Suns, Moons & Crystals:
An Olympic National Park Elopement

This blog should be titled: Frog and Toad Go on an Adventure and Elope.

For these two Alexes, Frog (boy Alex) and Toad (girl Alex) is their thing. Partly because boy Alex runs a very successful poison dart frog breeding business. Did you know that poison dart frogs are poisonous mainly because of their diet? That means the augmented diet in captivity renders them nonpoisonous. That’s just one of the many things I got to learn while in the company of these two.

I couldn’t have chosen two more cool, goofy, and down-to-earth humans to adventure with in the lushness of Olympic National Park.

Why did they want to elope? In their words…

” Planning a wedding was turning out to be more stressful and expensive than anticipated. We wanted the focus to be on us as a couple without having it be stressful. We are so excited for this moment in our lives and we are so lucky to have you being able to capture this moment for us.“

DAY ONE – Lakeside Adventures

An important tool in any elopement photographer’s toolkit is the availability to pivot last minute. I always do a location dry-run if possible the day before, especially if it’s a place I’ve never been. When I visited Hurricane Ridge before A&A’s adventure session day, the snow was covering more ground than expected so we decided to spend more time adventuring around nearby Lake Crescent, as well as make the journey closer to their lodgings in La Push, and explore the tidepools of Second Beach.

What a pleasure it is, to feel like little kids again, exploring lakeshores, playing tag on a dock, and touching sea anemones. It was the perfect way to start their documented adventure in Olympic. Low-stress, fun, spontaneous, and fulfilling – just in time for their elopement day in the rainforest.

DAY TWO – Rainforest and Coast

Getting Ready & First Look in La Push

As girl Alex donned crystals, sun/moon necklaces that complemented her chest and arm tattoos, and her first dress of the day, I took boy Alex outside to the dune grass overlooking First Beach to prep him in seeing his bride for the first time dressed in her wedding-wear.

Ceremony in an Ancient Rainforest

Hoh Rainforest? Who’s she? With the Hoh Rainforest only just opened due to a road washout last winter, we opted to ditch the insane crowds that would make the Hoh more ho-hum (heh, get it?). Instead, we made the drive to a nearby national forest/state park where it felt like we were the only souls in a forest more ancient than our minds could comprehend (another reason to book an elopement photography specialist – we know the best spots).

We were enchanted by the draping moss as they lead one another down winding paths, not knowing what new blossom or mushroom was around the next corner. The lack of crowds allowed us to be present and find the perfect location right smack in the middle of the trail for their ceremony.

Yeah, that’s what no crowds allows you to do.

Driftwood and Downpours

Heading back near La Push, we hiked (yes, hiked) on a beach to several looming sea stacks about a mile or so in the distance. We had just arrived, ready to tidepool and explore all the nooks and crannies when the skies opened up and the Alexes got treated to a classic Pacific Northwest rain. Not a downpour like the South, but cold, annoying, and bone-chilling. After being absolute badasses and toughing out part of the rain, they decided to end their adventure with a hot bath, a good show, and just being in each other’s presence.

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…