Where do I even begin?! Well, let's start with how we got here..


Back in September of 2024, I went to Iceland and got to document a beautiful elopement. My couple found me on TikTok and after a FaceTime call and signing of the contract, I was going to be traveling out of the U.S for the first time in my life!

When I arrived, I was greeted by my couple and the brides cousin. We immediately hit it off and the entire trip was a blast! My brides cousin was the officiant for their wedding and told me that when her and her parter get engaged, she would be immediately calling me. Flash forward to this past May, I received a text from said brides cousin that she got engaged and she was ready to start planning her elopement!



Silhouetted figures walk together on a dramatic black sand beach at sunset with rocky cliffs in the background.
Two people in boots stand together on a black sand beach wearing floral blue dress and dark pants.
Laughing people gathered on a scenic beach in wedding attire during a celebration by the ocean.
Silhouetted figures gather near ocean with iconic Reynisdrangar rock formations in background at dusk.
Three people share emotional reactions during a sunset proposal moment on a black sand beach.
Couple sharing romantic moments on a beach with crashing waves in the background.

Pictures from said Iceland elopement!

 

After talking about where they wanted to make this all happen, I had to see if I could make my schedule work. They were really hoping to make it happen in August and I was willing to make it happen! I was already traveling to Alaska the first week of August and instead of flying back home, I asked them if they'd be willing to make the 9th-11th work. So I switched my flight home to Oregon instead and we got everything locked in!


After arriving in Oregon, we had a 3 hour drive to our first destination. Toketee Falls. Santi was saying it was a quick hike to the falls but it could be a little sketchy. I told him I was fine, undermining what he meant by "sketchy". When we arrived to the falls, we made the hike and I thought to myself "WOW! That wasn't sketchy at all!" Little did I know that where we were viewing the falls, wasn't our final viewing point..


Santi grabbed the tiny rope dangling off the side of the fenced off area and started climbing down.

“Are you sure you’re allowed to go down there?!” I asked.

“There’s no sign saying you can’t!” he shot back.

I looked at Brandi and said, “Okay… let’s go.”

I made it down the first part, thinking that was as sketchy as it would get. Nope. I was wrong. Very wrong.


We made it down that part and then reached the sketchiest of sketchy parts... "You weren't lying about this being sketchy, weren't you?!" "It's fine! I promise, it will be so worth it!" I looked at Brandi and said "I am TOTALLY fine staying here! You guys go down there, I will watch your stuff!" Spoiler alert: I did not end up watching the stuff.


After a little bit of coaxing, they convinced me to climb down this 50ft ledge with a tiny rope down to the bottom. My heart was pounding but I DID IT! And I was SO proud of accomplishing my fear. And when I got to the bottom, it was SO WORTH IT.

A couple shares romantic moments by a scenic waterfall in a series of silhouetted photos at sunset.
A couple enjoys a romantic moment near a scenic waterfall in a lush forest setting during golden hour.
A series of scenic images showing a majestic waterfall cascading down orange rock cliffs into a tranquil pool below.

After surviving the sketchiest hike of my life, we packed up and headed south—our next stop was the Redwoods! The next morning, these two would be eloping!


It was a beautiful and calm morning. I caught up on some sleep while Brandi went to go get her hair and makeup done. By the time I woke up, she was back and we were ready to start our day! Santi got ready while Brandi copied her vows down. And after the vows were written, she started to get in her dress. We did a quick first look and then got in the car to go explore the red woods!

