It’s hard to put in to words how amazing this day was. When Ciara originally messaged me saying her and her fiance wanted to do a simple elopement on the coast, just the two of them, I couldn’t help but want to turn it into so much more then just stepping foot on the beach and saying their vows. So I decided to throw together a styled elopement to make there time here extra special, something they will always remember.
My beautiful and talented friend, Sarah Bradshaw, started Ciara’s day with a bridal makeup session. Afterwards we headed back to Ciara’s gorgeous rental on the beach and began hair with another talented friend of mine. Camy June is not only a braid extraordinaire, but she is an incredible artist and was able to add some gorgeous, Oregon themed watercolor art to the invitation layout. 

Once the beautiful bride was ready, we headed to a local sun drenched forest just a couple miles away. Being able to capture Nick’s first time seeing his wife dressed in white was the beginning of our magical day together. We walked the moss covered forest floor for a bit before heading out to a private field for the 2nd part of our adventure.

The night before and morning of the shoot, I decked out the table in rustic greens, threw together a bouquet, and adorned the arch that my husband and kids built from branches they found in the forest with a mixture of nature from my backyard. I also added elk sheds that my husband acquired from his hunting trips, flowy fabric, and leftover florals from the bouquet.  I felt like this whole thing was just meant to be. My oh so crafty husband also built and stained a pallet table that would soon be covered my the most delicious food evvvvver. 

A styled elopement isn’t complete without some delicious food so I reached out to Brooke at Sidedoor Cafe to ask if she could cater a gorgeous combination of colorful deliciousness, and she did not disappoint. If ever you are on the coast, you MUST stop by Sidedoor Cafe. Everything is fresh, made from scratch, and prepared with the utmost care and creativity. They also cater, and have an event rental room known as Eden Hall connected to the restaurant. I could literally write an entire post about that restaurant, but I will re-focus to finish the story of this day.  
 

Once the sun had set over the mountains, we were off to the beach. We got there and pretty much had the whole thing to ourselves. The sun was setting, the water was a gorgeous blue, the waves were crashing, and the dark rocks added the perfect amount of drama to the shoot. This day was literally meant to be, and I hope more than anything it will always be remembered in their minds… I know it will be in mine.