Olympic National Park Adventure Vow Renewal
Mari and Yasser’s adventure elopement-style vow renewal in Olympic National Park
Lake Crescent + Hurricane Ridge + Port Angeles
From the first time I visited Olympic National Park, I knew it was an incredibly special place. With its other-worldly scenery and various biomes, this place is every nature-lover’s paradise. As someone always in awe of mountains, I couldn’t get enough of the views up at Hurricane Ridge while my husband was all about the Hoh Rainforest. Never mind the spectacular coastline that just dazzles at sunset. It’s a place I knew I wanted to come back the moment I left.
Lucky for me, when my friends Mari and Yasser talked about renewing their vows as they approached their ten year wedding anniversary, I knew they had to consider Olympic National Park! As locals to Seattle and avid outdoor enthusiasts, they call all of the Washington national parks their playground. But when we dug deep and I asked which one meant the most to them, it was an easy choice: Olympic had their hearts.
After they picked a date and found an AMAZING airbnb, I helped them find vendors that would fit their needs for hair and make-up, florals, cake, and even a custom charcuterie board! With PNW weather being unpredictable, we had some back up plans in place but as luck would have it, we ended up with the sunniest of days ever!
Vendors:
Hair and Make-up: It’s Likely Makeup by Min
Cake: Middle Name Baking Co.
Florals: Farm and Flower
Charcuterie Board: Sea to Summit Charcuterie Co.
Airbnb: Green Point Getaway
The morning started with an early wake-up call for hair and make up while we all sipped on coffee and munched on bagels and fresh fruit. Mari got ready in the main portion of their airbnb while Yasser got dressed the smaller downstairs portion. Of course, he couldn’t help but sneak upstairs for a peak at Mari as she was helping their daughter, Luna, get ready too. They finished their coffee together and off he went to write his vows and finish getting dressed. As Mari finished writing her vows, Luna helped Yasser put on his boutineer and tie, making for the perfect helper. After he was done, I told him to wait for me to come get him for their first look.
Luna helped Mari into her dress and then they put on jewelry together before heading downstairs for their first look at the cliff’s edge where Yasser was waiting. After Mari tapped him on the shoulder, he was greeted by his two best girls—-it was such a special moment!
After their first look, they hopped in the car and we drove to their ceremony location: Lake Crescent. Lake Crescent is part of Olympic National Park and one of the most spectacular lakes I have ever seen. The lake’s beautiful blue color was on full display that bright, sunny, morning as we hiked along the trail. After stopping for a few photos on a beautiful bridge, we arrived at the location to do their vow renewal. As they stood there by the lake with Luna in tow, they promised to love each other all over again. It was incredibly intimate and something everyone should get a chance to do. With Luna as their ring bearer, they exchanged rings and then celebrated with hugs. We then spent some time doing portraits while Luna (and eventually Yasser) explored the area and did a little bit of scrambling.
After some portraits and getting Luna down off the rocks, we hiked back toward the car so they could start making their way to the house for a small celebratory lunch. We passed lots of people on the way back who wished them congratulations and after a few pitstops for photos, we made it back to the car and started the drive back.
Once we arrived at the house, Mari and Yasser opened up the “garage door” which acted as a back patio door to let some fresh air inside. They noshed on a custom charcuterie board, toasted with champagne in mugs, and cut into their delicious cake. Luna played and took some photos of Mari and Yasser as we prepped to head back out to go play in the snow. Once everyone was fed and ready, we hopped back in the cars and made our way up to Hurricane Ridge.
Fun fact: just the day before, it was literally snowing up at Hurricane Ridge and zero visibility. Just a reminder that weather is wild everywhere but especially the PNW!
After a nice drive up to Hurricane Ridge, we all got out of the car, embraced the chilly air, and found a perfect spot for everyone to play in the snow! With the sun shining down on them, they threw snowballs, goofed around, and stole lots of kisses. This location was a big reason they chose Olympic National Park and getting to experience the snow up here was the highlight of their day. After everyone was ready to get warm, we made our way back to the airbnb for the final portion of their evening.
As we pulled up to the house, the sun was starting to set, creating the dreamiest light ever. We walked back to the cliff again where Mari and Yasser danced to Willie Nelson’s “A Song for You”.
No one cried, especially not me <insert sarcasm>.
We all watched the sun dip lower and lower from our spot overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca, waving to Canada on the other side for fun. Once it was a little darker, we played with lanterns during blue hour for some portraits and then popped one more bottle of champagne for a little fun. The Aledriguez family ended their exciting, adventurous day with a little dip in the hot tub before retiring for the night with some pizza and wine.
Mari and Yasser’s vow renewal was one of the most exciting days to document and one I won’t soon forget. If you have ever contemplated renewing your vows and doing something different, reach out. Let’s create a day that is meaningful to you and your relationship.