If any couple was worth waking up before the crack of dawn, it was Rachel and Ben! Their sunrise Mt. Rainier lake elopement was absolutely amazing, and not just because this is one of my favorite PNW elopement locations. I had the privilege of providing them with both photo and Super 8mm video documentation of their day, so I can’t wait for you to view their elopement in both formats!

Rachel and Ben’s sunrise Mt. Rainier Lake elopement

Rachel & Ben had the most adventurous spirit, which made them fit right in with the PNW. They’re originally from Florida and decided to travel all the way across the country to elope here! Nothing would stop them from having the sunrise mountain elopement of their dreams. Because they’re not from Oregon, they entrusted me with choosing the perfect spot for them to tie the knot. They booked me when they had absolutely no plan, so I was able to be a part of the entire process! I love helping my couples curate the perfect, most intentional elopement day possum;e. I encouraged them to brainstorm some ideas that would be special for them, and the concepts they came up with were adorable. You’ll get to see those ideas come to life a little later on in the blog!

Rachel and Ben kept their Mt. Rainier lake elopement pretty simple, focusing on the epic location where they were getting married. When they flew into Seattle, they stopped at Pike’s Place and picked up a bouquet from the market and all of their elopement meal ingredients. They completely embraced getting married in such a special location and tried to include as many locally-sourced details as possible. I’d say they did a pretty great job!

Exploring Mt. Rainier

On the day of their Mt. Rainier lake elopement, we met at our designated spot in the early hour of 5:00 in the morning. With their lanterns in hand, we walked to the lake, where they planned on exchanging their vows & rings. Their gentle but deep love for each other really shone through in their ceremony, and at that moment, my heart swelled with joy just soaking in those special moments between them! After they officially became husband and wife, we explored Mt. Rainier in the soft sunrise glow. Their wonder at exploring the PNW was one of my favorite things to witness and reminded me just how lucky I am to call this place home.

At around 7:00 a.m., we started the trek back to their A-frame cabin. Of course, we had to stop at the Mt. Rainier sign to take photos on the way! Once we arrived back at their Airbnb, Rachel & Ben made heart-shaped waffles and drank Irish coffee out of personalized Mt. Rainier mugs. They purchased these mugs specifically for their elopement day, personalized with their names and wedding date! How cute! While they ate their waffles, I got some photos of their details before they cut their cake and exchanged gifts. Every aspect of their elopement day was well thought out, and their activities perfectly emulated their love for each other!

Words from the Newlyweds:

“Sarah took our sunrise mount rainier elopement photos while her boyfriend Dakota filmed with super 8. Both were so sweet and talented!! They were so laid back and easy to talk to and made our special day fun and stress-free, not to mention the amazing photos! We were worried about looking awkward or being stressed on our wedding day by a photographer trying to direct us but everything was so fun and natural, it just felt like we were having the private romantic ceremony we wanted with someone helping us along the way to capture the special moments. Could not recommend Sarah Olivia Photo more highly!!”

-Rachel & Ben

Note:

When eloping it’s very important to follow Leave No Trace guidelines. I’m very passionate about photographing in these beautiful places, specifically in this case Mt Rainier, while simultaneously respecting the land. We all need to do our part in preserving these locations for future generations. For starters, at all of my elopements we take care to stay on the trails in a National Park like this.

Ready to plan your Mt. Rainier lake elopement?

No matter where you’re located, I would love to help you plan the Mt. Rainier lake elopement of your dreams. To inquire about me documenting your day, you can fill out my contact form, and I’ll get back to you within 48 hours! To get the planning process started, you can visit my Pinterest profile for all the best PNW elopement inspiration, tips, and tricks. I can’t wait to chat with you!