Kasey and Yashas’s adventure elopement at North Cascades National Park in Washington State was a testament to their love with stunning views of Mt. Shuksan, sweet moments with family, and Indian culture.
Kasey and Yashas knew they didn’t want a traditional wedding. Kasey shares, “Neither of us wanted to do a “traditional” wedding because it didn’t fit our personalities. This adventure elopement was much more our style.” Packing up a van with their loved ones, their photographer, M. Laine Photography, and makeup artist, Beauty by Elizabeth Marie, they set out to beat the summer crowds and shoved off from their cabin at 4:30 am. The couple shared their first look along Mt. Baker Highway before a gorgeous lake. The reflection of Mt. Shuksan over the water provided an epic photo-moment! An emotional first look with Kasey and her dad followed before heading to the Heather Meadows Visitor Center for their ceremony.
Yashas’ mother started everything off with a Sanskrit prayer. After, Kasey and Yashas led the ceremony themselves with vows they wrote. I loved the lines about being cat parents and managing mischief between the happy tears and laughter. Once they finished, they did their “secret handshake” to solidify their marriage.”
– M. Laine Photography
After exchanging vows, Kasey and Yashas adorned each other with Jai Mala Garlands, an Indian tradition symbolizing the bride and groom welcoming each other into their families. Then their families threw Talambralu, a mixture of spices, to bring prosperity and happiness to the newlyweds. Kasey’s father completed the ceremony by placing a turban on Yashas and Yasha’s mother wrapping Kasey in a red shawl, representing their family’s blessings of their union.
More sweet details on their love story and gorgeous photos from their elopement below!
- Couple: Yashas and Kasey
- Occupations: Yashas is a Data Scientist & Kasey is an Elementary School Teacher
Quick Facts:
- Wedding date: Friday, July 22, 2022
- Wedding location: Mt. Baker Wilderness in Washington
- Gifts for one another: Our love for one another 😂
- First dance song: “Riptide” by Vance Joy
How they met…
The way all Millenials do these days – Tinder, ha!
The proposal…
It was a dream! Covid-related travel restrictions prevented us from seeing each other for over a year while Yashas was working in Belgium. Once Europe opened to Americans in the summer of 2021, we were able to meet up in Italy. Yashas proposed on top of the Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence at sunset after a day of pasta-making and touring the Chianti hills!
First look with dad…
The ceremony…
Cultural elements…
Yashas and his parents are from India, so we incorporated a few traditions in our wedding. We opened the ceremony with the Ganesh prayer to bless the ceremony. It gave us a moment of peace and reflection before we exchanged our vows. After we exchanged vows and rings, Yashas and I each placed a garland over each other’s necks (Jaimala), which represents the union between two souls. My father also placed a turban (Safa) on top of Yashas’s head and his mother placed a red veil (Dupatta) over my head. Finally, our family showered us with rice grains mixed with turmeric powder (Akshat) as a final blessing.
Wedding style & attire…
Since we knew we were going to be in the mountains, we wanted to make sure our attire was comfortable, but we still wanted to have a formal look. We chose blue for Yashas’s suit (from Suit Supply) because we thought it would pair nicely with the colors of nature around us. For my dress (Adore Bridal in Illinois), it was imperative that it was comfortable and that I could move around in it! I wanted it to be relaxed and flowy. The best part was that it has pockets!
Wedding shopping experience…
I flew back to my hometown in Illinois from New Jersey so I could go wedding dress shopping with my mom, sister, and grandma. I was so happy to experience it with them. I appreciated their opinions, and it just meant a lot for me to share those moments with my grandma since we kept our wedding small and she wasn’t able to be there. I ended up finding my dress at my second appointment and canceled my remaining two appointments at other locations!
For Yashas’s suit, it was great because the style advisor we worked with was very knowledgeable and helped us find a style and fit that matched the vibe we wanted for the wedding.
Favorite wedding day memory…
It’s too hard to pick just one! The first look was especially memorable. It was at Picture Lake just as the Sun was coming up, and the scenery was breathtaking. We were essentially the only ones around and got to enjoy the stillness of the water reflecting the mountains, as well as some morning fog over the lake. I was so overcome with emotion seeing Yashas for the first time after we had gotten ready separately that morning. It was a wonderful moment that we got to spend, just the two of us, in that stillness.
We also just loved all the time we got to spend with our family before and after the wedding. It was so special, and we knew if we had done a more traditional wedding, we would have missed out on that. Oh! And we did a champagne spray before the toast which was absolutely HILARIOUS because we were covered in champagne and were so sticky afterward!
Wedding planning advice for other engaged couples…
Make your wedding right for you! Neither of us wanted to do a “traditional” wedding because it didn’t fit our personalities. This adventure elopement was much more our style. Make sure you do what is going to make you happiest on your special day.
Also, take the time to find the right photographer for you! We were so fortunate to have Meghann from M. Laine Photography shoot our wedding. Not only did she take the most incredible pictures, but she also spent a lot of time helping us plan a day that would be perfect for us. Having the right person makes a huge difference!
Looking for more adventure elopement inspiration?
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Vendors:
- Photography: M. Laine Photography
- Dessert: Corina Bakery
- Vow books: TheCozyComfyHome
- Suit: Suit Supply
- Dress: Adore Bridals Illinois
- Hair and makeup: Beauty by Elizabeth Marie
- Florals: JOYQFLORALINC
- Venue: Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
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