Cabin Elopement // Mount Rainier National Park // Cherish + John

Cherish and John finally were able to say their vows and tie the knot after months of planning and a temporary postponement due to COVID-19. Cherish and John chose a location right outside of Mount Rainier National Park at a beautiful cabin on the Cowlitz River.

Cherish and John were originally supposed to elope back in April. But, of course COVID-19 had other plans for them. All national parks in Washington state temporarily closed so we pushed for the same date for 2021. After a few months, Cherish asked for my availability for August/September and we started to plan for a much sooner date for the two of them to finally get married!

Cherish and John drove up from Oregon the day before their elopement to spend the weekend at their cabin and explore a little of Mount Rainier and the surrounding area. Cherish and John started their morning of their elopement with an absolutely magnificent view from the windows of their cabin. Seriously, this cabin had some epic views. When I arrived, Cherish was in the master bedroom having her hair and make-up done. I gathered all of her adorable details and walked around the cabin photographing the little details that she had set up. She even made her own cupcakes and they were seriously delicious. I was drooling over all of the details that she incorporated into the space and even the ceremony area on the porch in the backyard. Cherish put so much thought into her details, everything just came together perfectly! After photographing all of the details and Cherish had on her dress, these two had already opted for a first look (which is one of my favorite parts of the day). John went outside and stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting to see his bride in her dress for the first time! Cherish walked down the stairs, John turned around, and it just warmed my heart to see John’s reaction when he finally got to see his bride.

After the first look, we walked back up the stairs to the ceremony location and the ceremony began! The officiant put together the most beautiful ceremony and Cherish and John exchanged their own vows that they had written themselves. Their vows brought tears to my eyes and I’m not a big cryer. Once the ceremony was finished, we all walked back inside to sign the marriage certificate (yessss, I can be your witness for your elopement!) and Cherish and John shared a cupcake and some champagne. They finished of their glasses of bubbly and we took off together to explore the little path from the cabin to the river bank. Once we reached the river, we were overtaken by the striking views of the mountains that stood tall around us. While they were snuggled up taking in this amazing view of the mountains before them, John shared with me that he had brought a little surprise that he just had to have as a part of their day. They towed a vintage 1966 Chevrolet behind them all the way from Oregon! John’s had this car since he was only fourteen years old. He and his father fixed cars together as a past time while he was growing up and this car has just always stuck around, being a huge part of John and Cherish’s relationship together with their late afternoon drives around their hometown in Oregon. It’s quite an amazing car!

We spent quite some time walking up and down the rocky riverbank before heading back up to the cabin. John pulled around the Chevy and they hopped in, reminiscing on all the times they’ve rode together in this car, I hopped in the backseat to grab some shots of them. After talking about vintage cars and what it’s been like for John to own one, we swapped vehicles and headed to the Grove of the Patriarchs in Mount Rainier as our final stop. The Grove of the Patriarchs isn’t your typical Mount Rainier picturesque moment, but the stunning redwood giants that you’ll find here provides nothing short of a stunning and intimate location for your to take couples portraits together. The hike through the trees with moss dangling from their limbs is just enchanting. Large green ferns surround the trail as you head to the swinging bridge that goes over the icy blue Ohanapeccos River. The color of the water in this river is like no other. Cherish and John strolled through the Douglas Firs and large Cedars just admiring the true magic of nature and getting lost in the moment with one another. Walking among these giants was so humbling for all of us.

Once we made it back to the parking lot, Cherish and John brought a second bottle of champagne for another toast (you can never have too many toasts on your elopement day) as the last bit of light began to vanish beyond the horizon.

I am SO happy for Cherish and John and that they were able to finally tie the knot and have their Washington elopement dreams come to life. Congrats you guys!

