Grays Harbor Courthouse Elopement | Katelyn + Jeff
When you’re planning your wedding, it’s incredibly common to consider eloping. In over 10 years of photographing (and 15 years of either planning or helping friends plan) weddings, I cannot think of one wedding where someone didn’t throw up their hands and say “Screw it! Let’s just elope!” But the FOMO of a big reception tends to keep people from moving forward with eloping. Katelyn and Jeff got the best of both worlds with their intimate Grays Harbor Courthouse elopement and Rotary Log Pavilion reception!
The Ultimate PNW High School Romance
I see a lot more high school sweethearts these days and it really makes my heart sing. I’m a romantic (which is probably why I photograph weddings) and I just love hearing proposal stories, closely followed by how a couple met.
While Katelyn + Jeff attended the same high school, they didn’t officially meet until their friends (a sibling pair) took them both to a Mariners game. Naturally, siblings don’t sit next to each other at sporting events (haha!) which put Kately + Jeff right next to each other. It was the prime opportunity for them to meet! A few years (a whole story and two gorgeous twin girls) later, Jeff took Katelyn back to those same bleachers where they met and proposed to her.
Envisioning the Future in Grays Harbor
Prior to planning their wedding, Katelyn envisioned a big wedding like many of us do. She wanted to get married in the woods, with flowers everywhere, like the wedding described in the Twilight books. Even though they opted for a smaller, more intimate elopement, they were able to use some of Katelyn’s original inspiration with white, gold and shades of green in the color palette.
Katelyn’s romantic elopement came together with her carefully planned details. White roses and greenery in her bouquet, gold writing on the signs she skillfully DIY’d, and a stunningly crafted white cake all tied together beautifully. You can easily see the love and thought she put into the details of their wedding day.
A Grays Harbor Elopement to Remember
On the morning of Katelyn and Jeff’s Grays Harbor Courthouse elopement, Emi and I packed the car and headed down early. This would be Emi’s first official gig as a second photographer and she didn’t even mind the commute. I knew Katelyn and Jeff were the perfect clients for her ahead of time, but I’ll never forget arriving to photograph getting ready portraits and hearing Emi exclaim “Mom! They love Disney too!” when she saw the Mickey Mouse wreath on their front door.
Jeff left shortly after we arrived, so Katelyn could have the house to herself to get ready. Their Disney decor and beautifully lit front room made the perfect backdrop for the details and finishing touches. Soon we were headed out to their first look at the courthouse.
I’ve always been a fast photographer but we flew through the final getting ready portraits, two first looks (one with Dad, and one with Jeff), before we headed into the courtroom for their ceremony. After their sweet nuptials, lots of cheering and congratulations, we snagged a few family photos with their girls and couple’s photos around the courthouse, then headed to a secondary location for formal family portraits.
Wouldn’t you know, it started raining on our way to the park. Katelyn + Jeff trusted my instinct though, and we managed to snag all the family portraits in a short amount of time during a break in the rain. Finally it was time to head to the Rotary Log Pavilion and party!
Katelyn + Jeff’s Grays Harbor Courthouse elopement was a beautiful testament to the intimacy of eloping. Seeing the support of their families, and the love between them really made this day bring all the feelings of a full scale wedding, without sacrificing their wants and needs for the day. I look forward to seeing all the adventures of Katelyn, Jeff and their family as they grow! (Especially those honeymoon and Disney trip photos!)