Weathered wood boards of a deck or pier create a symmetrical pattern leading to a lake view on a sunny day.
Gold wedding rings and engagement diamond ring arranged on dark wooden surface in moody lighting.
Collection of brown leather dress shoes and accessories arranged on a wooden floor in progressive sequence.
Decorative wedding accessories and jewelry arranged on a rustic wooden surface.
A delicate floral patterned tie and brown leather watch lying on a wooden surface.
Black and white panoramic view of a rustic dance hall interior with wooden beams and exposed ceiling.
Hands writing on paper at a wooden desk in warm lighting.
Series of photos showing a person in red at shooting range practice.
Wedding party members getting dressed and helping each other prepare in a wooden cabin.
Travel snacks and food items laid out on wooden table including fruit, tuna, and packaged goods.
Lake view through a sunlit window opening with mountains in the distance and trees along the shore.
Detail shots of a lace wedding dress hanging on a wooden backdrop in natural light.
A series of shots showing a person adjusting their bowtie while looking in a small mirror mounted on wooden paneled walls.
Series of photos showing a person in a burgundy suit getting emotional while looking at a note in a wooden paneled room.
Person in white shirt and burgundy vest wiping tears while reading an emotional letter against wood paneling.
White lace wedding dress hanging in sunlit window of wooden cabin.
Elegant lace wedding gown displayed against rustic cabin windows with natural light streaming through.
Wedding dress with delicate lace details hangs on display against a rustic brown exterior wall.
Elegant white lace wedding dress hanging in rustic wood cabin with sunlight streaming through the window.
White lace bridal gown displayed in front of wooden cabin walls.
A white lace wedding dress on display against rustic wooden paneled walls with warm lighting.
Rustic wooden desk scattered with various items and papers in natural sunlight.
Several In-N-Out Burger cups arranged in a row on a wooden table.
Chinese takeout box with red pagoda design sits beside fortune cookie strips and a ring on wooden surface.
Traditional red Asian pagoda designs drawn on white paper or fabric in a minimalist style.
Interior view of a rustic cabin with wooden paneled walls and ceiling.
Interior shot of an empty dance hall with wooden walls and dramatic shadows from overhead lighting.
Wedding preparation moments captured in a rustic wooden interior setting.
A couple stands together under rustic wooden beams in a barn venue with moody lighting and industrial decor.
First look moment in rustic cabin with wooden walls and ceiling beams.
A couple in formal attire sharing a private moment in a rustic wooden interior venue.
A wedding couple sharing their first look in a rustic wooden venue with burgundy and light blue attire.
Intimate wedding first look between couple in burgundy suit and lace dress inside wooden cabin.
Emotional wedding first look moment captured in rustic log cabin setting.
A wedding couple sharing their first dance in a dimly lit wooden reception hall.
Dancers moving across a wooden dance floor in a dimly lit rustic venue space.

When we arrived at our first stop in the redwoods, it was as magical as I thought it would be. The forest just smelt so.. clean. And the temperature was so perfect. It wasn't too hot and it wasn't too cold. There's an energy unlike anything I've ever felt in nature. It was calm and just felt so special. It's really an indescribable feeling but pictures can kind of do it justice. You just feel so small in this huge forest. The world's problems seemed to disappear when in here. Maybe it was also due to the fact that there was absolutely no cell phone service which is nice! I remember looking over at Brandi and Santi, and they were just as in awe as I was. I kept feeling like we were on a movie set. It felt too good to be real!

A couple in wedding attire stands on a trail surrounded by towering redwood trees and lush ferns in a magical forest setting.
A wedding couple embraces under a flowing white veil in a sunlit redwood forest in California.
A couple poses in a dreamy redwood forest setting surrounded by towering trees and lush ferns in dappled sunlight.

We ran around this area to create some magic and then went to our next location.

