Wow, the beauty of this Rialto Beach elopement on the Washington Coast. This beach is close to La Push on the Olympic Peninsula. I had been to Rialto several times but this was my first time photographing a wedding there. We had the most amazing light which was lucky because it can be so volatile in Washington.

This elopement was dreamed up by Villanelle Floral and myself. We knew we wanted to style an intimate day that incorporated nature’s wild and untamed forces. So it was an instant decision to go to the coast where its energy makes you feel so powerful and yet so small in the best way.

Enter Steph and Yvonne. Already engaged and very much in love, these two were already planning a mountaintop elopement the week after our shoot. They are lovers of the ocean and its activities are a huge part of their lives so they essentially had both a beach and mountaintop wedding in one week. Seems quite fitting. It was a pre-nuptial elopement that felt very real to everyone involved.

Take a look at their wonderful day together and read up on tips for eloping on the Olympic Peninsula at the bottom of this post.

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A few tips to pulling off an elopement on the Olympic Peninsula:

• Plan your route ahead of time. Cell service is sparse so make sure you and your guests know where to go using a traditional map. Google Maps also has the option to download a specific part of the map so you can access it without internet.

• Think about accessibility. There are so many amazing locations on the coast but not all are easily accessed. Some have limited parking, require a hike, don’t have bathrooms, or lodging nearby. The easiest locations are Rialto Beach, Hoh Rainforest, and Hurricane Ridge. Places that require a short hike (1 – 2mi) are Second Beach, Cape Flattery, Ruby Beach, Shi Shi Beach. Those places may be a bit harder to get to but won’t require camping and have toilets. If you really want to go the whole nine yards, hike the 37 miles to Mt. Olympus! And take me with you! 🙂

• Roll with whatever the weather has in store. On the Olympic Peninsula, I’ve seen torrential downpours in summer and blue sky days in January. It’s hard to predict but not impossible. June – September is the best time to plan your elopement because the weather is more dry and warm. But be aware that no matter how much you plan, the weather may change. Roll with it! Get photos in a rainstorm! Whatever you do, remember it’s your wedding day and the weather shouldn’t get you down.