Written by our rad team member, Jessica Dastous

Forest Elopement in the Pacific Northwest

If you dream of saying your I do’s among the ferns, exploring between some of the oldest and tallest trees in the world and taking in the deep greens of the Pacific Northwest, then a forest elopement is for you! Skylar and Raelyn did just that and ended their day along the rugged coast at sunset near Olympic National Park. Keep scrolling to see the most stunning forest elopement photos and the dreamy sunset they witnessed during their best day ever in the Olympics!

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Meet the couple of this Forest Elopement

Meet Skylar and Raelyn, the couple of this stunning forest elopement in Olympic National Park. Skylar and Raelyn are from Seattle and reached out to me to plan their best day ever in the forest and the mountains! In true fashion of the Pacific Northwest, Mother Nature had other ideas for their day and we had to pivot their plans at the last minute. The mountains were completely socked in at Olympic National Park, so we decided to head to the coast. One of the best things about the Olympic Peninsula is there are so many micro climates. Even if it is really cloudy in the mountains, you can head to the coast and have complete sunshine, which is exactly what happened during Skylar and Raelyn’s forest elopement!

We started their day in the forest, where Skylar and Raelyn enjoyed a celebratory picnic at one of my favorite campgrounds in all of Washington! Their forest elopement was so stunning, we explored through the ferns and walked between the giant old growth trees. After, we headed to the coast where Skylar and Raelyn spent the last hour of sunlight splashing in the water and taking in all the sights along the rugged coastline, which was only 30 minutes away! Olympic National Park is truly a hidden gem, you can get from your forest elopement location to the coast in only 30 minutes and the mountains in just under an hour. Talk about a dream come true!

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Three tips for planning your own Forest Elopement in the Pacific Northwest

The great thing about planning a forest elopement in Olympic National Park is you don’t have to worry as much about the weather and what Mother Nature has in store for your best day ever! The forest has so many pine trees that make perfect umbrellas if it rains on your elopement day. Also, there are many micro climates, so if it is rainy and cloudy in the mountains, the rugged coast can be sunny and absolutely stunning for sunset photos.  Keep reading for three tips on planning your forest wedding in the Pacific Northwest!

Time of year

The best time of year for your forest elopement in Olympic National Park is May – October. The ferns are absolutely the best during this time of year. They stand tall and look the most dramatic in photos. If you plan a forest elopement in the off season, the snow typically bogs down the ferns and they look a little more flat. Another great thing about having a forest wedding is the evergreen trees! These forests offer the stunning deep green tones that people love about the Pacific Northwest and stay green all year long, making Olympic National Park a great location for a winter forest elopement.

Day of the week

The best time to plan your forest elopement is during the week, specifically Tuesdays and Wednesdays! Typically you’ll have the most privacy during the week and eliminate any uninvited bystanders since you’ll be on public lands. The weekends are when everyone else goes and explores the forest, and will be super crowded if you choose one of these days for your forest elopement.

Time of day

The best time of day to have your forest elopement is truly anytime! Just like pine trees make the best umbrellas they are also the best filters for light and will make the most stunning location for your elopement photos.

For more tips and inspiration on planning your forest elopement head to the blogs below:

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Forest Elopement Packages

We typically recommend either a half day or a full day when choosing your forest elopement package. If you envision your dream day like Skylar and Raelyn’s forest elopement, then the half day package is for you! During your half day forest elopement we will meet at the forest, explore and take photos then head to the coast or the mountains for sunset. Sounds like a dream come true! Or you can choose a full day forest elopement package, which is what most of our couples do and you’ll start at your cabin with getting ready photos and a first look. Then we would head to an alpine lake, then the forest and ending the day with sunset photos in the mountains. When you choose a full day forest elopement package, you’ll have more time to explore and a wider range of scenery!

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Meet your Forest Elopement Photographers

We feel most at home in the outdoors, so it’s no surprise that is where we gravitate towards as your forest elopement photographers. Between the Pine was founded by Mollie in 2018 and she has hiked hundreds of miles all over the Pacific Northwest and Kauai, to capture couples during their forest elopement. Since 2018, we’ve grown our team and hired two incredible photographers (cue Dawn and Kass)! Dawn has been photographing forest elopements all over the Pacific Northwest for the last seven years and is truly incredible when it comes to capturing all the in-between moments of your best day ever! Kass was previously an outdoor recreation guide and knows all the best locations to adventure during your forest elopement. She transitioned from guide to photographer six years ago and hasn’t looked back since! Our team at Between the Pine is passionate about our jobs and adventuring to the most beautiful locations to document your forest elopement. We know the Pacific Northwest like the back of our hands and are dying for a reason to head back to the mountains, forest and everything in between! Click here to learn more about the Between the Pine team, your forest elopement photographers!