If you’re looking for somewhere romantically intimate and surrounded by striking nature scenes, a Salish Lodge Wedding Elopement might just be for you! Snoqualmie Falls and Rattlesnake Lake are some of the best scenic attractions that Washington has to offer, so when a Salish Lodge Wedding is involved, you have the makings for a truly remarkable celebration. With cascading waterfalls, gorgeous surrounding evergreens, and mountain views not far away, this place definitely makes the list for the best waterfall wedding locations in all of WA.

Snoqualmie Falls is the most visited waterfall in comparison with Washington’s other gorgeous nature experiences. Fun fact, “Snoqualmie” means moon in Salish – the Salish are the names of an indigenous group of people who reside in the Pacific Northwest region. For Stephanie & Jo, the Salish Lodge was the perfect place to hold their intimate celebration and really take in the beauty they were surrounded by! These two made this day truly unforgettable in every way and I am so grateful to have been a part of it all.

This one was a special one. I’ve known Stephanie my whole life and her sister was also in my bridal party! We went from homeschooling field trips together, going to the same university, to now capturing the moments leading up to their I Dos together. How cool is that?!

Stephanie and Joe met on Hinge during the pandemic. Joe lived near Seattle while Stephanie lived in Canada, so while the pandemic was going on, this made navigating their relationship a little tricky.

Eager to meet face to face, they decided to go to Peace Arch Park. This was a good location to meet because people from both the US and Canada are able to come without having to go through border control. So kind of like no man's land, but it works! This was a big thing during the pandemic for people who were separated by the border. I even did a wedding there in 2020 so that both sides of the family could come!

At the time, no one could drive across the border but Canadians could still fly to the US, so Stephanie ended up flying to WA on occasion. Stephanie and Joe went through the motions of a long-distance, pandemic relationship. Even just trying to start their relationship took a lot of effort, but the border closures played a big part in the beginning of their love story.

Fast forward to their fairytale engagement, Stephanie was visiting when they took a hike to Rattlesnake Ledge. Here’s where Joe finally popped the question! Of course, she said yes and the two toasted to forever as they celebrated in the lodge.

S + J’s INTIMATE SALISH LODGE WEDDING

When it came to planning their wedding, they went through a few plans before landing on the one that actually happened. They ended up getting married legally in January, which made sense for the visa process and border issues.

So, we had a June celebration right where she originally said yes – at Salish Lodge and Rattlesnake Lake! You know me, I’m a sucker for all things sentimental, so this was such an amazing idea and I was eager to be a part of it all.

The weather can be tricky in Washington and it was less than ideal the day before their wedding. Being an intimate wedding photographer, I try to be as thoughtful as I can when it comes to my couples on their special day! Knowing the weather might be an issue, I kept an eye out and encouraged them to move the ceremony up by an hour and thank goodness they did. If they followed through with the original time, it would’ve rained during their ceremony (maybe I should add weather woman to my belt, haha!).

When it came time to capture some family portraits, it sprinkled a bit but started heavy pouring a little while in. Luckily for us, it stopped raining for about 40 minutes so they were still able to get some sweet couple portraits in!

After wrapping up, we headed back to Salish Lodge, which is on the edge of Snoqualmie Falls. The food was delicious, speeches were made, and some games were played. It was an all around great time! We took more photos at the room in their hotel and they were oh so romantic and intimate for sure. Larger weddings tend to bring a whole lot of overwhelm for newlyweds, but intimate weddings with your closest friends and family give you the opportunity to celebrate without the pressure of having all eyes on you the whole time. Stephanie and Joe’s was perfect.

I’m oozing with gratitude for being a part of something so intimate, special, and with someone who I hold so near and dear to my heart. I wish I could do it all over again! But at least the moments we captured will take us there every time we see them.

Salish Lodge and Rattlesnake Lake are amazing choices to look into when looking for waterfall wedding locations or even just wedding venues near Seattle! You just have to keep the weather in mind and to always have a back-up plan. If this place seems right up your alley, book with Salish Lodge! Their space is stunning, they have great accommodations & food, and they make for a great back-up option if the weather ends up storming. Either way, you’ll end up with something really special.

Tips for a Salish Lodge Wedding near Snoqualmie Falls:

Rattlesnake Lake is a beautiful spot. But popular. Literally one of the most visited nature attractions in the whole state, so pick a weekday!

Rattlesnake Ledge is great and an easy hike to incorporate into your day. Definitely gorgeous, yet still pretty busy. But sharing your moment during sunset on top of a cliff? Yes please! And I’d be so down.

When you look up Snoqualmie falls, you’ll see that it’s stunning! People used to climb over the fence and take photos at the bottom, but they’ve really done a good job at reinforcing things so that this isn’t possible anymore (and please don’t try it). HOWEVER, you’re still able to get to the bottom on the other side of the falls, but it’ll take a hike to get you there. You’ll have to go through some piece of private property (the Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theatre nearby) that’ll require a membership, so make sure to think ahead! Just giving you something to consider if you really want that waterfall look.

There’s lots of other locations in the area – forests, mountains, the town. All so sweet and all so beautiful. They’re away from Seattle but not a far drive, so it’ll still be perfect for that.

Be aware of the season you pick. This was in the middle of June, but still pretty rainy. However, you’ll see that the green was vibrant and beautiful! So there are pros and cons to each season.

Whether you have mountain elopements on your Pinterest mood boards or are chasing waterfalls in the visions of you saying your I Dos, I’m down for the ride no matter where you see it happening. I’m here to serve couples who love a mean nature scene and have a knack for the wildside. Sooooo… wanna go on an adventure? Excited to see you out there!