These two are some of my very favorite people and closest friends, so when Angela mentioned eloping, I was on board immediately. Matt was going to be deployed, so it made sense to have a little intimate ceremony before he left. Lucky for them, I’m ordained, and they had already chosen the perfect location near Mt. Adams for a sweet little elopement!
Who: Angela & Matt
What: Mt. Adams Elopement
When: August 27, 2021
Where: Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mt. Adams
Why: Matt was getting ready for his deployment, so eloping just made sense!
Not Your Typical Wedding Day…
We started off the morning of this elopement in probably the strangest way ever… by taking engagement photos. Since these two are still planning on hosting a big wedding celebration in the future, they still needed to get some engagement photos done!
We headed to a beautiful location in the Columbia River Gorge for a sunrise session and then grabbed breakfast at Bette’s. Later in the day, I helped Angela with her hair, and then we caravanned up to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
Angela & Matt chose an amazing meadow to host their ceremony, and normally it has an incredible view of Mt. Adams. Unfortunately, the clouds kept the mountain covered, but luckily the meadow on its own was beautiful. And we plan on heading back to the same spot for a day after session following their big wedding celebration!
Like most elopements, the vows and ceremony were done pretty quickly, so we got to spend a good amount of time taking pictures and sharing champagne!
It’s so crazy that people let me officiate their weddings, but goodness gracious how cool is that? Elopements are always so special to be a part of, so if you’re looking for a photographer to document an intimate elopement, you just let me know.
Advice from the Bride
“Definitely listen to your heart regarding what you want for your day. Everyone will have opinions and ideas but it is YOUR day. I almost didn’t elope because I was worried about people’s feelings and what others wanted but i wouldn’t change it for the world.”
On choosing Mt. Adams for the elopement: “I loved the location because it has great views , an open prairie, off grid, and was very quiet and intimate. Which is exactly what we wanted. It had great PNW vibes and great camping around for a small mini moon.”
Eloping at Mt. Adams
Mt. Adams is such an underrated place to host your elopement. Most couples opt for an elopement around Mt. Hood, but it’s hard to find locations around Hood that aren’t crowded. Go ahead and type “Mt. Hood Elopement” into google… SO many articles.
Now try “Mt. Adams Elopement”. While you’ll still see a lot of articles, they’re titled “Where to Elope in Washington State”. I’m writing this in 2022 though, so who knows, maybe by the time you’re reading this Mt. Adams elopements have really blown up…
If you’re not sure where to even start while planning an elopement, I’d recommend checking out one of these spots:
For information regarding permits at Mt. Adams, check here. If you just have a small group gathering for non-commercial purposes, then you won’t need a permit, but if you’re paying any vendor to be a part of your elopement (photographer, officiant, etc), you will need one.
Airbnbs Near Mt. Adams
If you’re interested in setting up an elopement in Mt. Adams territory, holler at me here! I can help you find the perfect location and help with timeline planning.
And here’s a little bit of elopement inspo!
Elopement Tips
My best advice for planning an elopement is to focus on what makes the day representative of you as a couple! These two love to explore the Gifford Pinchot National Forest together, so the location was perfect for their elopement. And afterwards they shared a little mini-moon at the campground and around Mt. Adams!
Eloping on a weekday makes things a lot easier and gives you much more privacy! It’s also much more likely that the vendors you want are available.
If you’re looking for a dress for your elopement, I’d check out ASOS, Lulus, or Shona Joy.
Happy planning!
