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Eloping vs Weddings; A Direct Comparison
There are so many posts about why you should elope from elopement photographers (guilty: see my list of reasons to elope here), but not nearly as many include what you might miss out on if you choose to elope or vice versa. In this post, you’ll be able to compare weddings and elopement in every way imaginable — from insight into what kind of experience you’ll have on the day of to the planning and to the preparation required.
Elopement Ceremonies; Tips, Ideas, Guests, and Etiquette
Adventure elopements have been shaking up the wedding industry for the last few years. One of the best parts? There are no rules to them. This is great and fun when dreaming, but unpractical when wading through an overwhelming number of options. Use this blog as your starting point and your ceremony plans will begin to take shape!
Where to Propose in Washington State — Tips, Advice, and More
Congratulations on your plans to propose! I’m guessing you’re feeling very excited, but a bit anxious about how it will all go down. Am I right? This blog should clear up questions you have regarding everything from weather to seasonal accessibility. Washington is beautiful, and you’re sure to find a spot to propose that you both will fall in love with.
Small Wedding Venues in Oregon
Oregon is such an incredible place to elope. Its scenery compares to Iceland’s, is less crowded than Washington, and no less beautiful. Just like my list of smaller elopement venues in Washington, these venues all include potential lodging, beautiful scenery, and appropriate spaces for more intimate ceremonies, receptions, and even weekend-long events.
Seattle Arboretum Fall Elopement
At 230 acres, the Washington Park Arboretum is Seattle’s third-largest park. It’s large enough to make you forget you’re amidst a bustling city while you’re wandering its many trails. The grand trees, flowers, and waterfront along Lake Washington make it a lovely place to visit any time of year, but especially in the fall.
Cape Flattery Surprise Proposal
There is no better place to find diversity in the landscape than in the Olympic National Park. When Stephanie reached out to me about photographing her surprise proposal to Madison with Cape Flattery in mind, I knew it was perfect for them based on their interests.
Mount Rainier Elopement
On the day of Evan and Kelly’s elopement, I woke up and immediately went to check the conditions at Mount Rainier from my dining room window. Even though their wedding took place during the first week of September, Rainier is the tallest mountain around and can create its own cloud coverage no matter the season. Visiting in summer gives you the best odds of seeing the mountain, but there is always a chance that it could be covered in clouds.
Pacific Crest Trail Backpacking Elopement
News on the PCT travels fast! We were five miles from our campsite in the North Cascades when Zach and I were asked if we were with the wedding party. It was shocking that even new, incoming PCT thru-hikers knew of the elopement.
Winding Path Gardens Wedding
Ashley and Richard started dating at the beginning of the pandemic when Britain was still in lockdown. The only reason you could leave your home in the UK was if you were working out, so all their dates were walks and workouts.
North Cascades Hiking Elopement
Malinda and Greg were so excited to be able to share their love of traveling with their families for their elopement. From Michigan, it was Washington’s grand mountains that drew them to the Pacific Northwest. After debating mountaintop ceremony locations all over Washington, they loved the dramatic peaks of the Mt. Baker Wilderness the most.
Elopement Photographer Scams: What to Ask Before Hiring
Unfortunately, during this past summer, I’ve seen several couples scrambling to find new vendors just days before their nuptials. It breaks my heart to find out that the vendors they first thought they were hiring for their event aren’t real businesses.
Olympic National Park Proposal
This was my first ever, not a surprise proposal! Meaning, that it was totally modern and untraditional. Emily and Brian knew they wanted to marry each other and wanted the moment they dedicated to this decision documented.
Mount Baker Sunrise Elopement
Helping plan Kasey and Yashas adventure elopement has been a dream. They’re from Illinois and hadn’t visited the Mount Baker Wilderness before they chose to elope there. That sounds like it could be stressful, but they made it look easy!
What is an Adventure Elopement?
Eloping used to mean running away and quickly getting married without permission, but so much has changed. Today, eloping means celebrating your commitment to one another in a more intimate and meaningful way – with or without guests and planned anywhere from months or weeks in advance.
How and Why to Get Married in Stehekin
Stehekin is an incredibly gorgeous small town at the base of the North Cascades National Park. It’s located on the north end of Lake Chelan and is extremely remote – only accessible by ferry, foot, or plane. There is one road through town, a handful of vehicles there, and 85 permanent residents. Quaint? Yes. Beautiful? Shockingly so.
Backpacking to Stehekin
Stehekin is a remote town in the North Cascades — only accessible by foot, ferry (from the Lake Chelan Boat Co. and Stehekin Ferry), or plane. Based along the northern shores of Lake Chelan, the town is surrounded by 7,000-foot mountains and the third deepest lake in the United States. Saying it’s incredibly beautiful would be an understatement!
Top 21 Places to Elope on the West Coast
You’ve narrowed your elopement destination to the west coast! It’s a beautiful place to explore, but what should you take into consideration before committing to a location?
Lake Crescent Spring Engagement
The Olympic National Park is known for its rain — it is the United States’ wettest continental rainforest after all — so it was a delightful surprise when the forecast predicted sunshine for Maggie and Ryan’s engagement shoot. We arrived to see clear skies, a sparkling blue lake, and temps in the 60s! It was a wonderful change from the rainy spring we’ve had in western Washington this year.
Dramatic Olympic Coast Elopement
If you’re familiar with spring in Washington, you’ll probably know we can have some erratic weather. In spring, it can be snowing one day and sunny the next. That’s why I was relieved when Carly and Gavin reached out to me about eloping on the beach in the Olympic National Park and wanted moodier weather. We discussed the possibility of it raining and they were down for the adventure!
Lake Quinault Elopement
Sarah and Adam’s goal was to keep their elopement as stress-free and simple as possible. This might sound easy, but the more vendors you add and the more guests you invite, the more complicated everything gets.