The Elopement of Lexie + James

“I don’t really care exactly where it is, I just know that I want it to be on the coast.”

I’ve known Lexie and James for almost as long as I have lived in Seattle, and it is always such a treat to be around them and experiencing them individually and as a couple. When they asked me to photograph their elopement, I immediately knew two things: it would be one of the most chill-vibed weddings I have ever photographed, and it was going to be full of so much love and so much fun. I was right on both accounts.

The planning process was one of the shorter ones that I have experienced, and it was evident the whole time that Lexie and James really only had one goal in mind — and that was to celebrate their love somewhere beautiful, and walk away from it as a married couple.

Getting Ready

The bride hid in the car and used rear-view mirror for hair and make-up touches after getting into her dress as the sun came up. Simple and beautiful, she waited to greet the groom on a cold, wet, sandy beach on the Olympic coastline.

The Couple

Lexie and James are anything but traditional. I think it’s what I like most about them. They chose to ditch the white dress and the tux for a vibrant emerald green that popped against the pale blue ocean waves and the striking orange of the bluff watching over their ceremony.

The First Look

Many people think that if you are getting eloped, you give up simple pleasures like having a first look, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Lexie and James did their day the exact right way and made it all about them, and that included having a first look. James caught up with his close friend and officiant while Lexie finished getting ready in the car before signaling me to place James.

He was calm, but a bit nervous, I think. He stayed perfectly still until Lexie gently placed her hand on his shoulder, and when he turned around and saw his soon-to-be wife in her “I do” garb, his happiness was infectious.

The Vows

The couple was married quietly by a close friend as the Pacific ocean roared in the background while the tide came in and the bride’s best friend made a valiant attempt to livestream the simple ceremony to family back “home”. They read vows that they wrote to one another, extremely personal and incredibly meaningful. Promises that were crafted by them and for them, and ones that are sure to last.

The Moments

The rain didn’t dampen this couple’s happiness one bit. Instead of being bummed out by the weather, they laced up their metaphorical PNW boots and danced in the rain instead, and it made for incredible images.

The Celebration

Cold, wet, and shoes covered with dead jellyfish goop, we headed back to the car to celebrate with a very necessary champagne toast and mimosas before heading back to the city for a celebratory dinner with a larger group of friends.

Heading Home

On the way back home, we had to stop for one more photo opportunity when we saw the mist coming up from between the trees!

Thank you, Lexie and James, for choosing me to capture your memories, and for showing us that adventure is anywhere… as long as the love for it is there.