Jessica and Taylor celebrated their love in wildly romantic style. If you've been dreaming of an elopement, well today's phenomenal real wedding is a must-not-miss! This couple's autumn elopement included a ceremony in the North Cascades National Park with w-o-w views with a whimsical reception at Freestone Inn. It was an immensely intimate affair as they were joined by 10 of their closest loved ones. You can feel the love in every moment with their candid, romantic pictures from Hannah of The Foxes Photography. Prepare to be utterly enchanted...
Hailing from Tennessee, Jessica and Taylor are based in Kingsport. Happily ever after was on the curriculum as they met when they were studying. "We met in COMP 1 at Northeast State Community college in 2014. I was a senior in high school when we met and would never have met if I hadn’t decided to do dual enrollment for all of my classes that semester. We started dating shortly after and have been inseparable since."
Fast forward to their engagement in Colorado in July 2021, "I had been hinting I wanted to get engaged on this trip, but was honestly completely shocked when it happened. He had planned to ask me at several different times during the trip but things never were the right time. The first spot was in Rocky Mountain National Park, but it was right when COVID restrictions were letting up and there was more than one pass required to enter the park and we ended up in a fight over who’s fault it was. The next day he was going to ask me at Chautauqua Park in Boulder Colorado but someone had an accident (everyone was okay) rock climbing the one of the flat irons and the large amount of emergency vehicles made it feel like it maybe wasn’t the right time. He ended up asking at Red Rocks that evening. The security guard on the way in made him empty his pocket and I totally was oblivious to the ring box."
Jessica and Taylor wanted to celebrate their love, their way surrounded by their closest family. They didn’t want a traditional big wedding and they dreamt of tying the knot in the mountains. How romantic! "We’d joked we’d get married in Banff, but decided we didn’t want to travel internationally."
Jessica reveals that they found their dream ceremony spot on a whim. "We were documenting our hikes with our dog on Instagram and ended up seeing a lot of the North Cascades in my algorithm. This also led me to find The Foxes. We filled out their inquiry form thinking, 'What could it hurt', and things just felt right from the start! We went back and forth about where to have our brunch for a while, but couldn’t get the Freestone Inn out of our head. We loved the cabin vibes with the large fireplace and the lake right outside the bistro."
The couple tied the knot at Washington Pass Overlook in North Cascades National Park with jaw-dropping views of jagged peak views and serene forested valleys. One of the most cherished memories was the bride's father's ceremony reading. "In recent years he has completely lost his eyesight. He initially took this really hard and struggled for several years with alcoholism. He just recently celebrated two years sober, so having him recite a Bible verse from memory was really special to both of us."
Being surrounded by their loved ones made their celebration absolutely unforgettable. "Having the whole family together and getting along was the best part of the day. Having Taylor’s grandmother there was extra special. She doesn’t fly and Taylor’s mother and aunt drove her all the way from Tennessee so she could be there with us. Also getting the family to take a trip none of them would have likely ever gone made it really special. Everyone is wanting to plan another trip to Mazama."
They held their reception at the rustic and immensely intimate Freestone Inn with the styling of their tablescape brimming with pastel blooms, vintage-style coloured vases and glasses, floral print crockery, and butterflies!
As for their reception aesthetic the bride says, "Honestly, I was all over the place with what I wanted, I just knew I wanted it to reflect our personality and style. My planner, Erika of The Greatest Adventure Weddings, really helped me nail it down with the mix matches plates and cups and colours. Erika described my style as 'eclectic and knick knacky' and this still makes me laugh because it’s definitely accurate."
Don’t be afraid to have a non-traditional wedding, Jessica says. "We have zero regrets about not having a big traditional wedding and reception. Don’t over think things and invite who you want to be there. We worried about hurting peoples feelings and no one ended up being anything except supportive."
"The whole day was pretty magical. We wanted the whole thing to feel like a fairytale and I think that’s exactly what we achieved, waking up in a cabin in the woods and the beautiful scenery around Mazama," she reflects.
Jessica's fairytale bridal look included an ethereal gown by Jenny by Jenny Yoo which she styled with a sensational floral applique veil by White Lace and Promises.
Jessica took a walk on the wild side with her beautiful bouquet. Her light, loose and lush wildflower bouquet exuded pure whimsical romance.
The couple had never been to Washington so they went on an adventure around the state for their honeymoon. "We spent almost a week following the wedding exploring and hiking the Olympic Peninsula staying in Forks and Port Angeles. We stopped and hiked everywhere we could, including: The Hoh and Quinault Rainforests, Ruby and Rialto beaches, Lake Crescent (hiking Mount Storm King and Marymere Falls), Hurricane Ridge and Dungeness Spit. Needless to say we were exhausted. We hiked nearly 50 or so miles on this trip, but ended it with a couples massage our last day of the trip in Seattle. It was an unforgettable trip and recommended it for anyone looking for an adventure."
Congratulations Jessica and Taylor. A very special thank you to our wonderful couple and Hannah of The Foxes Photography for sharing today's jaw-dropping celebration with One Fab Day!
You can see even more fabulous US Real Weddings here!
