Lord of the Rings Themed Wedding in the Redwoods

One of the things I love about elopements is that couples feel more agency to make their wedding day what they want it to be. Anim and Mariah chose to listen to their hobbit hearts and infuse Lord of the Rings into their elopement among the Redwoods and Oregon Coast. From jewelry to a curated picnic to a replica of Narsil/Sword of Elendil, their day radiated Middle Earth.

This Lord of the Rings elopement was featured on OffBeat Wed

The Experience & Starting Pricing


sam@samstarns.com @samstarns

Lord of the Rings Wedding Theme in the Redwoods

Both of these humans are medical residents in Southern California and wanted their trip to NorCal to be a getaway from the stress of work and an adventure to kick off the next chapter of their lives together, marriage. In their words:

“We don’t want to say our vows in front of people, we like our privacy away from other people to have to worry about pleasing/judgment, etc. We also want an event where we can focus on each other, ourselves, the moment, and whatever we want/feel like, in a more fantasy almost fairy like setting, because — cheesy as this sounds– it really feels like a fantasy dream come true.”

They let me use my knowledge to select some Redwoods spaces for them that are off the beaten path (figuratively – remember to LNT!) and unique compared to where most folks choose. Needless to say, it was a key ingredient to the epic and singular images in their gallery!

Here’s a quick sneak peek at their heirloom album

To watch a video of their entire Lord of the Rings-inspired elopement album, click here.

LOTR Inspired Wedding First Look & Details

Not only did Anim bring their replica of the Sword of Elendil (Narsil), these two had signs announcing their marriage in Elvish, Mariah’s necklace had the Evenstar hanging down the middle of their back, and they even had an eternal that counted up when they pulled the pin during the ceremony.

Mariah looked like a woodland elf, while Anim went for more of an earthy look, with embroidery patches on their suit (which they hand-stitched on themselves!).

Their lodgings overlooked the Smith River, a stone’s throw from Jedediah Smith State Park, and a small copse of Redwoods with a rustic fort was the perfect place for their intimate first look. Upon seeing each other, they embraced and drunk in each others’ presence.

    • Lord of the Rings Wedding Theme: Ceremony and Redwoods

    It was off to find the ideal spot for their ceremony in Del Norte Coast Redwoods. With the sun beaming through the trees, we strolled and explored among sword ferns as tall as us and wild rhododendrons ever-reaching toward the canopy’s light.

    They bared their souls during their intimate and heartfelt vows and soaked in the sun that surrounded them and their ceremony. We knew beforehand we’d be working up an appetite with all the adventuring, so after their ceremony, we drove north to Jed Smith where a curated and LOTR themed wedding picnic was waiting for them.

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    • A Picnic fit for Lord of the Rings Weddings

    Anim and Mariah requested a Lord of the Rings meets Celestial as a picnic theme, and my admin Jinny (Beyond the Sorrel – available exclusively to Sam Starns couples) really outdid herself. They walked into a rarely visited grove to a custom and soft LOTR/Redwoods music playlist emanating from every direction and after a moment, turned the corner to see a low table adorned with candles, goblets, lanterns, and more, with pillows and blankets for seating. They chose to order from a local restaurant, so the food was hot and ready to go.

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    • Anim & Mariah’s Lord of the Rings Wedding on the Ended on Oregon Coast

    We ended the day cliffside, north of Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor. The sun radiated golden light as we kept an eye out for gray whales, cormorants, and other wildlife. As the sun sunk below the horizon, we pulled out lanterns to light our way back to the car. Anim and Mariah held each other close for a final few photos and soaked in their surroundings as their elopement day came to a close.

    • Lord of the Rings Wedding Theme

    If you’re dreaming of a day like this, full of intention and connection with a splash of “epic” thrown in, reach out, and let’s co-create an adventure together reflective of YOU…

    Start Your Adventure

    Are you Hungry for more elopement resources?

    Lord of the Rings Elopement Weddings FAQs

    The good news is that creating a Lord of the Rings-themed elopement isn’t as hard as it may seem. Lots of available items can be used to create that Middle Earth-themed wedding vibe. Lean into colors, earthy tones, neutrals, lots of green and brown, fabrics that remind you of Hobbit attire or the billowy robes of the elves of Lothlorien. Or maybe go architectural with Gatsby-era Art Deco vibes and emulate the Dwarf Mines of Moria. Want a LOTR themed picnic? Hire a luxury picnic planner like Beyond The Sorrel: available to Sam Starns referrals who will curate the tablescape to your exact dreams.

    A Lord of the Rings-style wedding can take place in a host of Oregon backdrops! There are, of course, the few Redwoods on this side of the Oregon/California border, but there are plenty of other forests to choose from. You could also have Lord of the Rings weddings on a mountain peak, overlooking Gondor, er, I mean Oregon! Oregon boasts the Cascade Mountain range, with plenty of mountain vistas to choose form.

    In Oregon, the best weather for elopements takes place May-October, unless you want a snowy theme LOTR wedding or elopement! Unlike places like Colorado, lots of mountain areas are inaccessible in the winter, due to a lack of infrastructure. The roads are dirt or gravel, and snow plows are in limited supply.

    Lord of the Rings weddings, and it likely goes without saying that the more elevated you want it to look, i.e. not just a few plastic replica props, but really immersive, the more it will likely cost. Flowy fabric for Lord of the Rings-inspired wedding dresses can be more expensive if you want high quality and lightweight. A luxury picnic may cost more than a nice meal out. Elopement photography experts can range in price, but most specialists start at around $5000 for a half day if they have several years of experience. Elopement photographers often also help with planning, so it’s worth investing in order to help bring your dream to life! Interested in how it generally works hiring a photographer that doubles as a planning consultant?