Hiking Elopement
Ani + Jason’s Hiking Elopement
Location: Leavenworth, Washington
Check out one of their photos featured over on Rangefinder Magazine!
Where it All Started
Ani + Jason met when they were assigned the same project at work. Later on, they began carpooling together and from those early morning chats, they found out they had a lot in common and so their adventure began!
Cut to them getting engaged and planning their wedding, they both knew they didn’t want the big traditional wedding experience, they wanted a day full of intention, hiking, mountains, alpine lakes, and trees. A day they could focus on their love for each other while enjoying being together on this epic wedding day adventure.
Choosing Washington for Their Hiking Elopement
So came the planning process, the moment we started officially working together, I got started behind the scenes working on a big elopement location list for them. Locations full of alpine lakes, mountains, big forests, etc. They told me from the beginning that finding the spot they were going to get married was a little overwhelming because of the endless beauty in the world–which is SO TRUE! But, after a ton of research and I’m sure much deliberation on their end, they chose Leavenworth, WA as their official elopement location! And dang did they pick a perfect spot. This section of the Enchantments is like no other place I’ve ever seen. I mean, we’ve been to many mountain ranges and have hiked many trails–but this–this place is NEXT LEVEL!
Their Hiking Wedding Adventure
The Hike
The hike to the ceremony spot was just as important to them as the view at the end. Every step of the journey as they hiked down the skinny path through old-growth forests, stopping along the way to cool off by a mountain stream, watching a little chipmunk foraging for food–every single step leading them closer to the moment they vow to be each other's forever hiking partner.
After a hard 4-mile hike with 2,280 ft of elevation gain, we arrived at the most Gatorade blue-colored alpine lake of all time. I remember the moment it came into view, it literally made me stop in my tracks, I just had to take a moment and breathe it all in.
Getting Dressed Up
Ani and Jason both went to separate parts of the trail and began getting into their wedding attire in preparation for their lakeside ceremony–how many people can say they hiked up a mountain, then got to get into their wedding clothes with THIS VIEW?! It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is 100% a badass way to start your wedding adventure, just saying!
Their First Look
From there they both did a first look with the iconic Dragontail Peak in the background–again wtf that’s such an epic spot to see each other for the first time all dressed up!
Their Vows
Then, they got in position for their vows on a big rocky outcropping that literally seemed like it was meant to be there for this exact moment. They vowed, signed, and toasted to forever on this rock! It was surreal!
Hiking in the Dark
The sunset on that magical view as we all turned on our headlamps and started our trek back down in the dark (Mike and I got a head start cus for those of you who don’t know, I’m a slow AF hiker) but the crew wasn’t far behind, we all met back up and hiked out in some of the most peaceful sounding woods ever–I was only a tiny bit scared a cougar might come out and taste test one of us–probably me tho–cus I was packing a whole lot of snacks, lol!
Ani + Jason, thank you so much for inviting us to be a part of your incredible day and for staying true to yourselves by choosing adventure for your wedding day! It was an unforgettable experience!
After documenting so many incredible adventure weddings and elopements, I still cannot believe this is how some people get to be married, it will always be such a source of inspiration for me!
Curious how this whole
thing works?
