Sarah and Evan’s Summerland Trail elopement in Mt Rainier National Park was built around one simple idea: spend the day doing what they love. Hiking. Being outside. Sharing it with their closest friends.

We met at the trailhead in September and started the day the same way they’ve started so many adventures together, in athletic clothes with packs on, heading up one of their favorite hikes. Summerland was a trail they had fallen in love with the year before, so choosing it for their elopement wasn’t random. It already held memories. Now it holds even more.

When we reached camp, Sarah and Evan changed into their wedding attire while their friends waited nearby. That shift from hikers to newlyweds, right there in the alpine air, felt so perfectly aligned with who they are.

Their ceremony took place overlooking the mountain and forest with their small group gathered close. One of their friends officiated, which made the moment even more meaningful. Afterward, we moved straight into family portraits with Rainier towering behind them before everyone settled in for a relaxed picnic lunch. Sara’s mom had made homemade cinnamon and cardamom buns and carried them up the trail, which immediately wins the award for most iconic mountain wedding snack. Friends shared stories, toasted the couple, and stretched out in the alpine sun with wildflowers and mountain views all around.

When it was time to continue on, their guests began hiking back down the trail while Sara, Evan, and I kept climbing. The second half of the day felt like slipping into a quieter chapter. We hiked through several waterfalls and up rocky pathways until we reached a turquoise alpine pool tucked higher in the mountains. This is where they exchanged their private vows. Just the two of them, no audience, no distractions, saying the words they had written for each other in a place that already felt sacred.

We stayed for sunset portraits and started hiking down once blue hour had begun to settle in.

Sara and Evan built their Mt Rainier National Park elopement around hiking and time with friends because that is what their relationship is rooted in. No extra production. No complicated schedule. Just a mountain trail they love and the people who matter most.

Sara and Evan, thank you for letting me tag along on a trail that already meant something to you. Watching you turn one of your favorite hikes into the place where you promised forever was such a cool thing to witness. I hope every time you come back to Summerland, it feels even more special now.

Summerland Mt Rainier National Park Vendors

• Photography: @_katieberg
• Florals: @solawoodflowers
• Dress: @idobridal
• Suit: @suitshopofficial