Rattlesnake Ledge Engagement Portraits | Cassie & Matt

Rattlesnake Ledge Engagement Portraits | Cassie & Matt

When I get couples wanting water and mountains in the background of their engagement photos, so often my first suggestion is Rattlesnake Lake. I love this location because it is the perfect Pacific Northwest wilderness setting, without being too far outside of Seattle.

Most of the time, we just hang out at the bottom, getting those must-have shots by the tree growing out of another tree stump in the water, or in front of the giant cliff backdrop. But Cassie and Matt were up for the challenge of adding in a hike to get those iconic shots on top of the cliff. It takes a special kind of couple to hear me say, “Just so you know, the hike is about two miles, and it will take about an hour each way,” and still respond back with a resounding LET’S DO IT.

We meandered around the lake bed on a cloudy afternoon before making our way up the trail and on to our ultimate destination. They were nervous, as all couples tend to be, but you wouldn’t know it because every time I made an awkward joke to make them laugh, their faces lit up and you could truly see the love that they share.

mountain landscape at Rattlesnake Lake in Washingtoncouple touching foreheads for engagement portraits by Rattlesnake Lake engaged couple holding hands, walking by the water at Rattlesnake Lake foot-popping kiss pose by lake in Washington black and white portrait of couple posing forehead to forehead WSU Cougar couple's engagement session at Rattlesnake LakeWashington State University couple in Cougar gear at Rattlesnake Lakecouple wearing WSU cougar clothes staring at mountain in Washington Washington State University couple wearing Cougar clothing walking away from lake Washington State University couple kissing at Rattlesnake Lakewoman looking at the camera and her future husband looking at herman kissing his future wife's forehead for engagement picture by Rattlesnake Lake couple sitting under a tree by a lake in the mountains in Washington close up of future bride looking at camera with future groom looking at her man looks at the camera while woman looks down at their handsclose-up portrait of engaged couple's happy faces wide landscape shot of couple standing under a tree by the lake in Cascade Mountainscouple standing by a tree at Rattlesnake Lakesnuggly pose for couple's engagement picturescouple standing at the top of a mountain among the evergreens of Washington man kissing woman's cheek in the mountains upward view of birds in the mountains of Washington

At the top, the wind was blowing so hard I almost felt like I could be swept away, but Cassie and Matt were troopers. They WORKED it. Sometimes, when the weather isn’t exactly on your side, you’ve just gotta embrace it, and in the end, it can make for even better portraits. There’s nothing like some hard wind to give you some movement to your images and make for some perfect candid laughter. My favorite thing.

Oh, and the views up there sure don’t hurt either.

Before we headed back down, we made friends with a bird and I swear the shock of watching it fly into our hands will never leave me.

couple's portrait with lake and mountain backdropengagement picture of couple in front of mountain background black and white portrait of couple on a cliff outside Seattle couple hugging on a cliff overlooking Rattlesnake Lake, Washingtoncouple embracing at the edge of a cliff at Rattlesnake Ledgeembracing couple standing at the top of Rattlesnake Ledge black and white portrait of couple embracing at the edge of a cliff in Washington portrait of couple standing in the wind on a mountain in Washingtonengaged couple looking at the camera at the top of Rattlesnake Ledgedressed-up couple kissing in front of vast Cascade Mountain landscape couple's engagement portrait at Rattlesnake Ledge couple standing on a cliff overlooking Cascade mountain landscapenative bird to Washington state girl holding a bird in her hand couple dancing together among lots of tall trees by Rattlesnake Lakecouple walking in giant tree landscape in the Pacific Northwest

Our last stop was near the bottom of the trail, at a spot where a smaller trail led off through some overgrown bushes. It was a spot I had never noticed before, but Cassie knew it was the perfect tree setting she had imagined. We took the little trail over a log and past the overgrowth and it led us to a view I swear only exists in storybooks. The perfect ending to the perfect outdoorsy session.

