Mt Rainier Summer Engagement

Krystal and David’s Mt. Rainier summer engagement session will forever be one of those days that makes me pinch myself and think, “Wow, I get to do this for work.” These two are such a joy to be around—easygoing, kind, and so in love—and their story made this location feel even more meaningful. They got engaged on a mountaintop after a hike, so when it came time to plan their engagement photos, heading up into the mountains again was a must. Mt. Rainier was the perfect way to honor that part of their story.

We met up at Mount Rainier National Park, one of Washington’s most iconic places and home to that 14,410-foot, glacier-covered volcano you can see from miles away. In the summer, the lower slopes and subalpine meadows burst into color, and it honestly feels like you’ve stepped into a postcard. Krystal and David chose to do their session during wildflower season, so everywhere we turned there were pops of purple, pink, yellow, and white against the deep green of the evergreens and the snow-capped peak in the background.

They showed up with huge smiles…and a car full of DIY props they had made together. I loved this so much. Instead of keeping things super minimal, they leaned all the way into making their Mt. Rainier engagement feel personal. They brought along a handful of sweet, handmade pieces that reflected their relationship and their mountain-top proposal—little details they had crafted themselves, carried carefully up to the park, and incorporated into the session. It added such a fun, creative layer to the day and made their photos feel even more “them.”

We spent the afternoon wandering through wildflower meadows and along the trails with Rainier towering above us. Areas like Paradise and Sunrise in Mount Rainier National Park are especially famous for their wildflowers, with meadows usually peaking sometime between mid-July and late August, depending on the snowmelt. Krystal and David timed it perfectly. The hillsides were sprinkled with color, the air was warm but not too hot, and every little breeze made the flowers sway around them as they walked.

Because they got engaged on a mountain top after hiking, it was important to all of us that this session didn’t just look like a pretty Mt. Rainier engagement—it needed to feel like their real life. So instead of posing them in stiff, overly formal ways, we built the session around movement and connection. We let them walk the trails together, stop to soak in the views, and sit in the grass while the sun dipped lower in the sky. We talked about their proposal, their favorite hikes, and all the adventures they still want to take together. Every time they told the story of that mountaintop “yes,” their faces lit up all over again.

One of my favorite parts of the session was watching how naturally they fell into step with one another. Krystal has this bright, happy presence (with the sweetest smile), and David clearly adores her. They teased each other, laughed a ton, and had no problem snuggling up in the middle of a wildflower meadow like it was the most normal thing in the world. The DIY props they brought gave us fun little moments to play with—holding them, setting them beside a trail, or using them as prompts to spark conversation and laughter.

The closer we got to sunset, the more magical the light became. Mt. Rainier has this way of catching the evening glow, with the peak slowly shifting from bright white to soft pastel tones. On clear summer days, places like Sunrise offer breathtaking views of the mountain and surrounding valleys, with wildflowers all around. As the sky warmed up, we tucked them into pockets of golden light where the meadows framed them on both sides. It was one of those evenings where I kept looking around thinking, “Is this even real?”

We also made sure to be really respectful of the park itself. Wildflower meadows at Rainier are incredibly fragile, and the National Park Service is always reminding visitors to stay on the trails to help protect them. Krystal and David were completely on board with that—we found beautiful spots right along the paths, using perspective and composition to make it look like they were surrounded by flowers without ever stepping into the meadows themselves. It’s absolutely possible to get those dreamy, wildflower-filled images while still taking good care of the landscape.

By the time the sun finally dipped behind the horizon, we’d created such a gorgeous mix of images: playful shots with their DIY props, wide scenic views with Mt. Rainier in the background, and quiet, romantic moments where they forgot about the camera and just held onto each other. Their Mt. Rainier engagement session felt like a love letter to the mountains, to that original hike where they got engaged, and to this season of life they’re in right now.

On the drive back down the mountain, I remember feeling so grateful—for the clear weather, the wildflowers, the glowing light, and most of all for couples like Krystal and David who are willing to make the trek, carry their props, and fully lean into the experience. Sessions like this are such a reminder of why I love photographing in places like Mt. Rainier: it’s not just about the stunning scenery, it’s about weaving a couple’s story into a landscape that already means so much to them.

If you’re thinking about planning your own Mt. Rainier engagement, I always recommend checking the park’s wildflower status updates and general info on the Mount Rainier National Park site to time your visit well. And if you got engaged on a trail or mountaintop like Krystal and David did, bringing that story full circle with a session in the mountains can be incredibly special. This day with them at Rainier is one I’ll never forget—and I can’t wait to see where their next adventure leads.