When Chosen Family Shows Up: An Intimate Forest Wedding in Olympic National Park

Anna & Angie

---

They ran barefoot through the forest, grounding and connecting with the earth, each other, and the friends who had become their chosen family. 

Anna and Angie’s intimate forest wedding in Olympic National Park wasn’t about epic mountain views or big landscapes. When they reached out to me, they said, “We know our wedding day won’t have those epic mountain views you usually photograph, but this is everything we can ever hope for and beyond.” And the truth is, it’s never been about the mountain landscapes for me either. It’s about what speaks to your hearts. For Anna and Angie, the forest felt like home. It spoke to them louder than any mountain ever could, so that’s where they chose to get married.

Their closest friends (all fellow LGBTQ+ community) gathered at an Airbnb in Olympic National Forest under the branches of evergreen trees and overlooking a nearby lake. Everyone participated, from friends making florals together to officiating, singing, and participating in a ring warming ceremony. 

From beginning to end, Anna and Angie’s celebration was full of connection with the people and the landscape that meant the most to them.

The Couple and Their Decision to Plan an Intimate Forest Wedding in Olympic National Park

Anna and Angie love forests. When they first reached out to me, they shared that what they envisioned was something adventurous and cozy where they could bring together their closest people who had supported them, while also having time and space to connect with each other. 

An intimate forest wedding gave them exactly that. 

They found an Airbnb in the Olympic National Forest tucked into the trees overlooking a lake. The cabin was big enough to host about 10 of their closest friends and private enough to feel like their own little world.

How They Included Chosen Family and Community in Their Intimate Forest Wedding

One of the things that stood out the most to me about Anna and Angie’s intimate forest wedding was that everyone participated.

The day before the wedding, all their friends gathered to create the florals together. Instead of hiring a florist, a group of people who loved them sat around laughing and making bouquets and arrangements. 

On the wedding day, a friend officiated their ceremony while another friend led the ring warming – this is when everyone passes the rings around and offers blessings to the couple. Then someone sang “Ocean Eyes”(Anna and Angie’s song), which made everyone teary-eyed and emotional. 

In different ways, their loved ones each gave them a gift that went beyond the typical wedding gifts. Gifts that honored Anna and Angie’s relationship and brought everyone together, connecting them to the moment. 

Oftentimes, in the LGBTQ+ community, especially, this is what chosen family looks like. Family isn’t always made up of people who are related to you by blood. Sometimes it’s the people who show up because of love. The community that forms around you when you’re brave enough to live as your true self, even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand.

Getting married for Anna and Angie was a celebration not just of their love, but of their community. They needed the people in their life to be there – the key people who helped shape them, who showed them support, and who reminded them they weren’t alone being gay in this world. Their intimate forest wedding was their wedding, yes, but it was also a way to honor the community that meant so much to them. 

Blue Hour Photos and String Lights in the Forest 

After the ceremony and celebration, we took couple portraits, enjoyed dinner on the deck cooked by a private chef, then waited for blue hour.

Something most people don’t know about forest blue hour is that it’s different than blue hour on a mountain. It comes earlier and doesn’t last as long because the trees hide the light faster. You have to plan for it and adjust your timeline.

But there’s something so magical about it also. The way the sky above holds onto that last bit of glow while the forest around you gets darker and darker.

We strung up lights around the Airbnb, and Anna and Angie shared their first dance, with the light reflecting off the lake behind them.

What This Intimate Forest Wedding Reminded Me About Chosen Family

When Anna and Angie reached out to me, they weren’t just hiring a photographer. They were trusting me with something special. With documenting a day where they could fully be themselves while being surrounded by people who loved them for exactly who they are.

This intimate forest wedding reminded me of my husband’s and my own elopement and vow renewal. For us, it was never just the two of us running away. Both times, we had our friends and chosen family there, the ones who showed up before we were fully out to the rest of the world.

The older I get, the more I value those moments and candids, the in-between spaces where real connection happens. I want to document more of these celebrations – where couples invest their hearts and time into making the day beautiful and meaningful, not for anyone else, but for them.

Meet the couple & the best intimate forest wedding photographer everrrr!!! 🙂😘

Meet The Best Intimate Forest Wedding Vendors:

Photographer: Henry Tieu Photography

Venue: Airbnb

Cake: Wren’s Nest Bakery

Catering: Honest to Goodness

Hair and Makeup: Skagit Bridal Hair and Makeup

Wedding Dress: Wedding Shoppe

Suit: Indochino

Vow Books: Etsy

More LGBTQ+ weddings and elopements we’ve documented throughout Washington and beyond

Ready to plan your intimate forest wedding?

Anna and Angie’s celebration shows what’s possible when you plan a wedding around what truly matters – whether that’s your people, your values, or the landscapes that speak to your hearts.

If their elopement has inspired you to start planning your intimate forest wedding, reach out to us. Or start by exploring our complete Olympic National Park elopement guide for locations, timing, and everything you need to create a celebration in the PNW forest.