Nooksack River Winter Elopement Photography, Mount Baker: Elyssa & Curtis

Ready for something a little different?  Elyssa is one of my very best friends, and she and Curtis decided to have a small elopement along Nooksack River.  We finished beading her dress the night before, spent the morning getting ready together, and drove out toward Mount Baker!  Their first look was beautiful and so sweet. Not only was it Curtis's first time seeing Elyssa that day, but it was his first time seeing the dress that she had put months of time and love into.  I love the way she included pieces of family history in her lace, beads, and jewelry.

And as soon as the ceremony began, I swapped out my camera for Elyssa's bouquet, and my talented friend Kestrel Bailey took over as a second shooter so I could be present in the moments. Kestrel and I met through our work in non-profits years ago and spent each of my volunteer shifts talking about our shared love of photography.  Elyssa and I knew we could trust her to document the ceremony beautifully.  (Thank you, Kestrel!)  We laughed, shivered, and shared hot cocoa, and I have to say—it was one of the most fun, light-hearted, people-focused weddings I've ever been a part of. No decorations, no setup, just a well-scouted location that served as the perfect setting to say "I do" in front of their closest friends.

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