Hair and makeup artist braiding and pinning the bride's hair to the back of her head. The hair and make-up artist is adding blush to the bride's cheek while the bride sits in a director-style chair.
Hair and make-up artist is spraying hairspray on the bride's completed hairstyle. The hair and makeup artist is adding red lipstick to the bride's lips as the final touch for her make-up.
Bride's brown leather boots with their wedding bands sitting on the toe of the boot. The bride's dress hanging inside the window with the veil and the bride's boots below the dress.
Black and white image of the hair and make-up artist adding the bride's veil and jeweled hair piece to her hair. The bride is looking into a mirror as she puts on her earrings.
Detail shots of a sign saying "we eloped" with their original elopement date crossed out and the new elopement date taped on top. Vanilla cupcakes with sugar pearls are on the table next to the "we eloped" sign along with the bride's bouquet.
A bottle of pink champagne with personalized mr. and mrs. champagne flutes alongside their unsigned certificate of marriage.
Two-story riverfront cabin covered in large windows and a hot tub by the river in front of the cabin.
Groom standing at the bottom of the stone steps staring out toward a mountain as his bride comes out of the cabin for their first look.
Bride walking down the stone steps as her groom stares out at a mountain at the bottom of the steps for their first looking
Groom turns around to see his bride for the first time on their elopement day as his bride continues walking down the stone steps to embrace him.
Bride hugs her groom at the bottom of the stone steps with a mountain in the background.
Bride and groom standing on a tan and white medallion rug on the stone porch with flowers and candles surrounding them for their ceremony.
Black and white image of the bride holding her bouquet and closing her eyes as small droplets of rain surround her. Bride and groom face each other as the officiant begins the ceremony.
Bride holds her bouquet and smiles at her groom during their ceremony with large green pines behind them. Bride holds her hand in front of her mouth and laughs during the ceremony as small droplets of rain surround them.
Bride wiping away a tear with a personalized handkerchief. Groom is looking at his bride as he hold his vows written on index cards. Black and white close-up of grooms vows stating "I promise to 'make you smile and laugh'."
Groom putting on the bride's wedding band and the bride putting on the groom's wedding band and they smile at each other as the officiant continues the ceremony.
Bride and groom share their first kiss as husband and wife in front of large green pines near the riverbank.
Bride and groom sign their marriage certificate on the dining table inside the cabin and the groom pours them both a glass of the pink champagne.
Bride and groom standing in front of a large window in the dining room holding their champagne flutes and toasting to their marriage as they look into each other's eyes.
Bride and groom share a kiss in front of the table in the living room with their "we eloped" sign, cupcakes, and the bride's bouquet. Bride feeds the groom one of the vanilla cupcakes.
Bride and groom standing on a rock covered river bed with the river and mountains behind them as they share a kiss.
Bride and groom laughing and kissing on the rocky riverbed with the blue mountains and green pines on the other side of the river behind them.
Groom kissing his bride's shoulder on the rocky riverbed with the blue mountains and green pines on the other side of the river behind them.
Bride and groom kissing with their fists in the air with the blue mountains and green pines behind them. Bride and groom holding hands staring out at the river, pines, and mountains in front of them. Groom whispering in his bride's ear behind her.
Groom spinning his bride and kissing her as she holds her dress in a grassy open space with small yellow flowers.
Light grey 1966 Chevrolet Cougar covered in rain droplets on a gravel driveway with large green pines surrounding it.
Bride and groom kissing in the front seat of a 1966 Chevrolet Cougar. Bride and groom holding hands on top of the gear stick with the bride's bouquet in her lap. Groom is captured looking at his bride through the car's passenger window.
Bride's red, white, and blush bouquet sitting on the hood of a 1966 grey Chevrolet Cougar
Bride and groom in the 1966 grey Chevrolet Cougar driving down a gravel driveway with the groom's hand and the bride's bouquet sticking out of the window.
Groom dip kissing his bride in the middle of the road underneath the Mount Rainier National Park entrance.
Bride and groom facing each other and then touching foreheads underneath a fallen mossy pine on a trail in Mount Rainier National Park.
Bride holding her groom's arm and looking up at him and then resting her head on his shoulder as the groom smiles at the camera underneath a fallen mossy pine on a trail in Mount Rainier National Park.
The backs of the groom and bride holding the sides of her dress with dirt on the hem as they walk down a trail in Mount Rainier National Park
Bride and groom crossing a swinging bride over an icy blue river pausing for a kiss at the center.
Bride looking over at her groom beside her while holding her bouquet in front of an uprooted tree twice the size of the bride and groom.
Bride and groom looking up at two massive Douglas Firs and then leaning in for a kiss in front of the twin Douglas Fir's large trunks.
Bride and groom standing on a boardwalk on opposite sides of a massive Douglas Fir and looking into the forest on either side of them.
Bride and groom standing face to face on a boardwalk at the base of a massive Douglas Fir.
Groom kissing his bride on the cheek on a boardwalk at the base of a massive Douglas Fir.
Bride and Groom sharing a kiss on the boardwalk underneath the pines and Douglas Fir's on the way back to the parking lot.
Bride and groom spraying champagne and laughing on the sidewalk in the parking lot with green pines behind them.
Bride and groom taking swigs of champagne from the bottle on the sidewalk in the parking lot with pines behind them.

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