Mount Rainier Bridal Portraits at Paradise

Charlotte + Ryan

Charlotte and Ryan’s Mount Rainier bridal portraits at Paradise were everything you could hope for from a moody Pacific Northwest evening. Clouds rolled across the mountain, wildlife seemed to appear around every corner, and even though Rainier herself stayed mostly hidden, the landscape gave us plenty to work with.

Charlotte and Ryan traveled from Georgia for these portraits after already getting married, wanting a chance to put their wedding clothes back on and create something that felt completely centered around the two of them and the beauty of Mount Rainier National Park.

We started the evening at their adorable A-frame Airbnb in Packwood. The cabin had beautiful natural light, so naturally we had to take advantage of it for a few portraits before heading into the park. Charlotte and Ryan helped each other get ready, which immediately set the tone for how intimate and relaxed the rest of the evening would feel.

Once we reached Paradise, they exchanged vows again using the cutest illustrated vow cards. When they stood together in the right positions, the drawings on the backs of the cards completed the image between them. It was such a beautiful, simple detail.

From there, we explored the Paradise area and Nisqually Vista, stopping for portraits throughout the trails and keeping an eye out for wildlife. We saw sparrows, chipmunks, plenty of deer, and even spotted a black bear high on the hillside. One of my favorite moments involved photographing Charlotte and Ryan with deer framed between their silhouettes as they walked through the park.

We also made a few new friends along the way. While Charlotte and Ryan were walking with lanterns, I noticed the dust from the trail catching the light. A few fellow hikers volunteered to become our official “shufflers,” kicking up just enough dust to create the dreamy effect I wanted behind them.

Mount Rainier never fully emerged from the clouds, but the evening still gave us one last gift. Near sunset, the light finally broke through and washed Charlotte and Ryan in soft pink and golden tones while they overlooked the valley.

And honestly, the weather became part of the story. Instead of a perfectly clear mountain backdrop, they got dreamy clouds moving across the landscape, misty trails, wildlife, changing light, and two people who had traveled across the country just to spend an evening together in one of Washington’s most incredible places.

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