I’m so excited to share with you Janelle and Kasey’s mountain view wedding at Wind Mountain Ranch. This was a styled session to put together an intimate elopement. What really made the setting was the love, laughter, fun details, breathtaking scenery, and awesome collaborative team of vendors. 

The Perfect Setting for a Mountain View Wedding

Wind Mountain Ranch is a stunning outdoor venue in Stevenson, Washington that’s associated with The Griffin House which is another great venue with stunning mountain views, just located in the Gorge. Wind Mountain Ranch is nestled among rolling hills and lush vineyards, making it a dream location for any couple looking to getting married in front of stunning backgrounds. As an elopement photographer, I’m constantly on the lookout for venues and locations that offer both natural beauty and a sense of intimacy – and this place checked all the boxes for Kasey and Janelle. 

Wind Mountain is surrounded by stunning landscapes that seem to stretch on foreverrr. With the vibrant grasses and trees and rustic charm, it was the perfect backdrop for a micro wedding. The sun was shining, the air was crisp, and I could just feel the love and magic in the air as soon as we arrived.

Getting Ready

The day started with Janelle and Kasey getting ready in one of the charming cabins on the property. Janelle looked absolutely stunning in her girly dress with puffy sleeves, and Kasey was in a classic grey suit. There was a sweet buzz in the air as they got ready for the session, which is something really special about elopements, because my couples generally get to have a chill, laid-back morning. I was there to capture all those little details and candid moments that make these kinds of days so special.

The First Look & Games

We put together a casual first look in the cabin with the couple, which is always a sweet touch for my micro wedding and elopement couples. Janelle and Kasey had already seen each other, but some couples like to get ready separately before taking portraits together. These photos turned out to have such an intimate, romantic feel inside the cabin. 

Another fun detail that comes up on some couples’ elopement days is playing games and having quality time together before a ceremony. We captured Kasey and Janelle sitting on the grass, in front of the mountain view, playing backgammon.

The Mountain View Wedding Details

One of the best parts of this session was the dining table set up. This was a collaboration with the amazing Indwell Floral. The design included an antique table, long candlesticks, and florals made up of hydrangeas and dahlias that had a wild feel. There was a basket and cowgirl hat placed by the table for a rustic, country feel that still felt feminine and put together.

Janelle carried a bouquet made up of the same flowers that had a pretty bow wrapped around it. One fun detail was that Janelle and Kasey incorporated their dogs into the session! This is another amazing thing about elopements and micro weddings: more opportunities for including your pets in your day!

How to get the mountain view wedding you want

Plan for weather

In reality, a mountain view wedding in the PNW is going to require that you have your wedding somewhere in between late spring, summer, and fall. The winters here can get too misty, cloudy, and rainy to get the views that you’re looking for. Winter weddings definitely still turn out to be beautiful, but it’s just not quite the same vibe as getting those clear views in the warmer, clearer months. Plan to get married sometime between late May and October for the most likely sunny day. Of course, rain can happen around here anytime, but good to plan as much as you can!

Choose a venue that has the natural views

Some of my couples plan a very intimate elopement where we essentially hike out to the spots that are going to be a part of their day. For example, we’ll hike to where they’re having their ceremony then walk around the area to take portraits in different beautiful locations in the area. 

If you’re not interested in as much hiking, it’s important to book a venue like Wind Mountain Ranch that has opportunities for your ceremony, reception, or couples photos to be in front of those stunning views. In the case of Janelle and Kasey’s session, we got mountain view wedding shots very easily.

Plan your timeline around golden hour

If you have your heart set on those gorgeous golden hour photos, make sure you’re planning the big moments in your day around the time that we would need to capture those shots. In the height of summer, that looks like having a dinner-time ceremony and then stopping to take golden hour photos sometime between 6-8pm. That timeline is going to shift pretty vastly throughout the year, so be mindful of whether you want these photos and plan for that with your elopement photographer. Contact me to reach out if you’re ready to work together and start planning your timeline!!

Planning your own micro wedding

Thanks to this amazing vendor team for bringing this session together – I highly recommend working with any of them if you’re planning your own micro wedding!

Florist: Indwell Floral

Venue: Wind Mountain Ranch

Hair/makeup vendors: Analisa Marie Makeup from The Wildeflower Collective 

Dress from: Coastal Dreams Rentals

Thanks to Kasey and Janelle for helping us to capture this micro wedding! If you’re dreaming of a wedding that’s all about you and your unique story with your partner, without the stress and pressure of a big event, I’d love to help capture your story in a way that’s meaningful to you. 

Whether it’s at a vineyard, a mountain top, or any place that holds special meaning to you, I’m here to help you capture these memories. Reach out to me here, and we can start planning the perfect day that’s all about you and your journey together.