Ariana + Deandre
If there is anything that the pandemic has taught us, it's how to be adaptable. Sometimes things don't always go according to plan; and sometimes you have to go through Plan A, B, C, and D before you land on what sticks!
Ariana + Deandre are high school sweethearts, knowing from day one that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. The two of them originally planned a big wedding in their home state of Arizona, but the state of the world had other plans. Their next option was to elope in Hawaii, yet that also was not a possibility for their wedding date. The Oregon Coast? Definitely not a bad third choice option! These two weren't going to let anything stop them from getting married!
We met Ariana + Deandre at the trailhead on a drizzly Pacific Northwest day. Among the vivid green trees, the two of them had an intimate "first look". How special to see the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with, for the first time on your elopement day!
The four of us would be hiking to a gorgeous lookout, with commanding views of the Pacific Ocean and the rugged Oregon Coast. The trail was quiet on their elopement day, and with no crowds to contend with, the day felt even more special for these two.
Once we arrived at the overlook, Ariana + Deandre shared their unfeigned vows. You could just feel the energy of their genuine love surrounding them, the mossy trees, the coastal grass. While the Oregon clouds graced us with a respite from the rain, Ariana + Deandre shared a first dance overlooking the sea.
We so often like to remind couples that their elopement day is theirs and theirs alone: and just because you are choosing to elope, doesn't always mean that you dislike aspects of a traditional wedding! Perhaps you want to have an adventure elopement because enjoying the great outdoors is a pinnacle of your relationship, but the fun of a first dance? Hell yes you can! And why stop there?
Ariana + Deandre toasted their new marriage with champagne; sparkling, sweet bubbly raining down with the PNW precipitation. The four of us then made our way back to the trailhead, the newlyweds hand in hand.
Flexibility can be uncomfortable, but when we really stretch ourselves, it can show us the beauty of the world and what we are capable of. So empowering!
