Late Season Snowshoe Elopement in the North Cascades

Okay, so we did not expect this much snow in late June up at the North Cascades! In past years, the snow is usually cleared from most of this trail (or at least the road is plowed, so you’re able to access higher up). But this past year, the snow remained in the Mount Baker Wilderness late into the summer, hence why this was a late season snowshoe elopement in the North Cascades!

Luckily, our couple was ready for whatever adventure Mother Nature threw at them! They quickly adapted and were super excited about the idea of snowshoeing for the first time together. We directed them to rent snowshoes at REI. If you’re a member you can rent snowshoe gear for super inexpensive!

Anyway, we met them for their special day at a super cute little Airbnb near Deming, Washington. We gathered all of their sentimental details and helped direct them to get ready in different spaces before their first look. Keep scrolling to read more of their story! And obviously, check out their elopement film.

While this Airbnb isn’t currently listed, here are some of our fav recommendations for this area:

Romantic Mountain Cabin For 2

Rustic 70s A-Frame Cabin

Cedar Point Cabin

The Greybird Retreat Modern Cabin w/ Hot Tub

Cozy & Modern Cabin w/ Front Deck

On the deck of their Airbnb, Adam and I helped them set up a first look. We put them back to back and then let them turn around in their own time. It was so special to hear their excitement when they saw each other all dressed up! We took some fun cabin portraits before heading out for the rest of their adventure.

This day was a full 8 hours! Even though you might not think you need that kind of time, it doesn’t hurt to dream about what a full day could look like. These two went all in and had an incredible day full of cozy cabin vibes, hiking, snowshoeing, and campfire chillin. Here’s an example of what their day looked like:

8 Hour Timeline Example:

1:00pm – Getting Ready at Airbnb

1:30pm – First Look & Cabin Portraits

2:30pm – Short River Trail & Lunch

4:00pm – Snowshoe & Vows

6:00pm – Snowy Portraits

8:00pm – Campfire & Pizza Dinner

8:45pm – First Dance

9:00pm – End of Coverage

So, after spending a bit of time at their cabin, we went to a riverside spot for some non-snowy portraits. We packed our hiking packs and followed a short trail through the forest to the Nooksack River. After getting a little muddy on the trail, we headed back to the cars for soem sandwiches!

Then, we made our way up to Artist Point. But since the road was closed, we started snowshoeing further down the road. The clouds were socked in, so we didn’t have any views of the cascades. Since this was the case and the weather wasn’t going to change, we didn’t snowshoe the entire trail. Instead, Marissa and David picked a spot to stop at that they liked. They said their vows and celebrated with mini bottles of champagne and chocolate eclairs. We explored around a little bit and ran in the snow!

Keep in mind that when you’re eloping in the great outdoors, you can’t predict or control the weather. And there’s truly nothing worse than expecting something and being disappointed. So, instead, it’s important to be aware of all the weather possibilities! Prepare yourself for the unexpected. And try to stay positive! Depsite not getting the mountain views that they wanted, these two had THE BEST attitude! And I truly think that made their day 1000 times better!

Finally, they met us back at our private campground for pizza and a campfire. They picked up a meat and veggie pizza from a local pizza joint called Chair 9. We chatted by the campfire and then they shared a first dance under the trees. It was the perfect way to end an amazing day!