Fall, Lake Crescent Elopement

Sunset Elopement Photos in Olympic National Park

Brides read vows by lantern light at blue hour during Lake Crescent elopement

The Couple and Their Decision Plan a Lake Crescent Elopement

The very first time I met Melanie and Chelsea, it was instant fun. Our first phone call was filled with laughs and good conversation and this was true of their Lake Crescent elopement day as well. From beginning to end, their wedding day was filled with laughs, positive vibes, and love. Everyone that was present felt that energy and it brought such a positive feeling to the day.

Chelsea and Melanie originally met in New York and later moved to Washington together. They immediately fell in love with the unique PNW scenery and got to spend a lot of time hiking and being in nature, something that quickly became one of their favorite things to do.

As they started planning their wedding day, they realized that being in nature near the forests and mountains with their closest loved ones was exactly what they imagined. We all agreed that Olympic National Park was the perfect place for them to get everything they were looking for. With so much scenery to offer and easy-to-access locations for their families and friends, this park checked all the boxes.

Brides hold hands while walking down a trail at Olympic National Park elopement — This fall Lake Crescent elopement is now featured on Dancing with Her

From an Emotional First Look To Reading Private Vows by Lantern Light, This Is How To Elope At Lake Crescent Adventurously

We kicked off the day at their Airbnb, a Treehouse cabin overlooking over the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Chelsie and Melanie wanted a really cool, unique, and intimate cabin where they feel relaxed and enjoy the scenery. This cabin had all that and more, making it the perfect place for these brides to prepare for their Olympic National Park elopement.

Their elopement took place during the fall, and we anticipated a cool gloomy day, typical of this time of year in the PNW. The weather surprised us all though and it ended up being a warm, clear-skied type of day! With all this nice weather, the brides took full advantage of some of the properties’ cool outdoor amenities from the outdoor bar to the lounge chairs and even a hot tub.

After an intimate getting ready with their closest loved ones, I found a private ocean-view spot on the property where Chelsie and Melanie enjoyed an emotional first look together. After melting away some of those first-look jitters, we then headed to the ceremony location at Lake Crescent.

When we arrived at the lake, it felt like a breezy summer’s day. In the distance, we could see people soaking up the warm sun while other canoed on the water. It felt so peaceful and definitely created a beautiful environment for their outdoor elopement ceremony. Truly the perfect day that was more than any of us could have imagined!

Their ceremony decorations, set up by the talented Rain and Pines, included beautiful fall-toned florals with a vintage rug in front of the lake. After a big first kiss and champagne toast, the brides and their guests enjoyed a beautiful (and delicious) cake from Sift + Gather.

After the celebration, the three of us headed up to the mountains to catch the sunset. One thing that was really important to Melanie and Chelsea was to be able to share personal vows. They opted not to share them during the ceremony, but to instead do a private vow reading during sunset. As the light faded and the full moon rose, we pulled out the lanterns and they read their vows under lantern light. It was a perfect end to a perfect day.

Chelsea and Melanie, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your Lake Crescent elopement! It truly was an honor to celebrate with you both.

- Sergio

Kind words from the couple:

My wife Melanie and I got married almost a month ago and we are still reliving (and probably will be forever) our special day - in large part thanks to the incredible work of Sergio Alcala!!

We first met with Sergio over Zoom in December 2021 and he instantly put us at ease. As a queer couple, it was very important to us that we work with a photographer who embraces the LBGTQ+ community and really makes us feel welcome.

Sergio is the perfect photographer for any queer couple who is looking for someone to cheer them on through the elopement process & make them feel as comfortable as if they’re with a lifetime best friend when posing for photos. Over every Zoom call, text, and email, Sergio’s excitement for us OOZED through the screen. We were so excited to meet him & work with him and he completely crushed our expectations!!

Sergio’s smile and awesome attitude quieted all the wedding day nerves. He helped me with my suspenders when I was having trouble, and dried my tears when I was overwhelmed with emotion upon reading a note my wife wrote for me while getting ready. We cannot recommend Sergio highly enough!! The quality of photos is PHENOMENAL and he honestly made us feel (and look) like models. We cannot wait to see the full gallery :)

In fact, we’re planning on doing a five year vow renewal/name change ceremony and are definitely interested in having Sergio photograph (save the date, Sergio!) Lastly, we’ll let these photos speak for themselves. We are beyond happy to have worked with Sergio to capture our love ❤️