Ruby Beach Elopement

Washington Elopement Videography Highlight Film

Olympic National Park, Washington Elopement

Monica + Michael

When your wedding inspiration comes from a sci-fi film, you know it’s going to be an amazing day! The first time we video chatted with Monica and Michael about their elopement, they told us about how they couldn’t get the 2018 film Prospect out of their heads. They loved the lush and forested planet that the filmmakers created, and it reminded them of the rainforests of Olympic National Park in Washington.

They had it all planned out, Michael would wear a spacesuit for part of the day, and Monica would wear her gold star dress for part of the day. Together, they would head out long before sunrise with just the light of the stars to guide them. Of course, the Pacific Northwest is known for being cloudy, so they also had headlamps to help them navigate the dark beach littered with fallen trees.

On the morning of their elopement, the waves roared and churned thick sea foam onto the rocky beach. We had originally planned to have their ceremony about a mile and a half down the beach, but with the aggressive waves, we made the decision to stop for their ceremony earlier. They chose a spot next to two logs positioned as a perfect triangular (or maybe arrow) shape. To decorate the space, they laid down a blanket and some faux candles.

It didn’t take too long for their guests to begin arriving through the fog. Monica and Michael split up and changed into their wedding attire behind separate trees. They had their private first look tucked back at the edge of the forest and read their personal vows to each other. We loved that they chose to take a moment before the ceremony to read their letters and be together before their formal ceremony with their guests.

To start the ceremony, Monica’s maid of honor walked down the rocky “aisle” first and smudged the ceremony space. Then once it was Monica’s turn, her brother walked her down the “aisle” and helped her navigate over the fallen trees. The ceremony was officiated by Michael’s brother-in-law, and everyone celebrated afterward with champagne in custom metal mugs.

After the ceremony, Monica and Michael’s guests helped pack up and started their hike back. We stayed a little bit longer, exploring the beach and admired the tiny glimpse of a blue sky. We slowly made our way back to the cars and then headed into the rainforest for a picnic. Everyone gathered around a picnic table, eating sandwiches and pastries. During the picnic, the rain really picked up and everyone huddled together under umbrellas to keep warm and dry.

After lunch, we headed deep into the forest and hiked to a gorgeous waterfall. By then, it was raining so hard that even the rainforest canopy couldn’t keep the rain out. Halfway through the hike, we were all absolutely drenched with rain. But Monica and Michael didn’t seem to care. They embraced the rain and had a lot of fun!

We ended the afternoon back at their Airbnb. Monica and Michael freshened up (mostly dried off) a little bit before having their first dance on the back patio of their cabin. They danced to Into My Arms by Nick Cave, one of their favorite songs. We left that day soaking wet, but so so fulfilled. What a perfect day for the Spaceman and his Lady.

This elopement took place on Quileute, Coast Salish, and S’Klallam Land.

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).