Whimsical Bellingham and Artist Point Elopement

Nikki + Terry

Nikki and Terry’s Bellingham and Artist Point elopement began inside a whimsical yarn shop and ended beneath clear mountain views with sparkling wine, laughter, and the headlights of their rented RV.

Their story began long before this trip to Washington. Nikki and Terry first met while working at Quality Farm and Fleet when they were 17 years old. They felt an immediate connection, but life eventually took them in separate directions. Twenty-seven years later, Terry slid into Nikki’s DMs.

When they finally saw each other again, Nikki said, “It was like no time had passed and a lifetime had passed.” They immediately picked up where they had left off.

Terry later proposed while they were hiking in Red River Gorge. Nikki unknowingly recorded her own proposal, although she says the full story is much funnier when told in person. Hiking has remained a big part of their relationship. They also love antiquing, gardening, eating out, and spending weekends on the land they own a few hours from home.

For their elopement, Nikki and Terry traveled from Ohio and rented an RV for their Washington adventure. Their day began at Northwest Yarns & Mercantile in Bellingham, one of the most wonderfully unexpected ceremony locations I have photographed.

Before heading inside, they shared a first look in the alley outside the shop. Nikki especially wanted her amazing shoes documented during this part of the day. Then they exchanged vows surrounded by colorful yarn, with the shop’s wonderful staff helping everything come together.

After the ceremony, we drove into the Mt. Baker wilderness for their Artist Point elopement portraits. Capturing the scenery was one of their biggest priorities, so we explored the mountain, hiked toward Huntoon Point, and took advantage of the clear views.

Nikki’s floral dress brought beautiful shades of blue, purple, and yellow into the landscape. She added a small crown during the hike, making the entire look even more fun. Her laughter filled the evening, and whenever I told her the photos looked good, she responded with the happiest little “Yay!”

At the top, Nikki and Terry popped sparkling wine and celebrated with the mountain almost entirely to themselves. A few clouds moved in toward the end of the evening, so we did not get the full alpenglow, but everything remained calm, clear, and beautiful.

We finished the night beside the RV that had carried them all the way from Ohio. Using its headlights for their final portraits gave us something completely different from the colorful yarn shop where the day began.

Nikki and Terry said their favorite parts of being together are the fun they constantly have, the trust between them, and knowing they can always count on each other. Now, they are looking forward to more adventures, growing old together, and continuing to make progress on their land.

Terry also says Nikki is the ultimate planner. After seeing the elopement day she created, I have to agree. Yay!

Vendors:

Ceremony Venue: Northwest Yarns & Mercantile / Hair + Makeup: Elspeth Rees / Photography: Works by Sarah Jane Photography //

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