Enchanting Waterfall Elopement
Planning this waterfall elopement-inspired first look with T + C was such a blast. They wanted to spend the morning of their wedding at one of our favorite waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge. We loved getting to help them plan and time their visit so they had plenty of privacy on a weekend at one of the most accessible falls in Oregon. Looking for an Oregon elopement photographer to help you plan a waterfall elopement? We know two that would be thrilled to help make your dreams come true (hiii!!)
We planned to shoot at Latourell Falls around sunrise, to help ensure some privacy. T + C met us in the parking lot in their full wedding garb. When planning their session, we chatted about being prepared to get a *little* muddy and were so thrilled that these two were down to get dirty. Exploring waterfalls is almost guarantee that you will
1. Get wet
2. Get muddy
3. Have epic photos
T and C came prepared for all three. They both wore shoes that they felt safe exploring the falls in.
T wore some badass boots that allowed her to climb over some slick rocks in her flowing gown.
These two came ready for adventure. We’re so glad that they were down to embrace the mud because it made for some stunning pictures and allowed them both to focus on adventuring without worry.
It always feels so special to be the first to see our couples on their wedding day and we consider it a huge honor to get to witness some of their most private moments. There is a short, relatively easy 2ish mile trail at Latourell that is absolutely gorgeous and completely worth the time it takes to explore, but if you’re wanting to skip the upper part of the falls and head straight to the base, you can always explore the trail and take the path to the right of the parking lot. This is the route we chose and made it to the base of the falls in just a few minutes. You can learn more about the falls here
After walking the main path, we made out way to the base of the falls, moving super carefully on the slick basalt rocks that frame the falls. The dark basalt pressed into the vibrant Oregon greenery feels like you’ve stepped into a fairytale. Tiffany’s gown brought all the drama and even though the wind and waterfall mist was freezing, these two were able to snuggle up and keep each other warm while we got some stunning shots.
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After exploring the base, we were all freezing and decided to take a quick break to warm up and take some time to chill. This is one of the coolest things about crafting a waterfall elopement. You get to build a timeline that isn’t packed with events, you can take it easy and build in moments for breaks. Being able to take your wedding day slow, soak it all in, or warm up in your car after exploring some icy falls is supremely ideal if you want to focus on each other.
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After warming up, T + C were ready to explore some of the other parts of the trail. We spent the rest of our time together exploring the last part of the classic Latourell Falls trail. This trail is steeped in greenery, giving each moment a super enchanting backdrop.
In our opinion, every sunrise, waterfall elopement should be followed by an intense power nap. As other folks began to trickle in, we were wrapping up our time at the falls. The parking lot, which was basically empty when we got there, had begun to fill up. It was time to head out so T+C could sneak a nap in before heading to their ceremony venue.
Waterfalls are some of our favorite locations to shoot and Oregon is full of treasures like Latourell Falls. We highly recommend choosing one of the 90+ in the Columbia River gorge for your waterfall elopement. Thinking of a Columbia River Gorge elopement? Check out this Columbia River Gorge Wedding featuring a waterfall elopement-inspired session.
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Want to explore more Oregon elopement locations? Check out this Cape Kiwanda Elopement.
Check out more Oregon Elopement Locations and some of the Best Places to Elope in Oregon
Want more waterfall inspo? Peep this Washington elopement
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