Elopements

A Small Wedding Ceremony at Rialto Beach With Private Vows in Hoh Rainforest

Sarah and Michael wanted to have their private vows in the Hoh Rainforest, just the two of them in casual attire, and then later with family on Rialto Beach in formal attire. Get all the details from their day below.

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About This Small Wedding Ceremony at Rialto Beach

Photography by More Van Anything

“They said their vows in one of the greenest and quietest places amongst the trees (after getting changed in the trailheads bathroom). They played in the river nearby to celebrate their vows before heading to their Airbnb with family to change into their formal wedding attire. After getting ready the whole family trekked along on Rialto Beach with a handheld chuppah (LNT!) that Sarah’s mom made (she sewed the canopy and tied it to poles). It was a beautiful and fun ceremony with Sarah’s dad being the officiant. After their ceremony, they ran up and down the beach basking in the gorgeous sunlight before ending the evening by seeing two bald eagles fly into the trees as the last bit of light sunk below the horizon.” [Jaclyn, the photographer]

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Planning Your Elopement at Olympic

“For Olympic, you’ll need a permit when it’s over 5 people. Sarah and Michael had a handful of guests for Rialto Beach, so they got a permit for a set time (sunset). When they went to Hoh Rainforest to do private vows with just the two of them, they did not need a permit, but they did let the permit coordinator know we would be going there. As far as LNT goes, it’s super important to stay on trail (especially in fragile meadows like up at Hurricane Ridge) and follow other guidelines in Olympic. For instance, Sarah and Michael had a chuppah that couldn’t be set up on the beach. The family had to handhold it per the permit rules. So be sure to know what you can and cannot do for your elopement day. We always help our couples with LNT, following rules, and frequently chat with the permit coordinator for Olympic as a business.” [Jaclyn, the photographer]

Learn more about eloping in Olympic National Park.

Top Tips When Planning Your Micro Wedding Here

Jaclyn shares her top tips when planning an adventure and wedding ceremony in Olympic National Park

Embrace the moody weather and come prepared for rain. Even in the summer, we still have plenty of rainy days. We absolutely love exploring Olympic rain or shine!
The mountains are only accessible during the summer and fall seasons. If you’re wanting to explore Hurricane Ridge or another mountain area, plan for July – early October to have mostly snow-free trails.
Take advantage of the variety of landscapes! We love exploring the mountains, rainforests, and beaches with our couples on their elopement day. There is so much to see and we love sharing that with our couples.

Learn more about eloping in a national park.

Memorable Moments During This Elopement

From The Photographer:

“In the last bit of light at sunset, we saw two bald eagles fly overhead and land in the trees. Michael and Sarah stood there in awe and watched them fly above. Then right before we got to the parking lot, they took a few minutes to watch the sky turn dark and soak in the beautiful day they had.

From their informal wedding attire, for their private vows, splashing around in the river, and their more formal ceremony with family who were all so giddy to have a beautiful sunset. It was a perfect day for these two!”

Final Words of Advice From The Photographer

“Anyone who loves and respects nature and understands that Mother Nature will do what she wants will have a fantastic time eloping. We’ve seen our couples run through the rain because that’s what Mother Nature provided. We’ve seen our couples love the moodiness of the mountains. And we’ve seen our couples chill in a hot tub in the rainforest to end their day. Every one of them loves nature and is so happy to just marry their person and be together. So our advice is to go with the flow, don’t make too many plans, and just be in the moment together.” [Jaclyn, the photographer]