A romantic embrace between a couple illuminated by sunlight filtering through tall redwood trees in a forest setting.
A couple stands in front of a massive fallen redwood root system in a forest setting.
A couple touches hands with outstretched fingers in a sunlit forest setting creating a silhouetted connection.
A series of high fives between hands in an outdoor setting with sunlit trees in the background.
Bride in flowing lace dress poses ethereally amongst towering redwood trees as sunlight filters through the forest.
A romantic wedding couple poses in a sunlit redwood forest wearing a flowing lace dress with billowing sleeves.
A romantic wedding couple shares tender moments among towering redwood trees in a sunlit forest setting.
A person in a white lace wedding dress twirls gracefully among towering redwood trees in a sunlit forest setting.
A newlywed couple embrace in a romantic dance under towering redwood trees in a dreamy forest setting.
A person in a flowy white wedding dress poses among towering redwood trees in a forest.
A bride in a lace wedding dress and flowing veil stands on a tree stump in a sunlit redwood forest.
A figure in a white wedding dress poses on a large tree stump in a sunlit forest.
A romantic wedding photo shoot inside a massive hollowed redwood tree trunk creating a natural frame.
A romantic wedding photo series captured in a grove of towering redwood trees showing intimate moments between the couple.
A couple sits together on a fallen log bridge in a misty green forest setting during a romantic photoshoot.
Sunlight filters through towering redwood trees in Redwood National Park with lush green ferns growing at their base.
A couple embraces on a fallen redwood tree trunk in a majestic forest with sunlight filtering through tall trees.
A couple embraces next to a fallen redwood log in a sunlit forest grove during an intimate outdoor moment.
A couple shares an intimate moment on a redwood tree stump in a majestic forest setting at golden hour.
A couple holds hands and walks through a sunlit forest with tall evergreen trees creating a romantic atmosphere.
A romantic embrace between a couple illuminated by sunlight filtering through tall redwood trees in a forest setting.
A couple stands in front of a massive fallen redwood root system in a forest setting.
A couple touches hands with outstretched fingers in a sunlit forest setting creating a silhouetted connection.
A series of high fives between hands in an outdoor setting with sunlit trees in the background.
Bride in flowing lace dress poses ethereally amongst towering redwood trees as sunlight filters through the forest.
A romantic wedding couple poses in a sunlit redwood forest wearing a flowing lace dress with billowing sleeves.
A romantic wedding couple shares tender moments among towering redwood trees in a sunlit forest setting.
A person in a white lace wedding dress twirls gracefully among towering redwood trees in a sunlit forest setting.
A newlywed couple embrace in a romantic dance under towering redwood trees in a dreamy forest setting.
A person in a flowy white wedding dress poses among towering redwood trees in a forest.
A bride in a lace wedding dress and flowing veil stands on a tree stump in a sunlit redwood forest.
A figure in a white wedding dress poses on a large tree stump in a sunlit forest.
A romantic wedding photo shoot inside a massive hollowed redwood tree trunk creating a natural frame.
A romantic wedding photo series captured in a grove of towering redwood trees showing intimate moments between the couple.
A couple sits together on a fallen log bridge in a misty green forest setting during a romantic photoshoot.
Sunlight filters through towering redwood trees in Redwood National Park with lush green ferns growing at their base.
A couple embraces on a fallen redwood tree trunk in a majestic forest with sunlight filtering through tall trees.
A couple embraces next to a fallen redwood log in a sunlit forest grove during an intimate outdoor moment.
A couple shares an intimate moment on a redwood tree stump in a majestic forest setting at golden hour.
A couple holds hands and walks through a sunlit forest with tall evergreen trees creating a romantic atmosphere.

Our next locations in the Redwoods were Templeman's Grove and Stout Grove - you would think that they all look the same but each location felt SO different from the next!

A couple in wedding attire poses on a large tree stump surrounded by towering redwood trees in a forest.
Romantic couple in burgundy and white attire share an intimate moment in a sunlit forest setting.
A romantic wedding moment captured between a couple among majestic redwood trees in a sunlit forest.
Romantic couple dances together in a sunlit forest clearing surrounded by tall evergreen trees.
A romantic dance pose captured in a sunlit forest with flowing white dress and dramatic backlighting.
A joyful wedding couple embraces and laughs together in a serene redwood forest setting.
Happy couple poses together in a redwood forest surrounded by towering trees along a dirt path.
Couple shares an intimate kiss surrounded by majestic redwood trees during their wedding ceremony.
A romantic wedding couple shares an intimate moment among tall redwood trees in a forest setting.
A couple shares an intimate moment under a flowing veil in a peaceful forest setting.
A romantic wedding couple embracing among towering redwood trees in a serene forest setting.
Intimate wedding couple portrait with delicate veil creating soft romantic lighting effects.
A romantic wedding couple embraces intimately under soft lighting in a series of four close-up shots.
Wedding couple walking together through a majestic redwood forest in Northern California.
A person aims a compound bow in a wooded area with dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.
A couple shares a romantic moment among towering redwood trees in Northern California during their forest wedding celebration.
Newlyweds share an intimate moment beneath majestic redwood trees on their wedding day.
A figure in a flowing white dress stands between massive redwood trees on a forest path in ethereal lighting.
Wedding celebration among towering redwood trees with sunlight filtering through the forest canopy.
A couple in wedding attire walks through a majestic redwood forest in northern California.

