Jordan and Alex wanted a day worth remembering in Mt. Rainier National Park—and they knew their friends would be up for the adventure. Most of them were already avid hikers. So we started at the trailhead extra early, not just to catch sunrise on a longer hike, but to reach a vantage point where they could see the stars together in front of the volcano. Not a bad way to start a marriage.
We started down the trail in the dark, everyone full of energy despite the 3:00 am start. It already felt like a celebration from the trailhead. We hiked to the first viewpoint where friends rested while Jordan and Alex continued a little further for some star photos and a few quiet moments alone.
As sunrise approached, we pushed up to an even higher vantage point. Seeing Mt. Rainier from that close—9,000 to 10,000 feet, standing directly in front of it—is hard to put into words. The sheer size is always impressive, but this was different. Jordan and Alex just stood there taking it in.
The guys and girls separated at the summit to get dressed before Jordan and Alex had their first look, alpenglow starting to light up the mountain behind them. They set up for their ceremony with friends circled around. The glow reached them mid-vows. I’ve had plenty of elopements with alpenglow in the distance, but this was the first time a couple hiked high enough to actually stand in it. We all warmed up together in that first light of morning. One of their closest friends officiated, and they exchanged rings surrounded by the people who mattered most—wind and all.
After a very windy ceremony at the summit, we started hiking back down. Everyone was excited to finally see the landscape they’d only hiked through in the dark. Knowing they’d be hungry but too far from the trailhead for food, they brought along some of the best donuts from Seattle. So we stopped at an overlook for breakfast—basically mini wedding cakes. And because this group doesn’t do anything halfway, they also brought shotskis. Celebrating that far into the backcountry, surrounded by mountains and close friends, felt exactly right.
We finished at one of the lakes along the trail. Friends rested while Jordan and Alex took photos and reflected on their relationship—what this moment meant, what they’d just done. A good place to finally let it sink in that they were married.
Later, they headed back down to Packwood for a mini reception with family. A full hiking adventure in the morning, something more relaxed with family in the afternoon. The best of both.
