This forest wedding was steeped with moments of profound love and deep intention. In the heart of the Redwoods, Nicole and Nic spent their wedding day exploring the massive giants, touching the ferns, and exploring the moodiest stretch of beach on their elopement day.
The first time we spoke with Nicole and Nic, they shared their vision of deep greens, tall trees, and waiting to feel completely immersed in the forest. They were after a day that felt exciting with new adventures, but also slow, so they could drink in each moment.
We were immediately in.
Planning Their Forest Wedding
Nic and Nicole had their vision pretty dialed in, and needed support to bring it all together. This is where we come in as your adventure elopement photographers!
It can feel really overwhelming planning such an intentional day from across the country, and there is such a huge benefit to working with folks that are familiar with the area (or well-versed in the research that is necessary for new locations).
We’re big on research and also take a “boots on the ground approach”. It feels important to our creative process to get super familiar with any area that we’re working in, and having a firm grasp allows us to easily pivot if there’s a need.
As adventure elopement photographers, We’re super familiar with the Redwoods and this stretch of Northern California. Sharing location suggestions that fit Nicole and Nic’s vibe, local places to check out, and giving them some ideas for how to spend the rest of their time was so fun to put together.
How We Help with planning your forest wedding
#1. Scouting for your forest wedding: so that you can just get stoked and pick your fave locations that fit the vision. We always consider your accessibility preferences, your desired pace, the adventures you want to go on, and scenery you want to explore.
#2. Permits for your forest wedding: Depending on your location, you’ll likely need a permit to have a ceremony. But we help you navigate this so it’s easy-peasy.
#3. Crafting a timeline for your forest wedding: We craft an intentional timeline that takes into consideration the best light for your locations and each element of your day. We’ll also make sure you have time to explore and soak in the day without feeling rushed. Annnnnd we build in plenty of buffer time for just in case!
And honestly, SO MUCH more. We could go on, or you could just check out our elopement packages to get the full scoop.
Choosing Spring for their Forest Wedding
For their forest wedding, Nicole and Nic stayed in one of our fave lil’ coastal towns, Trinidad, California! This town is close to our some of our fave Redwood groves, Sue-Meg State Park, and some of the best views.
It felt like spring was fully springin’ the morning of their forest wedding. We arrived at their Airbnb overlooking Agate Beach and saw that there were gorgeous flowers popping up everywhere.
All the colors were so beautiful against the cloudy sky, and we were so psyched that even though the weather was giving ✨mood✨ there wasn’t any rain.
Spring may honestly be our favorite time of year for forest weddings. The trees are super green, the foliage is lush AF, and if the flowers are poppin?!? Everything feels soft and quiet. It’s perfect!
Getting Ready + An Unexpected Guest
After months of getting to know each other, fun calls where you just feel like you’re talking to old friends, planning this magical day, and sending pics of our pets, we finally got to meet these two incredible humans.
They chose to get ready separately so they could weave a first look into their forest wedding. Meaghan from Black Fern Beauty Co. was wrapping up as we arrived and was AMAZING!
Before she headed out, we all got to collectively gasp as a paraglider floated outside the window. We also got to witness him whip around *right* after their first look.
A Dreamy First Look Before Their Forest Wedding
Nic + Nicole got ready separately, but their rooms were right next to each other and it was so perfect because they still got to chat with each other and get HYPED to see each other in their wedding attire. Nicole wore a gorgeous dress from Premiere Couture and Nic sported a handsome suit from Indochino.
One of the reasons they chose this airbnb was because of the views from the bluffs, which also made for the perfect spot for their first look.
After he was ready to go, we took Nic out to the cliffside, where he got to watch our paragliding pal fly by while waiting to see Nicole.
They had the sweetest first look together and took some time to just ground in the moment and soak it all in.
After a sweet first look, Nic and Nicole exchange gifts and snuggled up for a cute picnic overlooking the beach.
Have to share another reason why we love Trinidad, CA so much, Beachcomber Cafe! Nic and Nicole took us up on this recommendation for breakfast their picnic lunch. We stop here every time we’re in the area and get so stoked when other folks visit after we tell them because the folks here are just so amazing (the food and coffee is also top-notch)!
This piece of their forest wedding felt so sweet. Taking a minute to ground, share a meal, and sit with each other was such a great way to really anchor into the day before heading out on a big adventure.
Forest Wedding in the Redwoods
After lunch, we were off and headed to their forest wedding location that they had been dreaming of for MONTHS.
We found a trail that veered off the beaten path and offered up some massive trees and gorgeous greenery without the crowds that are typically present through the park.
