Oregon Coast Beach Elopement | Laurie & James

LGBTQ+ Elopement | Oregon Coast Elopement | Transgender Wedding

The Couple and Their Decision to Elope on the Oregon Coast

One thing I learned through getting to know James and Laurie was that they wanted a quiet, intimate day close to the water to celebrate their elopement day. Their initial desire was for their elopement to take place in Hawaii but at that time in 2020, there were quarantine restrictions in place which made eloping there very difficult.

The next elopement location on James and Laurie’s list was the Oregon Coast and let me tell you, this place does not disappoint! One of the reasons we love the Oregon Coast is because it has some of the most beautiful views in the Pacific Northwest. The beaches and coastlines here are so different from the views in Washington and they are also nothing like the typical beaches you would think of. From the haystack rocks to stunning and breath-taking cliffs, you just have to see this place for yourself.

For more of our favorite Oregon elopement locations, check out our blog post here!

From Playful Moments While Getting Ready To Listening to the Waves Crashing During Sunset, this Is How To Elope On the Oregon Coast Adventurously

Laurie and James chose to elope in late fall 2020. We met up at their AirBnB for getting ready photos. The couple had bought matching robes and helped each other get ready while eating cake and drinking champagne. Now, that’s what I call brunch :) We then drove out to Cape Kiwanda for their handfasting ceremony where the couple joined hands, committed their lives to each other, and ended with celebratory shots! We then ran around the beach until after sunset with the only light shining from the moon and the lanterns’ glow.

Laurie and James, happy 1 year anniversary! I can’t believe it’s been a year since we got to celebrate your love on the coast and I am forever grateful that you trusted me to document your special day. I miss you both and your magical spirits!

Kind words from the couple:

We are so grateful for Henry and the magic he brought into our lives. Choosing an adventure elopement to celebrate our love during a time when the world felt small was incredibly freeing. In late 2020 we promised ourselves to each other on an Oregon cliff with exhilarating waves crashing below and sunshine spilling above. Henry led us to this little slice of paradise at the top of a giant sand dune and at the end of a forested path. Every moment of our day was filled with laughter and love. After many weeks of getting to know us through video chats and emails, when Henry showed up at our Airbnb to capture our getting ready photos, it felt like we had met in person many times. We were immediately comfortable and were able to be playful and romantic with each other while he started capturing the moments. Henry has such a lovely, open and enthusiastic personality, with obvious passion for his work, that we simultaneously felt like our good friend was with us, and that we were the only two people in the world. That sense of intimacy shines through in his photographs. He not only captures the beauty of the environment, he captures the beauty of each couple's unique love story. We had such an incredibly fun day and all of that joy just radiates in every photo. Thank you, Henry, for bringing so much beauty into the world. You are a bright light and we are grateful to have shared our special day with you. We will never forget your kindness, your exuberance, and your delight for your art. We will treasure your work and the memories of our day. Much love, Laurie & James