LGBTQ Elopement in Australia

Australia Elopement Videography Highlight Film

Western Australia Elopement

Catie + Jessica

Sometimes love takes us to the most amazing places! When we first met Catie and Jessica, they were trying to decide between eloping outside of Taos, New Mexico, and eloping in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. It was a big surprise to us when the plans changed and their elopement location changed to the opposite side of the globe. They chose to get married in the Margaret River Region of Western Australia.

Before the wedding, we knew very little about the Margaret River Region or Western Australia in general! But we quickly discovered that it is one of the most amazing places we’ve ever been to! Within an hour’s drive, you can see beautiful white sand beaches, rocky shorelines, huge cave systems, and dense karri forests. We arrived a couple of days early so that we could explore the area with Catie and Jessica.

We had two options for their ceremony location: one deep in the forest, and another on the rocky coast. Ultimately, they decided on the forest. The karri trees in the Boranup forest are enormous! In fact, they are the third tallest tree in all of Australia. We drove down a bumpy dirt road to a trailhead in order to get to their ceremony location, and it was worth the effort! We found a clearing in the trees that was the perfect size for them to get dressed behind a curtain and then have their ceremony.

On the day of their elopement, we all awoke before sunrise. (Okay, let's be honest, the toddler-sized animal that was crawling on the roof of our cottage was our actual alarm clock.) First, Catie and Jessica drank their favorite coffee and opened their gifts. Jessica bought Catie eight color-coordinated coffee mugs and Catie bought Jessica a personalized pair of fabric scissors. They got ready in their little cottage and then we met their parents in the forest. Their dads set up a curtain for the girls to get dressed behind and their moms helped them get into their gorgeous beaded gowns. They each wrote their own vows and said them underneath the tall karri trees. There were smiles, tears, laughter, and lots of hugs.

We then drove down the winding Caves Road (it's the scenic road that cuts through the Boranup Forest) until we made it to the ocean at the end of another dirt road. There, we admired the brilliant turquoise water that splashed up on the rocks and watched some bright green birds. We gathered in a circle and toasted to the newlyweds and ate chocolate. Next, we headed up to Rustico At Hay Shed Hill, which is a stunning tapas-style restaurant tucked away in a vineyard.

As the sun started to sink lower toward the horizon, we jumped back into the car with Catie and Jessica and returned to the ocean. We gave Catie and Jessica some time to explore the beach on their own. This is something that is so important to us! Giving our elopement couples some breathing room and time to enjoy each other on their wedding day alone and without any cameras is something we believe whole-heartedly in. Once the sun really began to set, we all met at the top of the rocks that overlooked the beach and the Indian ocean below. Catie and Jessica snuggled together and watched the sun disappear.

“Honestly, the easiest part of our whole journey was the videography and photography. Once we got the parents on board, Lisa and Alex turned into a combination wedding party/best friend/videographer/photographer/wedding planner/guardian angel/dance coaches amalgam that made everything smooth and relaxing. Not only did they provide excellent quality photography and videography service (ensuring that in 10+ years we may still love and want to share our day instead of laugh at the ridiculous dresses/awkward poses) but they did little things for us, like help us learn how to dance, or at least masquerade as dance proficient for our first dance the night before our reception. Or, help us find the ONE, seriously, pre-made cake in Margaret River the day before we were to eat wedding cake following our ceremony. They provided us with all the easy transitions, small (yet genuine) talk and aid of comforting friends through the small in between moments too.”

— Catie + Jessica

Photographs

Colorado Elopements

Destination Elopements

Hi There!

We're Lisa + Alex, the goofballs behind Vow of the Wild. We live in Colorado, but we’re passionate about exploring new places. Being elopement photographers + videographers is a dream for us and we can’t imagine doing anything else (other than being professional dog petters).