Courtney and Haylee's day felt like a whole week compressed into one — and I mean that in the best possible way. We were joking about it by the end: we woke up before sunrise, hiked through the woods, stumbled into an old train tunnel, had a lakeside picnic, went home for a nap, got dressed in formal gowns, did the whole ceremony-dinner-dancing thing, and watched the sun set over the water. One day. It was kind of unhinged and completely perfect.

Their wedding was split into two totally separate adventures — a private morning at Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park, and an intimate wedding ceremony and celebration with family and friends in the evening at Agate Beach Lodge, just outside Port Angeles. If you've been on the fence about what kind of wedding day you actually want, this one's going to do something to you.

What Courtney & Haylee Got So Right

They stopped trying to choose — and designed a day that had everything they wanted. The classic tension: do you do an adventure elopement just the two of you, or do you have a celebration with your people? Courtney and Haylee's answer was to pick both — the best of both worlds. A split timeline means you get the private, intimate, just-us morning and the dancing-with-grandma evening. You don't have to give either one up.

Two outfits, one incredibly cohesive vision. Two completely different looks — casual morning, formal evening — and they somehow both worked and also worked together. Committing to a color story (black and white, all day) was such a good move. It photographs beautifully, it feels intentional, and it gives the day a visual throughline as the story progresses. Choosing neutral tones like this makes the colors of the landscape pop — and lets you stand out.

They chose a venue that's a destination for them and their guests. Agate Beach Lodge isn't just a wedding venue — it's an incredible place to stay, with a private beach that’s totally yours to expore. A setting that gives you and your guests something to experience, not just witness. It’s also only twenty minutes from Port Angeles and close to areas in Olympic National Park which makes it such a nice spot for guests to land. For an intimate wedding on the Olympic Peninsula, it's genuinely hard to beat.

The split timeline means a real reset between adventures. This sounds small but it matters — having a break built into the day means everyone (including your photographer, hi!) shows up to the evening refreshed. You get to change outfits, eat something, take a breath. The evening ceremony feels like a second event, a second wave of excitement, instead of hour eight of a continuous day.

They hired professional help where it mattered. They didn’t try to do this day themselves. We helped a lot with the planning — and part of the day-of-coordination. They hired a catering company, a florist, plus my favorite decorator for event rentals and decor — even an glamping yurt to make their day feel elevated, but not over the top.

They kept the ceremony personal. Uncle Jeff officiating. That's it, that's the point. Having someone who actually knows you and loves you say the words makes the whole day feel so incredibly intimate.

The team that helped make it happen

Location & Venue — Olympic National Park & Agate Beach Lodge
Catering — 48 North with Port Angeles Harbor Hotel
Decor & table rentals — Celebrations for Every Season (highly recommend, Susan is amazing!)
Bouquet & arch florals — Farm & Flower
Glamping yurt — PNW Happy Glampers
Photography & planning — Wilderpines Elopements

Morning Vows at Lake Crescent

We met at Lake Crescent while it was still a little chilly — July on the Olympic Peninsula at dawn has this quality where the light is already gorgeous but you're still glad you grabbed a layer. Courtney and Haylee shared private handwritten vows on the edge of the lake, then we headed into the woods along one of the lakeside hiking trails. Clear skies, mossy trees, the whole thing felt like a scene out of a romance movie.

Outfits for the morning were casual and so well-paired — a black slip dress and a white/cream pantsuit. The black-and-white thing they had going all day was genuinely one of the best style choices I've seen.

One of the coolest moments on the trail was coming across an old train tunnel. Coming back out into the morning light on the other side felt a little surreal — we had already been up a few hours by then and we kept joking that we were experiencing multiple days in the same day, from dark to light and back again.

Brunch Picnic at Lake Crescent

After our sunrise trail we settled into one of my favorite quiet spots at Lake Crescent for a picnic breakfast. By the time we wrapped up, the crowds were rolling in — which is exactly why we got there early. Morning light, no people, the whole lake basically to ourselves.

By the time we got done with our morning adventure the parking lots were starting to fill, kids screaming and jumping in the water… not really the vibe. (Seriously though — for popular places like Olympic National Park, Lake Crescent in particular, sunrises are the best way to avoid crowds on your elopement day!)

Evening Ceremony & Celebrations at Agate Beach Lodge

After a break to rest and reset, we met back up in the evening at Agate Beach Lodge for the real celebration. If you haven't heard of this place — it's a private venue near Port Angeles with overnight accommodations and its own private beach on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is enchanting — and makes an amazing landing spot for a destination elopement.

We started with getting-ready moments before the ceremony — outfit number two was formal gowns, black and white, somehow even more stunning and elegant than the morning look. The ceremony itself was held in the trees on the property, officiated by Courtney's uncle Jeff, which added this really warm, personal layer to the whole thing. Susan of Celebrations for Every Season handled the florals and details, and Happy Glampers was responsible for the most charming glamping yurt situation I've ever seen.

After the ceremony, everyone moved down to the beach for a catered dinner — cheersing, laughing, feeling the sea breeze (thankfully Susan planned ahead and made sure the vases and such were all weighed down, ahah). They stayed out long enough to catch the sunset, which on the Strait this time of year is just unfair levels of beautiful. The night ended with a first dance in their little private yurt facing the ocean, which — look, I don't know how you get more romantic than that, but if you figure it out, let me know.

Kind words from the couple

“Words cannot describe how great Ashton and Tess were throughout this whole process. They had an answer for every question we had and more. Their knowledge of the state of Washington and photography in general made planning so easy. The day of our wedding they were so prepared that we could just relax and enjoy the day.

The final results, OMG!!!! The pictures are truly stunning. We have friends staying they look like they could be out of Vogue! I 100 percent recommend Ashton and his whole crew at Wilderpines Elopement for anything and everything when it comes to your elopement needs!”

— Courtney & Haylee

Want to Elope in Olympic National Park?

A few important things to know:

Start planning early — Olympic is huge and diverse, and choosing the right ecosystem—rainforest, coast, or mountains—dramatically shapes your day. I help couples match the experience they want with tides, weather, road status, and park regulations. Local knowledge is essential here.
Pick a weekday — Olympic draws millions of visitors each year. Weekdays offer calmer beaches, quieter rainforest trails, and a much more intimate experience. Want solitude? Hike a little farther, wake up a little earlier, stay out late and watch the stars come out!
Permits — You may need a special use permit depending on your plans and guest count. Get in touch and we’ll help you figure out what you need.
Seasonality — One of the best parts of Olympic is its year-round access. Many coastal areas are accessible in every season, though you should always plan for rain. Alpine zones are usually snow-free mid-June through mid-October. Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll help find a date and location that works for you.

Dreaming of a moody forest or coastal Olympic elopement? Start with our complete, experience-first guide: