Christian & Samantha’s Mt. Hood Forest elopement ended up being the most perfect, intimate day. They curated their elopement exactly how they envisioned it and everything turned out so beautiful. As an Oregon elopement photographer, I love exploring areas like Mt. Hood time and time again for couples wanting to experience the PNW’s natural beauty on their big day. If you’re someone who is contemplating eloping somewhere scenic like Mt. Hood National Forest, this blog might seal the deal for you!

Christian & Samantha’s Mt. Hood Forest Elopement

Intimate, intentional, and full of love. That’s exactly how I would describe Christian and Samantha’s Mt. Hood Forest elopement. Being together for 10 years, C & S were so ready to take the next step and make their commitment to each other official. They met in college in 2010, and they celebrated their 10-year on August 13th, 2022 by eloping! What better way to kick off the next decade, right?

Digging further into the intimacy aspect of their elopement, C & S decided to elope just the two of them, with just an officiant and me present. For the majority of the day, it was just the three of us adventuring around Mt. Hood Forest having the time of our lives! When I arrived we took a whiskey shot together to start off the day, and from there I just continued to experience just how warm and welcoming they are as humans. They weren’t afraid to authentically show their love, which allowed me to document it in its purest form. By the end of the day, I felt as if I had photographed the elopement of childhood friends whom I’d known for years.

Vow Readings and a Unity Ceremony

One of my favorite aspects of their Mt. Hood Forest elopement was their vow reading. Before their official ceremony, they did a first look at their campsite. Right after their first look, they said their private vows to each other, which they had written in vow books beforehand. Once they laughed, cried, and finished their vows, we continued on to their official ceremony where a friend was meeting us to officiate. They performed a wine-blending ceremony as well, which was a beautiful metaphor and was such an intentional addition to their elopement.

Now that their ceremony was over and they were officially husband and wife, it was time to eat! C & S decided to prepare their post-ceremony dinner together as a couple, right in the middle of the forest. Samantha had curated the most beautiful table using dried flowers from Etsy shops and collecting warm-toned pieces to make a cohesive and romantic table to eat their first meal as a married couple together. Christian whipped up some amazing pesto, and the two of them ate underneath a canopy of trees. They laughed, drank beer, and took the cutest pictures of each other on a disposable camera, all while embodying that newlywed bliss.

Sunset elopement photos at Mt. Hood Forest

After their elopement dinner, it was one of my favorite times: adventuring around to take sunset photos. We hopped in the car to head to the lake, stopping along the way to take photos at a nearby flower field. We chased the sunset for the rest of our time together, holding on to that golden hour glow for as long as we could. By the time it was dark, all of our hearts were so full, and Christian & Samantha left with smiles as big as you could imagine.

Mt. Hood Forest elopement timeline

If you’re planning an elopement, seeing a snippet of their timeline might be beneficial to you! For reference, here is what C & S’s elopement timeline looked like:

4:30 Sarah Arrives
- Detail & Getting Ready Photos
5:00 First Look & Vows
5:30 Unity Ceremony & Marriage License Signing
6:00 Prepare Dinner & Table
7:00 Dinner
7:30 Drive to Lake/Photo spot
- Stop along the way for flower field photos
7:45 Arrive at Lake
8:20 Watch the Sunset
8:30 Photo Coverage Ends

Vendors:

Photography: Sarah Olivia Photo

Gown: Bliss Gown on Etsy

Florals: Fern and Sunpalm on Etsy

Earrings: Boho Bride by Taylor on Etsy

Ready to elope at Mt. Hood Forest?

I warned you that this blog post would seal the deal! If you’re ready to elope at Mt. Hood Forest and need someone to document it for you, I’m your girl. To get in touch with me, you can fill out my contact form and I’ll get back to you soon! In the meantime, you can start gathering some inspiration for your Mt. Hood Forest elopement by checking out my Pinterest profile. I can’t wait to chat with you!

To learn all about how to find the perfect Oregon elopement photographer, you can read this blog post ;)

And now, enjoy the highlights from Christian & Samantha’s perfect day!