Jeff + Taylor
A Sunset Engagement Session on Mount Rainier
Taylor and Jeff are probably one of the most dedicated Kate Holt Photography Couples Dom and I have ever met. In preparation for their adventure engagement session on Mount Rainier, they took an entire weekend to hike all over and find the perfect spot for their session. This incredible couple ended up doing SEVEN different hikes in ONE weekend and probably know Mount Rainier like the back of their hand now!
When we arrived at the trailhead of their chosen location I was so thankful that they went to all this hard work, as the spot they chose was EPIC.
Most people know the “Paradise” portion of Mount Rainier, which is gorgeous, don’t get me wrong, but it is also connected to a huge parking lot with usually literally hundreds of people all over enjoying this easy vista overlooking the Cascade’s highest peak. Engagement sessions at Paradise can understandably be quite crowded, and thus less intimate than one would want.
The beautiful thing about the spot Jeff and Taylor chose was that only an hour into our shoot we had the entire trail and riverside completely to ourselves! Couple that with the sheer monumental size of the massive Cedar Trees dating back to the 1600s, the nerve-racking (but perfect for an adventure session) suspension bridge, and a river glistening in that Northwest Classic Alpine Turquoise and you have a recipe for one of the best locations on the whole mountain!
Meeting up with Taylor and Jeff they also were fully prepared with an amazing light box sporting their wedding hashtag they’d just picked up the night before, and a backpack with delicious beer to toast with at the end of the night.
Jeff and Taylor are the kind of people who just make you feel at home as soon as you are around them and within ten minutes we were laughing and chatting as if we’d known each other for years and Dom and I enjoyed asking them a million questions about their life, getting to know the road that led them to their engagement.
Jeff met Taylor after just moving to Seattle from Texas. Taylor had moved to Seattle to work at Microsoft a few years prior, and left a majority of her family back home in Wisconsin in the small town where she grew up. Jeff spent his youth growing up in New Orleans, a city I've been dying to take Dom to and now I have someone who can give us the inside scoop of how to get the most out of that famous city of Blues and delicious Cajun flavor.
When they met, both Taylor and Jeff had recently gotten out of relationships that weren’t the best and were trepidatious at first about jumping right into something new. Upon meeting Jeff however, Taylor knew this was someone special, so she took a chance and went after this tall, hilarious red-bearded man while Jeff remained just a touch aloof, still cautious about launching into something serious right away.
Their first date was at a little bar they would later rent an apartment next to and Jeff found himself falling for Taylor’s enthusiasm for life and her infectious vitality. After dating for a bit, Taylor invited Jeff to an office party and recalls how impressed she was when he’d left her for a bit and she found him later relaxed and completely holding his own, chatting it up with her coworkers. She confided in us that she was really looking for a partner who was confident enough in himself to not feel as though he had to constantly be attached to her, but who also was enthusiastic enough about their relationship to enjoy all aspects of exploring and enjoying life together.
Taylor and Jeff are a perfect match for each other and they’ve created a fantastic life where they are the perfect mix of a romantic couple and the best of friends. Jeff gets along really well with Taylor’s family, and because they have a history of living in different parts of the country, they have friends all over and recently they’ve been traveling around to visit for weddings and get-togethers after a year-plus of being secluded in Seattle due to the pandemic.
For their engagement, Jeff managed to completely surprise Taylor with his proposal and as we walked through the old-growth forests of the Patriarch Trail, Jeff laughed while telling us the hilarious story of asking Taylor’s dad for permission to marry his daughter over a long and rambling voicemail.
Taylor and Jeff were down for literally anything during their adventure session and it wasn't long before I had them hiking up the side of a steep hill, and climbing onto fallen logs to get the perfect shot.
Taylor and Jeff are planning their gorgeous wedding at the stunning Gorge Crest Vineyards and for their engagement photos were looking for a contrast from the light and airy vistas of their wedding. Going for something a little darker and moodier, we had a fun time channeling their wood nymph alter egos as Taylor sported a romantic burgundy dress which contrasted perfectly with Jeff’s dark suit.
The final cherry on top of this epic session was when Jeff and Taylor donned their water shoes and walked into the freezing alpine river, letting the cold water run almost all the way up to their waists as they kissed and dipped for their final engagement portraits.
If I can use a cliche, I’d say this was the perfect evening. Mountain air, strolling through an old growth forest and topping the day off with a toast of beer and a dip in the river, I’d say Taylor and Jeff absolutely crushed their epic adventure session!
Enjoy this small selection of highlights from this amazing shoot and be sure to drop some love for this incredible couple in the comments section at the bottom!
