If you were to ask Kate and Abby what their perfect day would look like, it would probably be something like what their elopement looked like: exploring bridges & waterfalls & more bridges, soaking up the dreamy PNW weather, surrounded by stunning, lush greenery at every turn. It was nearly impossible to try to narrow down the full day into just a few photos for this blog post, but the magic is easy to see in every single one. Take me back to this Olympic Peninsula adventure elopement any day!
Kate + Abby’s All-Day Olympic Peninsula Adventure Elopement
A private celebration focused on their love
There’s literally nothing better in this world than getting to spend an entire day with two wonderful humans in love, adventuring around the most epic spots along the Olympic Peninsula. Nowhere else to be, no strict timeline to follow, no guests to please; just Kate, Abby and I exploring beautiful landscapes to our heart’s content. Wandering Weddings agrees with me, too– this day has been published on their blog!
Neither Abby nor Kate were interested in the “production” feel of a traditional wedding; they’d always felt like it’s a lot of planning and money for a day that feels like it’s about putting on a show for others, rather than focusing on & celebrating them. So you bet this day revolved around only the things they wanted to do, the adventures they craved, the memories they couldn’t wait to make together. I loooved all the activities that we included in their day to make it super personalized to their love story, including:
- Getting ready together
- Plenty of bridge portraits (they love bridges!)
- Easy (but still scenic) hikes
- Reading letters from loved ones
- Making bracelets to match the colors of each other’s eyes (I can’t even)
- A lakeside picnic
- Hot dogs & s’mores over the fire
- An outdoor rain shower at their Airbnb
- Snuggles to end the night
This is exactly why I’m so obsessed with all-day elopements: you have an abundance of time to do everythinggg you want to do. Without a crazy strict timeline or a super limited amount of hours of photo coverage, you have so much freedom to plan fun activities, create intentional moments, and adventure wherever your heart desires. Keep on reading to see photos of all these sweet little moments Kate and Abby shared throughout their day!
Wanna kick it up a notch and make it a two-day adventure instead? Check out Maddie and Kevin’s Epic Two-Day Adventure Wedding in Leavenworth for inspo.
Getting ready together in a cozy dome
Have I told you yet how much I love it when couples get ready together? It’s my favorite thing to witness, seeing two people so in love getting to share these quiet, meaningful moments before the rest of the day kicks off. Especiallyyy when you have guests who you’ll be meeting up with, but you’d like a little private time together first.
Kate and Abby stayed in the coolest dome Airbnb on the peninsula, which made for some pretty awesome photos as they helped each other get all dressed up for the day. Photographing their details was a breeze, with the collection of gorgeous jewelry, accessories, and decor they’d brought with them—including the cutest little Olympic National Park magnet, an ONP pin, and velvet green ring boxes to match the lush greenery of the peninsula.
If you’re into the idea of getting ready together, take a read through my blog post all about Why I Love Getting Ready Photos for Elopements + Weddings.
A scenic vow exchange at Sol Duc Falls
Of all the gorgeous spots in the area, Sol Duc Falls is one of the most lush and vibrant, filled with rich green trees that surround the winding hiking trails—and it also happened to be the perfect place for Kate and Abby to tie the knot. They wanted to find a hike on their elopement day that would be scenic and beautiful, but not too challenging, so this trail was great, taking us through little flowing creeks, moss-covered branches, and, of course, the cascading falls at the end. How dreamy is the light we got during their vow exchange, shining through the trees and bringing all the enchanting greenery to life? Tears were flowing just as the waterfall was this whole time 🥲
Check out another enchanting woodland ceremony in my blog about Lydia and Michelle’s Lush Olympic National Park Adventure Elopement!
The cutest picnic at Lake Crescent
After exchanging vows and signing their marriage license to make things official, Kate and Abby set up the most romantic picnic on the grassy shores of Lake Crescent, another one of the most iconic destinations in Olympic National Park. They enjoyed a delicious cake + drinks as they admired the cloudy lake and mountain views, wrapping things up by reading the sweetest letters written by their loved ones. If you and your partner want to include your family and friends in your elopement without them actually being in attendance, this is by far one of the easiest (and most meaningful) ways to do so!
I love it when couples get creative with food + drinks on their elopement day; if you’re a big foodie and want to elevate your elopement day meals, here are 10 Creative Elopement Food & Meal Ideas I think you’ll find absolutely delicious 🙂
Elopement portraits around the peninsula
An adventure elopement wouldn’t be complete without hitting up at least two different breathtaking spots for newlywed portraits, now, would it? Once we’d frolicked around the meadows next to Lake Crescent (and even made friends with a couple of deer!), we were off to Devil’s Punchbowl for the third (!!) bridge of the day. The combination of the lush forested hills, the gray clouds rolling in over the lake, and the blue tint of the mountains in the distance made this the most beautiful backdrop for joyful, celebratory portraits of Kate and Abby. I could not get over the huge smiles and warm, inviting laughter they shared at every moment—it was too much for my heart!
Aaand we made one final stop at Salt Creek Recreation Area, one of my favorite hidden gems on the peninsula, just in time for a little sunshine. Gorgeous gorgeous humans in front of spectacular coastal views, what more could you ask for?
Nighttime snuggles under the stars
By the time the day ended, Kate and Abby were more than ready to strip out of their wedding attire and into something a little more comfy. We wrapped up the evening at their Airbnb with some hot dogs and s’mores over the fire, a silly little venture into the outdoor rain shower, and snuggles in bed—for the first time as a married couple. This was truly the embodiment of an all-day elopement and I could not have been more thrilled to be there from the beginning, all the way till the very end!
Olympic Peninsula elopement vendors
Dress designer: Wtoo by Watters
Dress shop: Tulle Bridal Shop
Suit: SuitShop
Tie: Dazi
Boots: Danner
Olympic Peninsula Adventure Elopement Photographer
Hiya! I’m Marla, and if you couldn’t tell already, I’m an Olympic Peninsula elopement photographer who is quite obsessed with helping my couples create unforgettable elopement experiences in the Pacific Northwest. If you’re feeling all the feels and are ready to explore all the possibilities that elopements have to offer, contact me here and spill all the details about what you’re envisioning!
For more Washington + Oregon elopement planning resources, feel free to peruse the blog, or peek at a few of my recent favorites below:
