Everytime I’m in the Pacific Northwest, I understand better why people fall head over heels for the mossy trees and mountains. It’s a great place to get married if you love breathtaking nature. Sophie and Steve held their PNW wedding at Copper Creek Inn. In this blog post, I share some highlights from this Mt. Rainier wedding venue along with tips for planning your PNW wedding.
Getting Married at Copper Creek Inn
Sophie and Steve chose to hold their PNW wedding at Copper Creek Inn just minutes outside Mt. Rainier National Park. This PNW wedding venue specializes in outdoor weddings on their lush property.
Ceremonies take place in their Forest Amphitheater. It’s as beautiful as it sounds. Your guests watch from cedar benches while you say your vows under the fir trees. You can go big on floral installations or keep it simple like Sophie and Steve did. This setting is so beautiful that it doesn’t need much at all to feel magical enough for a wedding.
Receptions usually take place outdoors as well. Strings of lights make the trees sparkle over the dance floor. With all the trees between cabins, it’s easy to feel like you and your guests have the whole property to yourself for your celebration.
The best part of getting married at Copper Creek Inn is that you get so much nature on your wedding day. Think towering, moss-covered trees and ferns unfurling at your feet. Walking around this 6.5-acre property makes you feel like you’ve got your own private temperate rainforest retreat.
There are so many conveniences to having a PNW wedding at a place like Copper Creek Inn. One is that it isn’t always easy to coordinate with a lot of vendors in a more remote location like this. This venue provides all the basics you need and can even cater if you prefer.
Copper Creek Inn is an ideal PNW wedding venue for weddings of 40-100 guests. There are 15 buildings, including cabins, lodges, and an inn, that can house a large number of your guests. It’s so nice to have everyone end the night in one spot and not have to worry about post-reception transportation.
Choosing Film Wedding Photography
For this PNW wedding, I focused heavily on film photography. Film is one of my creative specialties as a wedding photographer. If I’m at your wedding, you can bet my 35mm camera will be on my harness!
I love film in pretty much any setting because it brings out the most beautiful tones. It has so much emotion to it. At the risk of using an overused word, it really is timeless in the truest sense. You can feel the connection between your film wedding photo and the ones taken generations before.
At Sophie and Steve’s PNW wedding, the film preserves the emotions of the day as much as the events. Their candid facial expressions and those of their friends tell a story that started long before they got to their wedding. It feels good to imagine them holding these photos in their hands and telling the stories from this day years from now.
The colors of the Pacific Northwest also come through wonderfully on film. This region has layers upon layers of greens. Moss, ferns, and trees grow together with a depth of color and texture that’s enchanting. Film does justice to that magic.
Are you new to film wedding photography? It’s a world all its own. I created a list of 10 questions to ask a photographer if you’re considering film coverage for your wedding.
Sophie and Steve’s Lush Wedding at Mt. Rainier
Sophie and Steve’s PNW wedding was perfect for them. They’re originally from North Carolina but have adopted Washington as home. Together they enjoy hanging out, listening to music, and playing with their beloved rescue dogs. Sophie actually said that she knew Steve was a keeper when one of their dogs adopted him as the favorite human. She said, “You’ve gotta trust your dog’s judgment!” You won’t find me arguing with that logic.
On their wedding day, Sophie got ready in one of the cabins at Copper Creek Inn. Then they met up beside the creek for their first look. I love the image of them kissing beneath the mossy trees with the water rushing behind them.
True to their vision for a PNW wedding, Sophie and Steve held their ceremony in the Forest Amphitheater. Sophie’s bright pink flowers stook out against the rich greens of the woods around them. More than a few people got emotional, but you also could see how much fun Sophie and Steve were having together in the middle of everything.
During the reception, we got a classic Pacific Northwest mix of rain and golden sunlight. Everyone took it in stride. Some guests listened to speeches with napkins on their heads and had a good laugh. As night fell, everyone crowded the dance floor. The lights twinkled as Sophie and Steve soaked in the night’s magic.
Planning Your PNW Wedding
Does this story have you ready to plan your own PNW wedding? I don’t blame you! This place is kind of epic. What more could you want than the forests, mountains, and rivers to set the stage for your ceremony?
There are some things that you can do to make your PNW wedding easier to plan. Here are a few tips to help you:
- Work with a planner or coordinator. A planner can help you earlier in the process, finding vendors and figuring out event design. If you’re planning your wedding from a distance, that’s very helpful.
- Pick a venue that provides a lot of basics like tables, chairs, linens, and, ideally, a kitchen. The less you have to bring in from outside, the simpler your life will be.
- Find a venue where you can stay overnight. It makes such a difference if you can just walk to bed at the end of the night instead of coordinating transportation.
However you do it, your Pacific Northwest wedding is likely going to be magical. Would you like me to photograph your wedding? I’m a film wedding photographer based in Philadelphia and ready to travel. Let’s add your love to the archive! Inquire with me here.
Vendors
Photographer: Theo Nash Photography
Planner/Coordinator: Ally Ganchegui / Magical Moments Planning
Venue: Copper Creek Inn
Catering: Capers
Video Team: Alexis Brons / Brons Imagery
DJ/Band: A Beat Above Entertainment / Guy Maurizio
Florist: Sweet Alyssum Farms / Alyssa O’Sullivan
Rentals: Power of Love Rentals
Cake: Honey Crum / Carla
Hair/Makeup: Makayla Melton
Sophie Kenny’s Wedding Attire: I Do Bridal
Steve Cauffman’s Wedding Attire: Generation Tux
