Sarah & Troy reached out to me in April about their fall, October elopement at the Oregon coast. They ended up choosing Hug Point for their ceremony and Oswald West State Park for some pre-ceremony pictures and it worked out so perfect! In their initial few emails, they mentioned wanting forest-y and moody vibes, and we got just that! The weather ended up being perfect through out the day. We had plenty moments of moody, overcast moments and then ended the day with a bang during their ceremony with a sunset!

Sarah & Troy ended up inviting a few of their closest friends to their elopement. They spent the early afternoon getting ready with them at an Airbnb, did a sweet first look with just the two of them, then we headed to Oswald State Park for some photos. We headed back to the Airbnb, picked everyone up, then drove to Hug Point for the ceremony. They had one of their friends officiate and the sun ended up coming out right in the middle of reading their vows. We got to run around the beach during sunset for some more photos, and Sarah & Troy ended up doing their first dance while the sun was setting. They ended their time at the beach with some notes/cards from family members and we went back to the Airbnb where they cooked dinner and ate together with their friends! It was a perfect day and everything Sarah & Troy hoped for!

Here are a few words from Sarah & Troy…

1) What did you love about your elopement location(s)?

(Troy) Hug Point was absolutely gorgeous, and the sunset on the beach with the cliffs and trees behind us was the perfect backdrop for our ceremony. The forest was so fun for first look/couples photos and the darker colors of the ferns and trees were a beautiful contrast to the sunset photos on the beach!

(Sarah) I loved getting a variety of photo backdrops (the beach and the forest) in within a 10 minute drive of our airbnb. The weather changed throughout the day and so we got to experience the fog in the forest and the sunset on the beach, so the locations just felt magical. Doing our elopement in the fall also meant everything was less busy and more private, so it was so special to get to spend some time just the two of us watching the ocean after our ceremony.

2) What memory from your elopement do you remember the most strongly? Or what part of the day had the most impact on you or your relationship?

(Troy) I will always remember how beautiful Sarah looked at the reception and how indescribable my feelings for her were at that moment. It was so special to be able to do the ceremony in a way that honored how special our relationship is.

(Sarah) I loved our first look! I wasn't prepared for how nervous or emotional I would be. Seraphina also recommended we have family write letters for us to read after the ceremony, and those were some of my favorite photos, but also one of the most intimate moments of the day. It was so cool to be able to sit and spend time with Troy and not have to worry about what was next or where we needed to be - the whole day felt very relaxed.

3) Funniest moment on your elopement day?

(Troy) The hem of Sarahs dress slowly filling with sand as we walked around the beach :)

(Sarah) I second the sand story, and will also add that a bat got into our Airbnb the next night and we had to figure out how to get him back outside!

4) What advice would you give to future couples who are getting married?

(Troy) Your wedding is for you. Putting effort into making sure it is exactly what suits your relationship will always be worth it. Not everyone will understand the decision to elope, but you will always have the memory of celebrating your first moments together with your partner.

(Sarah) I was most surprised by how special it was to have such a limited group of people join us (5 friends, and our makeup artist, and photographers). It really felt like we got to enjoy a day that was just about us and our marriage and we had such a loving support system around us making sure we got to really enjoy the day! I would also add that focusing on living in the moment and being present was really cool, and I think eloping empowered us to do that. Even taking breaks, driving to our destination, and getting ready all felt so special and intimate because we had a small group, and I never felt like we were missing out on what was going on. Seraphina and Marcus also were able to take photos of us so candidly that I didn't feel like we were posing for photos for hours. Instead, it felt like we got to explore the forest and the beach, and then ended up with these amazing photos of those moments.

Looking for a photographer for your Oregon elopement? Check out my work here and reach out here to get in touch!

Considering eloping at the Oregon Coast or in Oregon in general? You can check out my tips for an Oregon Elopement here, where I recommend best places to elope in this beautiful state!

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Hair & Makeup: Underwood Makeup

Flowers: Solabee Flowers & Botanicals

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