Artist Point & Mount Baker Sunrise Dog-Friendly Elopement

Picture this: getting up before the sun, driving 45 minutes from a small town to a gorgeous mountain location in the dark, changing into your wedding attire in the parking lot, and seeing each other for the first time right as the sky is changing colors. That’s how A & M’s day started. Then, they spent the rest of the morning committing to a life together surrounded by the mountains and exploring the trails with their other furry family member, Waffle.

Officiant & Dog-Handler: Wags Down The Aisle

Sunrise Getting Ready & First Look

Sometimes, getting ready for an adventure elopement isn’t glamorous. Sometimes, it’s simply getting changed in a pop-up changing tent or in your car using the reflection in the car windows to make sure your tie is straight. And for a lot of our couples, this is the perfect adventurous start to their day. It’s simple and easy. For A & M, that’s what they wanted their day to be: simple, and focused on them.

After getting ready, we hustled to a spot on the trail for their first look! We helped set A up so that she could watch the sunrise while waiting for M to walk up to her. They wanted a less traditional first look where M walked up to A instead. We absolutely loved this little twist! M got to walk with Waffle to see A for the first time, and it was such a special moment. 

On top of the intimacy of their first look, the sky truly showed up for them despite a cloudy forecast. Plus, how stinking cute was Waffle’s tux!

Early Morning Ceremony at Artist Point

After their first look, we all walked over to their ceremony location. It was a chilly morning, but Mount Shuksan was really showing off! Their dog-handler, Adrienne of Wags Down The Aisle, offered her officiant services and married A & M this morning. She did a wonderful job summing up their relationship and facilitating the ceremony, while also letting A & M share private vows. 

We highly recommend hiring Adreinne if you’re wanting to include your doggo on your elopement adventure. She is a fantastic officiant, thinks of literally everything when it comes to making sure your doggo is safe and taken care of, and she’s comfortable hiking if your adventure includes that.

Mount Shuksan Morning Elopement Portraits

Following their gorgeous early morning ceremony, we grabbed a few snacks from the car, signed their marriage license, and built A’s floral bouquet! Since their elopement day took place during the week in the shoulder season, we had a lot of the area to ourselves, which was super nice.

Artist Point Hiking Elopement Photos

There are so many trails to explore from the Artist Point parking lot, and so long as you’re not entering the Mount Baker Wilderness, your dog can join you. We just took one of the paths, and stopped along the way whenever we found views that we loved. 

We got some sunshine that poked through the clouds warming us on the trail, incredible views of Mount Baker, beautiful reflections in the water, and just overall had a blast! I think Waffle in his little tie was the highlight for everyone, though ❤️

Bagley Lakes Adventure & Afternoon Picnic

Following our morning adventure at Artist Point, we went to explore more of the fall colors along the Bagley Lakes trail. We love exploring this area! Bagley Lake has some really incredible views and spots to explore, specifically the stone bridge. So, we showed A, M, and Waffle all of our favorite spots before settling down on the rocks for some champagne and celebratory cookies from Hello Robin in Seattle. 

Waffle was tired from a long day of adventures, so he nestled right into A’s wedding dress train and took a nice little nap!

How To Include Your Dog For Your Mount Baker Elopement

We actually have an awesome, comprehensive blog about Dog-Friendly Elopement Locations in Washington and how to include your four-legged besties, so you should totally check that out!

But for Mount-Baker Snoqualmie National Forest specifically, dogs are permitted at most locations so long as they are on leash. Up at Artist Point, dogs are allowed on all nearby trails except Table Mountain Trail. Please make sure to always follow these rules:

• Dogs must be on a 6 ft leash at all times and under control. 
• Please don’t allow your dogs to harass any wildlife! According to the National Forest, “the wildlife in this area has a short window to bulk up for the harsh winter season and needs to conserve all of their calories.” Your dogs should not be uncontrollably barking or trying to chase any wildlife. 
• Bring plenty of dog bags because you must pack out all waste. 

Overall, be respectful of wildlife and other hikers when bringing your dog! And make sure to have the proper gear such as poop bags, water, collapsible water bowl, and a leash. 

Dog First Aid Necessities

It’s also a great idea to have a first aid kit catered to your dog, especially if you’re doing any hiking. Some good things to have include:

• Paw-specific care such as vet wrap or bandages, booties, and styptic powder.
• Wound care such as antiseptic wipes and/or saline wound wash, antibiotic ointment, and gauze pads. 
• Any wound car tools like a tick remover, tweezers, and small scissors. 
• Benadryl 
• First aid guide or making sure you’re familiar with dog CPR and the heimlick 

We also love using Mushers on our dog’s paws if it’s cold out! And depending on your dog’s size and the trail you’re exploring, it’s not a bad idea to have an evacuation harness or dog rescue sling. Our pup is 70 lbs, so we could never fit her in a backpack! 

Including your furry family member can really make your day extra special, just like A & M’s day. We highly recommend it!

More Of This Sunrise Artist Point Elopement Gallery

Enjoy more moments from this fall 2024 sunrise Artist Point ceremony, hiking adventure with views of Mount Baker, and Bagley Lakes afternoon picnic!