Mount Ellinor Elopement
Tali May 16th, 2025
Meeting up for C & D’s Mount Ellinor Elopement
We met up with Caitlin and Derek the night before their elopement at the Staircase Campground in Olympic National Park for their two day Washington adventure elopement. They greeted us with the sweetest gift bag filled with huckleberry soda, homemade huckleberry muffins (life changing!!!), and so many other sweet and thoughtful gifts. Needless to say, we were instantly best friends. 😉 After staying up far too late chatting excitedly about our plans, nerding out over some bugs, and getting to know one another better we retired to our tents to get some sleep before an early morning adventure for their sunrise elopement at Mount Ellinor.
The Hike up Mt Ellinor
We woke up the next morning sometime around 2am to a steady pitter-patter of rain on the tent and misty overcast skies… not exactly what we had all been hoping for to start the day, but we remained optimistic as we climbed into our cars to drive to the Mount Ellinor trailhead. As we approached the trailhead, the road became pretty steep as we started the drive up the mountain. Suddenly, Derek’s voice came over the walkie-talkies full of excitement, “Look up!! The stars are out!!!” We’d popped out above the clouds to a sky full of more stars than I had ever seen in my entire life.
We began our hike in the pitched black, our path lit by headlamps and millions of stars. This area of the state has low light pollution which combined with a thick blanket of clouds blocking any light from below made for some of the best star gazing of our lives. We saw countless shooting stars and struggled to find constellations we normally identified with ease due to the crazy number of stars we could see.
We made it to the top just as the first light from the sun started to sneak through the blanket of clouds below us. The views at the top of Mt Ellinor absolutely took our break away. Layers of mountains as far as the eye could see and a cloud inversion too!! We couldn’t believe our luck.
Mountain Summit Vows
C and D took a minute to catch their breaths after an intense morning hike and then changed into their wedding clothes for their first look. They started their Mount Ellinor elopement with the sweetest first look, seeing each in wedding clothes for the first time with the dramatic backdrop of mountain tops and a cloud inversion.
After their first look, we took some time to explore the summit of Mount Ellinor just as the sun peaked above the clouds and started to drench our surroundings in vibrant golden light. A view I will never forget as long as I live (maybe one of the best sunrises of my entire life?!). Then C and D picked a spot that felt right to them to exchange their vows. Promising your life to the person you love most in this world really hits different on a mountain summit.
Wrapping up the Morning of C & D's Mount Ellinor Elopement
C and D whipped out some of their fresh, homemade huckleberry muffins after their vows to celebrate. Dom and I 100% support celebrating your marriage with anything huckleberry based…cider, soda, muffins, fudge, ice cream… There are plenty of great options out there! Once we had all eaten and soaked in the views to our hearts’ content, we began the trek back down the mountain to continue the adventure of C and D’s Mount Ellinor elopement.
Back at camp, C and D cooked up a delicious brunch of french toast and bacon… a perfect combination to refuel after a sunrise hike! They took some time to relax and copy vows and poems into their personalized vow books before we ventured off on another (much less strenuous) hike for their Mount Ellinor elopement ceremony in the forest. Dom led their ceremony in the shade of a huge Western Red Cedar tree that C and D had picked out on a hike they took together through the forest on one of their trips together. D shared a poem that he had written… It was a touching ceremony.
We hiked back through the woods enjoying the views and the beautiful day as the sunshine streamed through the canopy; reminiscing on the wonderful day we’d had. So much adventure and we still had a whole day of adventure ahead of us for day two of their elopement!
Mount Ellinor Elopement Vendors
Mount Ellinor Elopement Photographers: Us! Forever and Evergreens
Mount Ellinor Wedding Officiant: Dom (An elopement photographer with many talents!)
Bride’s Top: Catherine Dean
Bride’s Skirt: Martina Liana
Flowers: The Fernseed
Thinking about eloping at Mount Ellinor?
You’ve come to the right place! Dom and I are elopement experts and have helped so many couples pull off the elopement of their dreams. We’d love to hear about your plans and help you turn them into a reality.
“Hiring Forever and Evergreens was one of the best decisions we made when planning our elopement. Tali and Dom went above and beyond to make our day, and the pictures, everything we could have hoped for.”
– Caitlin & Derek ★★★★★
“On the day of our elopement, Tali and Dom were truly amazing. They were incredibly organized, flexible, detail-oriented, and made us feel incredibly comfortable in front of the camera. They let us be ourselves, and they captured every special moment—from the stunning landscapes to our candid interactions.”
– Caitlin & Derek ★★★★★
Planning a Washington elopement?
Check out these…
Resources and Inspiration for Your Washington Elopement
Dreaming up your own Mount Ellinor elopement? We would absolutely love to capture it for you! Reach out and let’s start planning!
Hi Friend! We’re Tali and Dom.
Meet Your Mount Ellinor Elopement Photographers
You’re Not Just Planning a Wedding.
You’re Creating the One Story You’ll Tell Forever.
Decades from now, when you look back on this day, what do you want to remember? Let’s make sure it’s a story so full of love, adventure, and joy that you can still feel it in your bones.
We’re Forever & Evergreens—an adventure-loving husband and wife elopement photographer team documenting epic love stories. Whether hiking through the woods or relaxing at an elegant picnic, we specialize in capturing weddings with a little dirt, a bit of glam, and a whole lot of adventure.
