Moody Olympic National Park Elopement
Roni + Tanner
Roni and Tanner’s Olympic National Park elopement was an entire day of hiking through the forest, waterfalls, a handfasting ceremony, and my second soulmate, their three-legged dog Nikko.
We started at their cabin in Port Angeles with details and getting ready photos. Roni and Tanner got ready separately with Tanner’s parents. Roni had put so many personal touches into her wedding look, too. She wore a black wedding dress with a black veil and handmade details, including the jeweled bands around her arms. Against all the deep greens of the Olympic Peninsula, the whole look was moody, a little witchy, and seemed perfect for her.
Nikko joined us for the morning but couldn’t come along for several hours of hiking. That meant I obviously needed to fit in as much Nikko time as possible before we left. We snuggled, played fetch, and included him in some of the wedding details before Roni and Tanner headed outside for their first look.
From there, we headed into Olympic National Park and started hiking Sol Duc Trail. We spent about three hours exploring the forest and stopping for portraits along the way. Roni fell in love with an area covered in exposed tree roots, and that became their ceremony spot.
With Tanner’s parents there beside them, Roni and Tanner exchanged vows and incorporated a handfasting ceremony using the braided cord Roni made herself. I also had the honor of officiating and officially marrying them right there in the forest.
Afterward, we explored around Sol Duc Falls, taking portraits along the bridges, trees, ferns, and water before heading to Madison Falls. Getting into the water had been important to Roni since our very first phone call. She didn’t want to just take photos near a waterfall. She wanted to get IN the water.
By the time we arrived at Madison Falls, the light was fading and everything had this dark, moody feel. Roni’s black dress and veil, the lanterns, the forest, and the water made the whole area feel a little like The Witcher. Then Roni and Tanner stepped straight into the water, wedding clothes and all.
We finished the night back at Tanner’s parents’ cabin with Nikko, a smoky fire, and peanut butter cup s’mores. After hours of hiking through Olympic National Park, it was a pretty perfect ending to their elopement day.
And I would also like it officially documented that Roni is an avid runner with incredible biceps, and she told me I was a fast hiker. Shoutout to my trainer. I’ll be riding that high indefinitely.
Vendors: Dress: Hisem Store / Cape: RoxanaTDesign / Photography + Officiant: Works by Sarah Jane Photography / Florals: Fern+Sunpalm / Tanner’s Ring: Patrick Adair Designs / Roni’s Rings: Double Accent Jewelry / Ring Box: Leosklo / Vow Books: RedBerry Guest Books //
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