I STILL cannot get over how amazing Haocong + Yuru’s two-day wedding was—they are proof that you don’t have to choose between an elopement and a micro wedding. You can have both!! It all started with an adventure elopement in Olympic National Park with just the two of them, and then they hosted a dreamyyyy micro wedding at the Emerald Forest with their fam + friends. Truly the best of everything!

Haocong + Yuru’s Two-Day Wedding Celebration

Day 1: Adventure elopement in Olympic National Park

A dramatic first look at Hurricane Ridge

Haocong and Yuru wanted the first day of their wedding to be completely private, only for themselves (and the occasional deer we ran into along the way). So we explored some of the prettiest parts of Olympic National Park together, starting up at Hurricane Ridge for their first look! This is one of my fave spots in the park to recommend for couples who don’t want a big hike—because in the summer months, you can literally drive up to the ridge and get incredible scenery without any effort. The views of the Olympics from up here are absolutely unreal, especially on a clear day like Haocong and Yuru got; the snowy mountains in the background, the sunny blue skies, the wide-open meadows… ugh, I’ll never get over it no matter how many times I visit.

Private vows at Marymere Falls

You can’t visit Olympic National Park without spending time wandering through the lush rainforests like you’re in your own little enchanted wonderland. Especially when you’re wearing elopement attire and look like royalty! We made our way down to Marymere Falls for Haocong and Yuru’s vow exchange, stopping along the way underneath the moss-covered trees for some romantic af, sun-drenched portraits. The definition of magical. The climbed through the rocks and logs to a little spot right next to the base of the falls to say their vows, surrounded by bright green moss and mist coming off the waterfall. Marymere is another amazing spot for couples who want to keep their elopement low-key, as it barely requires a walk (the hardest part is just a few steps you have to climb)!

A romantic elopement canoe ride on Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent on a sunny day is pretty much the dream, we strolled through the meadows along the shore and eventually went out on the water for a cute canoe ride. He even serenaded her with a sweet guitar song along the way—cue the tears!

Fun fact: this is actually my own, handmade wooden boat that I rent out to couples to use for their elopements! If you wanna add her to your shoot or elopement for a fun little adventure on the water, learn about renting her here!

Champagne toasts + muddy portraits at Ruby Beach

While the rest of the day was full of sunshine and clear skies, the fog rolled in once we got to Ruby Beach for the evening. And I’m SO happy it did, because nothing is more dramatic than foggy, moody elopement portraits along the Washington Coast! Haocong and Yuru popped a couple bottles of champagne, dipped their toes (and her dress, lol) in the water, and explored the iconic rocky shores that Olympic National Park is so famous for. The mud on her dress by the end of the night was a symbol of just how fun + carefree this day was, from the mountains to the forest to the coast!

Day 2: Micro wedding at the Emerald Forest 

The most enchanting woodland venue

The fun wasn’t even close to being over yet, though… we still had a micro wedding at the Emerald Forest to celebrate! The Emerald Forest is the most amazing venue just east of Redmond, with thirty acres of forest, cozy treehouses, and an outdoor movie theater—all the makings of an unforgettable micro wedding. The Emerald Forest Theater was even featured in a season of Treehouse Masters! The venue can fit up to 35 people, aside from you and your vendors, and has multiple different ceremony locations you can choose from. You really can’t go wrong, though, because every single part of this venue is stunning and makes you feel like you’re living in a whimsical woodland fairytale.

Not one, not two, but three wedding dresses

Yes, three wedding dresses! The bride wore a super fluffy, dramatic dress for their Olympic National Park elopement, swapped it for a more sleek, elegant dress for the first part of their Emerald Forest wedding, and then changed into the prettiest blue cocktail dress for the rest of the night. Bridal goals!! I always love when brides venture away from the norm with a nontraditional wedding dress/outfit like this. The couple got officially married under the trees of the Emerald Forest, surrounded by dreamy florals, their closest friends + fam, and the cutest pup (who was dressed up adorably for the big day). It looked like exactly what you want when you say you want the Twilight wedding… except it was a little sunnier and had less vampires as guests.

An intimate reception with wine, dancing, and a spin-to-win wheel!

Haocong and Yuru made their reception SO fun for everyone involved, with plenty of wine, dancing, and a handmade spin-to-win wheel! Guests got up on the stage and spun for either a prize or a task to complete—high-five 5 people, give a toast, show us your best dance move, make the bride and groom kiss, or receive a surprise gift. It was such a fun way to keep everyone engaged and having a blast the entire night. I’m so glad I got to be there for this whole thing, from their day exploring Olympic National Park to this incredible evening in the Emerald Forest!

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Sooo, are you inspired or what?! I think it’s time to accept that you don’t have to choose between an elopement or a micro wedding: you can have the best of both worlds, as Hannah Montana would say 😉 When you need a gal to tag along for the adventure and capture all the magic, reach out! My bags are already packed and ready to go!