Cassie and Matt, if your engagement session says anything about you two, you’re going to have one heck of a life together!

When I get couples wanting water and mountains in the background of their engagement photos, so often my first suggestion is Rattlesnake Lake. I love this location because it is the perfect Pacific Northwest wilderness setting, without being too far outside of Seattle.

Most of the time, we just hang out at the bottom, getting those must-have shots by the tree growing out of another tree stump in the water, or in front of the giant cliff backdrop. But Cassie and Matt were up for the challenge of adding in a hike to get those iconic shots on top of the cliff. It takes a special kind of couple to hear me say, “Just so you know, the hike is about two miles, and it will take about an hour each way,” and still respond back with a resounding LET’S DO IT.

We meandered around the lake bed on a cloudy afternoon before making our way up the trail and on to our ultimate destination. They were nervous, as all couples tend to be, but you wouldn’t know it because every time I made an awkward joke to make them laugh, their faces lit up and you could truly see the love that they share.

mountain landscape at Rattlesnake Lake in Washingtoncouple touching foreheads for engagement portraits by Rattlesnake Lake engaged couple holding hands, walking by the water at Rattlesnake Lake foot-popping kiss pose by lake in Washington black and white portrait of couple posing forehead to forehead WSU Cougar couple's engagement session at Rattlesnake LakeWashington State University couple in Cougar gear at Rattlesnake Lakecouple wearing WSU cougar clothes staring at mountain in Washington Washington State University couple wearing Cougar clothing walking away from lake Washington State University couple kissing at Rattlesnake Lakewoman looking at the camera and her future husband looking at herman kissing his future wife's forehead for engagement picture by Rattlesnake Lake couple sitting under a tree by a lake in the mountains in Washington close up of future bride looking at camera with future groom looking at her man looks at the camera while woman looks down at their handsclose-up portrait of engaged couple's happy faces wide landscape shot of couple standing under a tree by the lake in Cascade Mountainscouple standing by a tree at Rattlesnake Lakesnuggly pose for couple's engagement picturescouple standing at the top of a mountain among the evergreens of Washington man kissing woman's cheek in the mountains upward view of birds in the mountains of Washington

At the top, the wind was blowing so hard I almost felt like I could be swept away, but Cassie and Matt were troopers. They WORKED it. Sometimes, when the weather isn’t exactly on your side, you’ve just gotta embrace it, and in the end, it can make for even better portraits. There’s nothing like some hard wind to give you some movement to your images and make for some perfect candid laughter. My favorite thing.

Oh, and the views up there sure don’t hurt either.

Before we headed back down, we made friends with a bird and I swear the shock of watching it fly into our hands will never leave me.

couple's portrait with lake and mountain backdropengagement picture of couple in front of mountain background black and white portrait of couple on a cliff outside Seattle couple hugging on a cliff overlooking Rattlesnake Lake, Washingtoncouple embracing at the edge of a cliff at Rattlesnake Ledgeembracing couple standing at the top of Rattlesnake Ledge black and white portrait of couple embracing at the edge of a cliff in Washington portrait of couple standing in the wind on a mountain in Washingtonengaged couple looking at the camera at the top of Rattlesnake Ledgedressed-up couple kissing in front of vast Cascade Mountain landscape couple's engagement portrait at Rattlesnake Ledge couple standing on a cliff overlooking Cascade mountain landscapenative bird to Washington state girl holding a bird in her hand couple dancing together among lots of tall trees by Rattlesnake Lakecouple walking in giant tree landscape in the Pacific Northwest

Our last stop was near the bottom of the trail, at a spot where a smaller trail led off through some overgrown bushes. It was a spot I had never noticed before, but Cassie knew it was the perfect tree setting she had imagined. We took the little trail over a log and past the overgrowth and it led us to a view I swear only exists in storybooks. The perfect ending to the perfect outdoorsy session.

Cassie and Matt, if your engagement session says anything about you two, you’re going to have one heck of a life together!

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