Katherine & Adam’s High Pass Vow Exchange and Artist Point Photoshoot

Katherine and Adam reached out with an ambitious plan for their wedding this summer. They wanted a traditional wedding with friends and family, but also something more adventurous to celebrate the time they’ve spent hiking and exploring together.

As a Bellingham adventure wedding photographer, my goal is always to help couples find that perfect balance between a rugged mountain experience and a meaningful celebration. Katherine and Adam lived in Seattle, but they loved the idea of taking photos in the North Cascades and had already booked a wedding venue in Skagit County. After chatting with them about ideas, we settled on three sessions that would combine the best of a North Cascades elopement and a traditional wedding — and create a spectacular series of photos from some of their favorite places around Washington.

Part 1: An Intimate Vow Exchange at High Pass in the North Cascades

Katherine and Adam decided to kick off their wedding celebration a day early with a vow exchange in the mountains. For this first session, it would just be me, them, and a handful of their closest friends spending the evening before their wedding day together in the mountains.

After discussing some of my favorite Mt. Baker elopement locations, they settled on High Pass — an alpine meadow on the slopes of Mt. Larrabee with outstanding views of Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan. We’d get enough of a hike in to make it feel like a true North Cascades adventure and the location would provide a stunning backdrop for their vow exchange. In addition, Katherine and Adam could easily head down to Twin Lakes afterwards to spend the night camping with their friends. The next day, they’d all head back to town for the full wedding with a much larger group of family and friends.

Hiking to High Pass with the Wedding Party

I met up with the group at Twin Lakes, where they had already set up camp and spent the afternoon swimming in the deep-blue water. I was immediately blown away by their energy — they were brimming with enthusiasm for Katherine and Adam’s big day. Many of their friends had known the bride and groom since high school.

High Pass is a several mile hike with a fair amount of elevation gain, but Katherine, Adam, and their friends had all spent a lot of time in the mountains and made quick work of the trail. We made a few stops for photos along the way, and Adam hung back from the group briefly to pick a bouquet of wildflowers for his soon-to-be bride.

Once we got to the pass, the men set to work preparing a charcuterie board of sour patch kids, snickers bars, and cheese while the ladies changed out of their hiking clothes and into their dresses.

Katherine and her bridesmaids brought the same energy they’d had on the hike up to our photoshoot, so we got a great mix of ‘traditional’ bridesmaids photos and fun poses with Mt. Larrabee in the background. Not to be outdone, Adam and his groomsmen quickly changed into their formalwear and came up with their own lighthearted poses.

Sunset Vows in the North Cascades

With a few hours still to sunset, we had plenty of time to get the whole group together for photos. We could hardly have asked for better scenery, surrounded by a blooming alpine meadow and 360-degree views of Mt. Baker, Mt. Shuksan, and Tomyhoi Peak.

As sunset approached, Adam and Katherine gathered their friends around for an intimate vow exchange. Each of them shared their favorite stories about the couple, painting a beautiful picture of Katherine and Adam and their lives together. Then, with the sun setting behind them, Katherine and Adam shared their own vows with each other. They would have to wait another day to officially be married, but this was the ceremony they had dreamed of together.

We finished off the evening with a quick champagne toast before packing up and heading back down to Twin Lakes in twilight, pulling out headlamps just as we crossed the trail to Winchester Mountain. I left the group there to spend the rest of the evening celebrating and sharing stories around the campfire, while I headed home to Bellingham to get ready for the full wedding the next day.

Part 2: A Traditional Wedding at Creekside Celebrations in Skagit County

While my specialty as a Washington wedding photographer is in mountain elopements and adventure weddings, I’ve photographed plenty of traditional weddings. They bring a unique, bustling energy that’s so different from the intimate vow renewal Katherine and Adam had the previous day, and this kind of contrast can make the wedding feel even more special.

Katherine and Adam had chosen Creekside Celebrations in Sedro-Woolley for their big day, which was right up my alley. This Skagit wedding venue is nestled deep in the woods and is truly nature-focused.

Wedding Party Energy and a Meaningful First Look

I started the afternoon with Adam and the groomsmen. They were looking incredibly sharp in their suits and brought the exact same lighthearted, fun energy to the venue that they had at High Pass the evening before. After grabbing some great shots with guys, I caught up with Katherine and her bridesmaids to capture their final getting-ready moments.

Next up was the first look. I was worried that the traditional first look might not carry quite the same impact after Katherine and Adam exchanged vows the night before. But in reality, the opposite happened. Seeing each other fully dressed in their formal wedding attire brought a fresh wave of emotion, and the moment felt incredibly special.

Exploring the Venue and Celebrating with Family

After the first look, Katherine, Adam, and I took some time for portraits with just the two of them. The grounds at Creekside Celebrations offered a ton of variety for this. We found a small wooden bridge, some secluded forest spots for the classic PNW vibe, and even a swing set for some playful couples photos.

Guests started to arrive and it wasn’t long before the seats were filled with more than 50 of Katherine and Adam’s family and friends. This bigger group really highlighted the contrast of the wedding weekend, from photographing an intimate small-group experience in the mountains to Skagit County wedding photography at a formal venue. It made the evening at High Pass feel even more profound and proved that Katherine and Adam truly got the best of both worlds.

With the ceremony complete, it was time for Katherine and Adam to celebrate with their circle. I stayed through the reception to capture all the key highlights, documenting everything from the newlyweds’ high-energy grand entrance and heartfelt champagne toasts to their romantic first dance and cake cutting.

Part 3: Post-Wedding Golden Hour Photos at Artist Point

A few weeks after Katherine and Adam tied the knot, I joined them one more time for an intimate Artist Point photography session. I love this kind of post-wedding shoot and encourage it for anyone who’s booking a Bellingham wedding photographer. I already knew Katherine and Adam well at this point, and we could focus mountain elopement-style photos without the constraints of a wedding day timeline.

We arrived at Artist Point in the late afternoon, just in time for golden hour and leaving us plenty of time before sunset. We walked out towards Huntoon Point, one of my favorite spots for Mt. Baker elopement photography because it offers an iconic Shuksan backdrop with relatively easy access. There’s also an alpine lake that offers plenty of possibilities for photos.

After a few hours of exploring and shooting photos, the sun began to drift below the mountains. Sunset delivered a spectacular show of light across Table Mountain and the slopes of Mount Baker, making this one of my most memorable sessions at Artist Point.

Interested in a similar multi-part celebration? My adventure wedding photography packages are fully customizable so we can make your vision a reality.