When the opportunity came to photograph this elopement, I knew I couldn’t pass it up. It’s definitely been a dream of mine to shoot at a waterfall, and it was honestly everything I had hoped it would be.

Kierstin + Curtis are locals to the area and Curtis had been to these falls many times before. In fact, he said in the summer months the area has an incredible butterfly season. The PNW never ceases to amaze me!

They got ready in the parking lot and had their first look at a nearby lake, surrounded by mountains and foliage. March isn’t generally viewed as the best time to visit Oregon, but it ended up being lovely. We did have some surprise rain that turned into a gentle snow, but that didn’t slow us down. As they read their vows, the sun quickly made a reappearance, as if it had never left us to begin with.

Residual water and snow on the tree that they read their vows under, gently fell, creating such a soft and tender moment. Afterwards, we had a short drive to the waterfall. When we arrived, we nearly had the place to ourselves.

The thing about waterfalls that seems obvious, but is often forgotten is that they’re very loud. While it wasn’t easy for us to communicate with each other, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The power of the falls allowed the two of them to just be present in the moment and enjoy the experience together. Any private conversation between them was absent to my ears. For couples who choose to actually exchange their vows at a waterfall, it can be incredibly intimate. Only the two of you can hear your promises to each other, almost as if they were a secret.

Another thing about waterfalls is that they are very wet. Rain or shine. Surprise! But in all seriousness, that little fact is often forgotten, but it’s so much fun to experience. I encouraged Kierstin to embrace her natural hair, since I knew we would be soaked by the time we left. So glad she did!

We finished up their day at the falls with a few more portraits and then made the drive back to a local warm and cozy lodge. The lodge was absolutely perfect and added the perfect touch to this woodsy elopement.