The Un-ELOPEMENT Is
Traditional elopements have peaked.
THE NEW UN-WEDDING
After photographing weddings in the truly Northern California redwoods for the last ten years, I know this much is true: weddings are weddings are weddings. Call it a wedding or call it an elopement. Guest count aside, it doesn’t matter if there is one person or a hundred people celebrating with you. If you are barefoot or wearing green velvet Loeffler Randall mules. What matters is the commitment you are making to each other. Your wedding is a way-marker. The location doesn’t matter either. But. If you want to feel small and exquisitely brief, the redwoods are an ideal cathedral.
1. How to Un-Elope in the redwoods
If you’ve spent a few minutes on Pinterest in search of redwood forest wedding inspo or Googled how to get married in the redwoods, you’ve been inundated with images of distant, faceless figures amidst towering trees. You’ve stumbled across photographs of couples stomping across the burgeoning eco systems that begin on and around fallen redwood trunks and then die soundlessly under never before worn hiking boots. Wood adjacent just married signs purchased on Amazon lend aggressive live-laugh-love vibes.
Then you threw up in your mouth just a little. This is not what you want.
Yours is not a live-laugh-love story. Yours is more of a gold boots and champagne in the rain spoken word poem.
FAQ: Why are the redwoods such a popular elopement destination?
The redwoods are a singular experience. The scale and monument alone is enough to take your breath away. Blankets of ferns, sorrel carpets and banana slug caravans – the vibe is evergreen and otherworldly all at once.
2. Trust Falls are not just for company retreats
Letting go can be tricky if you have a hard time with trust. This is painful for some people. If you are looking for completely safe images of how your redwood elopement looked i.e. tiny people, big trees, le fin… there are hundreds of other photographers for you.
What makes a redwood forest elopement special is the experience of the space and the wonder that accompanies holding hands with your favorite person while feeling so small and finite.
My goal with every portrait is to capture your connection within the context of the towering forest.
FAQ: How is your approach different from traditional wedding photographers?
There is no script. The only lines that you’re reading are the ones that you wrote and there’s a good chance that you’re ugly snot nose crying through most of them.
3. As Your Redwood Un-ELOPEMENT Photographer
This is my church is a common refrain in the redwoods. There is a weighted hush punctuated with bird song. The slightest sway in the shy crowns. Both rain and sunlight slip between the branches.
I see my role as both artist and guide. That means seeing you as you are and ensuring that you are comfortable and present.
FAQ: What is it like to work with you?
You can expect a calm presence, gentle guidance that doesn’t detract from your experience, and imagery that celebrates you honestly.
4. Planning Your Redwood Elopement
Eloping in the redwoods requires a little bit of thoughtful planning. Special use permits are typically required for ceremonies with more than 6 guests. I’ll point you to the right resources and help you dial in a location that aligns with your preferences, whether that’s complete privacy or a late afternoon adventure that leads into a dinner reservation with friends.
Timing is another detail that shapes your experience. The redwoods look dramatically different depending on the season and time of day. Early morning light varies from cinematic mist to dramatic chiaroscuro dappling. Afternoons in late spring or early fall can be golden and soft, filtering through the canopy. If privacy is your first priority, an early morning weekday ceremony often means you’ll have the forest to yourselves.
Guest count is also worth considering. Many redwood locations limit attendance to keep the spaces protected. While elopements naturally lean smaller, knowing these restrictions ahead of time helps you decide whether to share the day with a few close loved ones or keep it entirely intimate.
Redwood Elopement FAQ
5. Elevated but Unfussy
No, you don’t have to wear hiking boots.
For attire, think pieces that move with you. A gown that silhouettes in the sunlight falling across the trails. A sharply tailored suit that feels classic yet refined. Minimal details with strong textures stand out beautifully against the depth of the forest. A beetle green taffeta ball gown or an elegant stretch crepe classic with a flowing train are equally at home in the redwoods.
A private redwood venue is ideal for couples who want to include florals and decor that echo the natural setting. A bouquet made entirely of ferns or overflowing with seasonal blooms. This is the ideal approach for couples who have a truly immersive experience in mind.
6. Of Wildness & PReservation
Your redwood elopement photographs are more than a document. These images are the way that your wedding day will live on. Your personal Time Machine, your portal to this pocket of time.
Photography becomes your way back to these fleeting and otherwise intangible moments. Your photographs allow you to return to the stillness of the forest, the golden light through the canopy, the feeling of being entirely present with the person you love.
Each collection is shaped around your celebration, whether it’s an intimate ceremony in a hidden grove or a full-day experience through the forest and along the coast, maybe punctuated with champagne and potato chips. Alongside the photographs, you’ll have support with planning, location guidance, and space for your story to unfold naturally.
The images you carry forward are more than pictures. They’re your legacy. Timeless, artful, and deeply true.
FAQ: How much does redwood elopement photography cost?
Collections range from 2500 to 9500 depending on your needs and preferences.
7. An Autumn Elopement in the Redwoods
Amanda and Will chose to exchange vows in an out of the way grove along the Northern California coast. The forest was hushed, wreathed with the late October light that is impossibly nostalgic. They didn’t want an elaborate production or hours of posed portraits. They wanted space to be fully present, and to show up in their photographs as they truly were.
They began with a barefoot ceremony nestled in front of a fallen giant, performed by their oldest and closest friend. Afterwards, we wandered slowly through the grove, stopping to explore fallen leaves and sudden pockets of light. Having explored the ancient grove, we drove up the coast to toast golden hour with champagne on the beach.
The redwoods are an easy place to blend immersive landscapes with candid frames. The grandeur of the redwoods emphasizes the intimacy between a couple, blending fairytale magic with a feeling of existing together within a world of their own.
My approach to elopements blends a documentary style with a fine art sensibility.
If you’re dreaming of a redwood elopement that honors your love story with intention and artistry, I’d be honored to help you create it. Together, we’ll shape a day that feels aligned with you, and I’ll ensure the photographs reflect not only how it looked, but how it felt.