You guys know we LOVE elopements and this one is pure magic! For their big day, Ashleigh and Ty chose to elope to Mt. Rainier National Park. Along with their immediate families, they hiked into the woods, found a secluded spot and shared the most raw and personal hand-written vows with each other. They then hiked back to their adorable a-frame cabin for games, a churro cake and pizza. A dream combination if you ask us!! A little bit woodsy, a little bit boho and 100% full of honest to goodness love, their forest elopement has us ready to see more couples choosing to share their passion for one another with Mother Nature as the only audience!
Ashleigh shared with us how she and Ty kept their wedding day intimate and all about the two of them: We both love the mountains and thought Mt. Rainier would be amazing, so we went with it. We really wanted the day to be personal and intimate, so we only had our family members present. We wrote each other letters that we read before our first look. I wear a hat every day and figured our wedding day shouldn’t be any different, so I had Amy from Brier and Ivy put flowers on my wide brim. Ty wrote his vows on the back of a Chipotle bag, what we ate on our first date. We kept it simple and laid back and just did our best to soak in every second of the day!
Gina Paulson Photography captured the essence of the day and the magic of the forest in her stunning images. Let’s take a walk in the woods shall we?
Boho Fashion at its Finest
We are here for the floral hats!! This was the perfect bridal accessory for Ashleigh and really brought the relaxed, boho flair to her attire. She told us she wears a hat everyday so she wanted to rock one for her wedding too. That’s exactly what we love to see brides do- be true to themselves and their sense of style on wedding day!
Is this not the coziest little a-frame cabin?! Check out these other a-frames that you can Airbnb for your own big day!
Brier and Ivy knocked it out of the National Park with these florals! The natural, rust and terracotta tones are perfect for a romantic, woodsy vibe! We love too how they mixed floral varieties for a combination of unexpected textures! Protea, orchids, roses, anemone, ranunculus, spirea, magnolia foliage… we could go on and on because this bouquet is loaded with all of our favorite blooms!!
Ashleigh: For me, it was seeing Ty through the window when he pulled up to our a-frame before our first look and starting to cry because I was so excited, so happy, and so at peace. Ty: When I read Ashleigh's letter. That was the moment I knew without a doubt the love she had for me and it was really calming knowing I was marrying someone who felt that strongly about me.
Any Star Wars fans out there? Are you LOVING this ring box?? If you are, check out these other adorable Star Wars wedding ideas you can include on your big day!
An Intimate Ceremony in the Woods
Ty wrote his vows on the back of a Chipotle bag. That’s where they went on their first date! Swoon! He said he knew from that moment because he was full of an unexplainable excitement!
Ty also read special vows to Ashleigh’s adorable daughter! It’s all about love and family for these two which is exactly how it should be. Absolutely the sweetest moment of the day!
Bubbles and wishes for the Mr. and Mrs.
Seriously?! THE. SWEETEST.
You and Me- Under the Trees
Becoming one with Nature. Mt. Rainier has got to be one of the most beautiful places for a forest elopement. Just look at those trees!!
Find vendors you not only love but trust! Tell them the vibe you're going for, then sit back and let them have creative freedom. Not only is that when the magic happens, but there is less stress for yourself when you're not micromanaging. Don't sweat details- you just enjoy the day and let them do the work!
We are LOVING Ashleigh’s stunning Hayley Paige gown! It captures the best of her boho style and is absolutely perfect for the relaxed vibe of their wedding day. That skirted lace overlay is perfection!
From the bride and groom: We are so happy we decided to elope and don’t regret anything about it. The day was relaxing, beautiful, intimate, and it was so nice to just eat pizza and hang out with our family all evening. It was nothing short of amazing to us.
I bet you can smell this cake through the screen just like us! Donuts, churros and cake- a match made in Heaven!
Congratulations Ashleigh and Ty! We are wishing you and your beautiful family all the love and happiness in the world! -The GWS Team
See Ashleigh and Ty’s personal and intimate forest elopement in action. Haley Bateman captured everything and created a work of art with this video! It’s the perfect embodiment of this sweet, laid-back, fun-loving couple!
photography: Gina Paulson Photography // venue name: Mt. Rainier National Park, Ashford, Washington, USA // florals: Brier and Ivy // wedding dress: Hayley Paige // videography: Haley Bateman
Gorgeous wedding. Love the video.
Love this so much.