Rolling into the parking lot, our jaws were already on the floor. A thick marine layer had rolled in and as we stood in the parking lot, heads tilted alllll the way up, it seemed like the towering Redwoods disappeared into the clouds.
The marine layer is such a treat to see, especially in the spring. It’s super thick and doesn’t reach the ground like fog. It stays up in the canopy and the moisture from it nourishes the Redwoods in the dry, summer months.
This added such a dramatic, moody element to their day. It felt magical, and the marine layer enhanced the earthy smell of the forest.
Hiking to their Forest Wedding
We took our time walking through the giant trees, admiring the patterns of their bark, the texture of the moss, and the colors (and size) of the clovers. Nic and Nicole found a fallen clover along the trail and the color underneath perfectly matched the color of Nic’s suit!
We ran into a group as they were on their way out and found that we had the popular grove all to ourselves.
We reached our trail junction to their ceremony spot, and the anticipation seemed to double.
Together, we hiked until we found the perfect spot, the one that felt just right. On the narrow trail, a spot opened with the perfect amount of space.
We stood with the Redwoods soaring behind them (beside them, and in front of them). They took a deep breath, and started their ceremony.
Sam served as their officiant, guiding them through their ceremony. They exchanged vows, rings, and drank from a Quaich, crafted by Page Pottery .
After their ceremony, we stepped away to give these two a moment completely alone so they could really drink it all in.
Ending their Forest Wedding
Hiking back through the Redwoods, we chatted about our sunset plans. We were headed to the beach to end their evening with watching the sun dip behind the Pacific. Our original plan was to head to Agate (the same beach their airbnb overlooked).
However, we had another spot that they were stoked on and we knew it would be the perfect spot to explore as we were losing light pretty quickly from the clouds.
It was a quick little jaunt down to the most stunning rocky shore. Nicole and Nic explored, embraced, and *served* as the sun set.
Watching the waves crash against the rocks and embracing each other, so close to where they began their day, felt like the perfect bookend for an incredible forest wedding.
We say it all the time to our couples, but these days make us feel so in love with what we do. It feels funny to call it a “job”.
The connections we witness, the sacredness of these tender moments in these incredible, and ancient spaces – it’s the biggest honor.
Nic and Nicole created this day to feel connected to one another and to their surroundings. They wanted to feel completely at ease and fully present. As witnesses to their day, we’d say they perfectly captured that.
For us, days like this one are what it’s all about.
Here’s what they had to say about their day
When my hubby and I first started our planning process we knew that the most important thing to book was the photographer. Since no family or friends were going to be in attendance we knew that whoever the photographer was, that that would be the person (or in this case, people) spending our day with us so it made it even more crucial to find someone who we could be ourselves around and connect with easily. We had several phone interviews and after we spoke with Sam and Kyle we knew they were “the one.”
It was an absolute dream to work with Sam and Kyle. They were by our sides through the entire planning process. They supported us in exploring and crafting our dream day. They kept us on track with permits and other to-do’s. They truly made planning our elopement so much easier. We met with them virtually several times throughout the planning process and each meeting was about an hour long. We never felt rushed and they made us feel like they cared about our day too.
Now onto the day of. We had a snafu happen in which the keys to our rental car got locked inside of the car. This could have derailed our whole day, but it didn’t thanks to Sam and Kyle. Right away they jumped into action calling locksmiths and asking the neighbors for help. Even though our timeline for the day got pushed back, it didn’t even matter. The day was still perfect. Having them there to help keep us calm and to take on the labor of calling various locksmiths and getting that sorted turned what could have been a terrible situation into a great story to tell.
And to top it all off, our pictures are absolutely incredible. We decided to include a few of them below. They not only executed our vision for the day, they elevated it. I cannot say enough positive things about Sam and Kyle. We feel so grateful for them and their immense talent for photography. Amazing people all around. If you are looking for an adventure elopement photographer Sam and Kyle at The Dropped Pin are your people!!! Book them now!!
Ready to chat about your day?
Forest Wedding Planning Resources
For more forest wedding and adventure elopement inspo, check out these resources:
How to Elope in Washington State: Washington State is home to some of the most stunning forest wedding locations.
Olympic National Park Wedding: Beautiful rainforest and old growth. Olympic is so diverse that you can also pair mountains, beaches and stunning lakes into your forest wedding.
Mount Rainier Elopement: A guide to eloping in one of the most iconic mountains in Washington. It is also home to a temperate rainforest, gushing falls, and old-growth forests. An incredible spot for a forest wedding.
Oregon Coast Elopement Guide: Home to some of the most beautiful coastal rainforests, and the southern coast is *right* next to some of the most incredible Redwood groves you’ll ever see. Perfect for a forest wedding.
Happy planning,
Sam + Kyle
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