also loved the contrast between their getting-ready shoes at their AirBnB and their wedding ceremony shoes!” [Doug, the photographer]

Final Words of Advice

“Truly embrace what Mother Nature brings to your wedding day! Whether that is beautiful, clear skies, or a downpour of rain, your wedding day will be just as magical, beautiful, and memorable. Having backup locations to keep the party and day going is a must to have an incredible day though. Plus, rain on your wedding day is good luck I hear! Not that these two need it, they were made for each other.” [Doug, the photographer]

Learn how to elope here. 

Vendors

Photography | Sea to Summit Photography

Cake | The Sweet Side 
Hair and Makeup | EM Bridal Team

Photos From This Elopement