Taylor and Justin chose the month of August for their Mt. Baker summer elopement. August is a great time to visit the North Cascades since usually all the snow is gone and the weather is warm, making it one of the best months to invite family. It’s one of the most accessible times in the season for groups of varying abilities.
These two fitness lovers came out with a handful of their relatives for a super relaxed day exploring some of my favorite trails in the area. During hike one, they had an emotional first look and vow ceremony at the end of the trail surrounded by their loved ones. For the second half of their day, they split off for some alone time down another trail. This Mt. Baker elopement is the perfect breakdown of what’s possible for a 6 hour day in the Cascades with family!
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Activity 1: Family Hike from Artist Point, Table Mountain
We all met around midday at the Artist Point parking lot to begin the first hike. Artist Point is one of my favorite locations to start from, as a lot of short and beautiful trails begin from this parking area. It was everyone’s first time to the area, so easy access to a range of views was ideal.
We started with the Table Mountain hike. Table Mountain is a 3.5 mile hike with a significant elevation climb, but the entire family tackled it impressively well. Once we reached the top, it was a clear and sunny day, and there was actually a significant amount of winter snow left. There was a bit more than usual, but stumbling across snow during your Mt. Baker summer elopement isn’t uncommon.
Activity 2: Beautiful Mt. Baker Summer Elopement Vow Ceremony
Taylor, Justin and all their guests changed into their formal outfits right there. Like most people, they carried their outfits in backpacks and simply wore comfortable hiking clothes on the trail out. Taylor freshened up her makeup, and they had a first look. Justin’s reaction to seeing her was pretty precious, and shortly after, they gathered together to start their symbolic vow ceremony.
Justin’s dad lovingly officiated the ceremony. Because he of course knows them both so well, his words were beautifully sentimental and intimate. The whole family had such a great, energetic vibe and their love for Taylor and Justin shone the entire day.
They popped champagne and then hung around for some family photos in front of Mt. Shuksan. One of their guests almost slipped in the water, which gave everyone a laugh. However, it’s also a good reminder to always carry an extra pair of dry socks with you on a hiking elopement just in case!
Activity 3: Private Portraits in front of Mt. Shuksan
After hiking back to the Artist Point parking lot, the group split up. We split off, just the 3 of us, on another trail. They wanted some alone time to end the day, which I always recommend to couples who invite guests. It’s important to carve out some one on one time together just like these two did, and be truly present in the moment with no distractions.
As we arrived at the viewpoint, Mt. Shuksan rose again in the distance. The sun was setting low and the light was soft, golden and gorgeous.
The sunset turned Mt. Shuksan a fiery pink, making some adventurous portraits the perfect way to end this Mt. Baker summer elopement.
