Washington Forest Elopement

When Cindy and Joe told me about their idea of a woodland fairy-inspired elopement, I was thrilled to hunt down the best ceremony location for them. In fact, Manchester State Park was the first place to come to my mind. They were hoping to stay close to Olympia, additional beach or water views would be a bonus, and, in case of rain, they wanted shelter nearby.

This may seem like a tall order, but in Washington, it’s possible to have a gorgeous forest and beach within two minutes of each other, and this park’s torpedo warehouse made for the perfect rainy day backup plan.

We met the morning of their elopement as gorgeous morning light was streaming through the forest. We wandered through the park, taking portraits before coming back to their ceremony location in the forest. Once there, they stood atop a bunker and said personal vows to one another, with two friends as witnesses nearby and myself as the officiant.

After the ceremony, Cindy and Joe celebrated by popping champagne, cutting cake, and enjoying a ferry ride to lunch. They were so relaxed and carefree — exactly how a wedding day should feel. Congratulations again, Cindy and Joe!

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