 

Next up - the vows


 

A couple takes romantic photos in a majestic redwood forest during sunset.
A couple shares an emotional first look moment among towering redwood trees in a forest.
A romantic wedding couple dances together in a serene redwood forest with sunlight streaming through the trees.
Newlyweds embrace in a sunlit redwood forest, creating a magical wedding moment among towering tree trunks.
Two people read from books together in a dimly lit setting.
A couple exchanges vows in a lush forest setting, with sunlight filtering through tall trees.
A couple stands together in a romantic moment among towering redwood trees in a sunlit forest.
A wedding ceremony takes place among towering redwoods as the couple reads from books in the dappled sunlight.
An elegant candid wedding moment captured through a series of black and white photos showing hands exchanging rings.
A couple exchanges vows during an intimate forest wedding ceremony surrounded by towering redwood trees.
Person in burgundy blazer reading a book while standing in a serene redwood forest with dappled sunlight.
A couple shares an intimate moment in their wedding attire among towering redwood trees in a sunlit forest.
A romantic forest wedding moment captured in dappled sunlight as two figures embrace amongst towering redwood trees.
A romantic wedding couple shares an intimate kiss in a forest of tall redwood trees on their special day.

Getting to be in the presence of the exchanging of vows will always bring me to tears. How lucky am I to not only document this but be able to witness such a raw and heartfelt moment.. it truly never gets old.


OKAY - now to my favorite part. Organ Donor Grove - a name that definitely made us raise our eyebrows. But once we got there, all we could do was laugh, because the beauty of the place was anything but grim.


A dreamy wedding photoshoot in a sunlit forest with lens flares creating a magical ethereal atmosphere.
A dreamy forest wedding photoshoot with ethereal sunlight streaming through tall trees creating magical silhouettes.
Ethereal sunlight streams through towering forest trees creating a magical golden atmosphere in the woods.
Ethereal sunlit forest scene with flowing white fabric creating a dreamy silhouette among tall redwood trees.
Ethereal foggy forest scene with sun rays shining through a white fabric held between figures in a redwood grove.
Artistic series of white veiled figures standing dramatically in a sunlit redwood forest setting.
A romantic wedding couple stands amid towering redwood trees as golden sunlight streams through the forest canopy.
A figure in a white dress moves mysteriously through a dark misty forest creating an ethereal scene.
A couple walks hand in hand down a winding forest path surrounded by towering redwood trees and lush green ferns.
A dirt trail winds through a majestic redwood forest with towering trees and lush ferns in Northern California.
Romantic forest photoshoot amongst tall redwood trees with sunlight filtering through the canopy.
Blurred motion captures movement through a misty forest path with soft natural lighting filtering through trees.
Abstract motion-blurred figures dancing in a dreamy forest setting with soft white and green tones.
A romantic couple in formal attire share an intimate dance pose among towering trees in a sunlit forest setting.
Close up detail of couple's hands with intricate lace wedding dress pattern in soft natural light.
Close up detail of tender hands touching in dappled sunlight during an intimate forest moment.
Wedding couple posing romantically against giant redwood trees in a magical forest setting.
A romantic wedding portrait captured inside a hollowed redwood tree trunk with soft natural lighting streaming through.
A romantic wedding photo captured inside a hollow redwood tree trunk with soft natural lighting filtering through.
Wedding couple embraces in a dramatic hollow tree trunk framed by towering redwoods in a forest setting.
Panoramic view of towering redwood trees along a winding forest trail with sunlit foliage.
Hikers walk along a scenic path through ancient redwood trees and green ferns in a sunlit forest.
Wedding couple walking through a sunlit redwood forest path with ferns and tall trees.
A romantic wedding couple standing near a reflective pond in a woodland setting.
A romantic photoshoot sequence showing twirling movement against a misty forest backdrop.
Couple in wedding attire standing together on a forest path surrounded by majestic redwood trees.
Close-up reflections in a forest puddle showing white lace dress details and forest floor.
Couple sharing a tender moment by a stream in a magical forest setting.
A wedding couple poses dramatically among towering redwood trees on a forest path.
Intimate wedding portrait among majestic redwood trees in a sunlit forest setting.
Romantic dip pose captured in a sunlit forest with ferns and towering trees.
Close-up shots of hands with wedding rings in soft natural light.
Ethereal forest wedding photos with sunbeams streaming through tall evergreen trees.
Newlyweds walking hand in hand along a winding forest path surrounded by lush greenery and filtered sunlight.
Lush green ferns and moss grow beneath towering evergreen trees in a misty Pacific Northwest forest landscape.
Romantic couple walks through a sunlit forest with tall trees and ferns in Vancouver Island.

These will forever probably be my most favorite photos I've ever taken. The lighting and the magic we created in this forest will forever be a core memory for me! Looking back, this entire trip reminded me why I love photography: it pushes me outside my comfort zone, brings me to the most incredible places, and connects me with people who become lifelong friends. I cannot wait for our next adventure!