Embracing the Magic of the Olympic Peninsula

Maria and Drake chose the Olympic Peninsula because it has so much to offer–lush rainforests, wild coasts, and jagged mountain peaks. But more than that, it has a touch of magic that almost encourages you to slow down and take everything in–exactly the feeling they were after on their wedding day.

Though they initially planned to get married in 2023, their on-top-of-it planning and pure enthusiasm nudged them to ask the question–why shouldn’t we get married in 2022?

Seeing Maria and Drake on the morning of their elopement is a core memory for me. When I met them in those pre-dawn hours before sunrise at the top of a mountain pass, we were greeted with wild and whipping winds.

They’d tell me later the look on their faces that I witnessed was mirrored in mine–it was pure rush, equal parts excitement and enthusiasm with a layer of terror that the wind was so powerful.

M & D were more than game to continue on with the plan, but we quickly pivoted on their ceremony spot. Initially, they’d planned to stand on the cliffy side of a mountain, but that spot was far too windy, given the weather.

They hurried into the trees, and things immediately began to shift. Huddled in the evergreen trees, they met the peace they’d been chasing from the start. Getting married outside–where things are always a little unpredictable–is about embracing Mother Nature. You can’t always go into it saying that you’ll get blue skies, sunshine, and nothing else. You need to be ready to embrace whatever she throws at you. It takes a special couple, people who are willing to go with the flow.

They didn’t bat an eye when the weather turned out to be crazy. Instead, they focused on finding a spot that felt right. They created a moment for themselves that was truly ceremonious. We pinned her veil down under a rock, they poured their hearts out to each other, and as they shared their vows, the wind slowly began to settle. When they started their vows, all I could hear was the rush of the wind. By the end of their ceremony, it was absolutely silent.

The views opened up, the clouds hung low over the mountains, and M & D danced their first dance to a Shania Twain song. They wandered the mountainside together, basking in the wild weather and getting caught in awe over the rainbow that appeared as we headed down the mountain and back to their car. We drove back to their Airbnb on a forested lake where they made lunch together, taking a break in the day for intentional downtime together. They fed the ducks on the lake their own lunch of crackers and bread before taking a rowboat out onto the lake. M & D paddled around for a while, and I followed along, documenting this mellow part of their day. But as I took photo after photo, I realized that what was more important than overdocumenting these moments was the opportunity for them to embrace that experience alone.

I paddled in, letting them enjoy those moments on the lake together.

When they were ready, we packed up the car and headed toward the coast. We drove through some serious rain and cloudy weather. Driving along in my own car, I couldn’t help but think the coast might be a little rough–I think they were probably thinking that, too. But just like the rest of their day, everything started to align.

By the time we got to the parking lot at the coast, the rainy downpour had shifted into the lightest drizzle and mist–not even enough rain to need a rain jacket.

At the ocean, they skipped rocks, explored, chased waves, and played in the tide pools–all in all, fully embracing the silly, sweet moments of exploring a new place together. The sun poked out from behind the clouds. The sky turned pink. They laid out a picnic blanket topped with a charcuterie board a vendor had brought and made for them.