This magical Redwood forest elopement with Nikki and Jake was so special and beautiful. These two ditched the traditional way of doing things and completely made it their own which I loved so much. As a Northern California elopement and wedding photographer, I see way too many couples adjust change certain things about their wedding to appease others. But, I’m here to tell you that no else’s opinions matter and you two should do things EXACTLY how you want to! In this blog, I tell you all about Nikki and Jake’s adventurous hiking elopement in Redwoods National Park.
We started this Redwood elopement day off at View Crest Lodge to get ready and prepare for this special day. When I tell you Nikki looked absolutely stunning, I MEAN IT! She looked like a real-life enchanted forest fairy and I loved everything about it. She had on a beautiful, non-traditional blush pink wedding dress that is unlike anything I have ever seen.
Jake also had his own unique twist for his suit which was a Bigfoot mask. He truly embraced the Humboldt County spirit! Nikki was so shocked when he turned around wearing that at their first-look and it truly set the tone for the day. They both laughed so hard and I’m so glad I got to capture their reactions. It was definitely a one of a kind first-look!
What I loved so much about these two is that they weren’t afraid to work up a sweat and get some dirt on them on their wedding day. We hiked for 2 hours through Fern Canyon and how Nikki did it in a big wedding dress, I’m not sure lol! Along the way we got to see where part of Jurassic Park 2 was filmed which was a really cool to see in real life!
We got to wade through the creek pretty much the entire time surrounded by towering, lush green fern walls, and climbing over fallen trees. Although our feet were absolutely soaked form walking through the creek the whole time, Nikki and Jake never complained once. They were truly embracing the experience and loving every second of it! But if you are planning on trekking through water on your elopement day, I would definitely recommend some water friendly shoes! Personally, I love my Chacos as they are perfect for anything regarding water.
Along the way we captured some truly magical photos where the sun was barely peaking through the trees behind them. If you’re trying to find an epic elopement location in California, I 1000% recommend Redwood National Park. I mean look at how beautiful it is!!!
Nikki and Jake eloped in Northern California and said their private vows on Gold Bluffs Beach. This is one of the most iconic beaches in Northern California as it has the most beautiful towering beach cliffs, lush trees, and moody fog. It truly captured the vibe of this elopement so well and I still can’t believe this day was real. It felt like it was straight out of a fairytale and I am still so obsessed.
Planning an elopement can be so overwhelming especially if you are doing it in a place you have never been to. Here are some tips that will hopefully make you feel a little more prepared for your adventurous Redwood Forest Elopement.
Hair and Makeup Artist: @wildflowerbride.ebs
Florist: @blossomsfloristeureka
Vows/Announcements: Yvonne & Josh @coffee_calligraphy
I would love to capture your special elopement day! You can check out my Redwood elopement packages here! Let’s work together to plan your perfect Northern California Elopement!