Backyard elopements hold a special little place in my heart, and so do sweet couples like Joe and Colton, who I got the pleasure of celebrating with last year! These two lovebirds hosted an intimate, super low key backyard elopement on Vashon Island that embodied all the unique aspects of their love story and their individual personalities, as well as the quaintness of the island atmosphere. I could write a whole damn essay about these darlings and how it felt to not only witness but capture their special day, but I’ll spare you and try to keep it to just a few paragraphs 😉 Enjoy this little glimpse into Joe and Colton’s intimate Vashon Island elopement!
Joe & Colton’s Low Key Backyard Elopement on Vashon Island
An intimate celebration at a quaint Vashon Island home
Rather than host a massive wedding at a venue in Seattle, Joe and Colton opted for a more private gathering just outside of the city, a backyard elopement on Vashon Island. They invited only their closest loved ones to celebrate at the most beautiful little island setting, a cozy home with a spacious lawn, stunning views of Puget Sound, and vibrant Pacific Northwest greenery galore. Even the drive down the road to the home took you through a gorgeous forest full of rich foliage, all the way to an adorable cobblestone path to the house, where you walked through a blooming garden – talk about a dreamy entrance!
I absolutely LOVE that these two chose to celebrate their wedding in the form of a cozy backyard elopement, since the private setting allowed for plenty of time to enjoy the views, to take in the emotions of the day, and to relax with their guests without the stress of a strict timeline.
Minimalist yet oh-so-romantic details galore
With the flexible space that homes & backyards have to offer comes the freedom to decorate as you please – and Joe & Colton took full advantage! They kept the decor of their Vashon Island elopement fairly minimalist, but with whimsical & romantic touches along the way and intention packed into even the smallest of details. Their ceremony out on the bright green lawn boasted gorgeous pink & flowers lining the aisle, and the dinner table inside the home was adorned with GLORIOUS vases of tall bouquets. The long stems and minimal amount of large flowers paired so beautifully with the simplicity of the wicker placemats, cream-colored plates, and small white candles!
Not only did the decor and florals of Joe and Colton’s backyard elopement on Vashon Island take away the breath of every guest – the food was TOP. Notch. No need to hire a fancy caterer to cook up complex dishes when you only have a few people present – you can get much more creative with what you serve! They offered up a variety of small bites in the morning: fresh fruit, charcuterie boards covered in delish crackers & cheeses, delicate meringues, and an abundance of other delectable pastries that were scarfed down! 10/10 recommend having food available to your guests all day, rather than just when dinner time rolls around. You’ll have a much happier crowd 😉
The jewel-toned velvet suits that stole the show
Now I know I’ve been saying that this Vashon Island elopement was low key, and it was – but Joe and Colton went ahead & added a little bit of glitz & glam when it came to their outfits. I’m a huge fan of unique grooms’ outfits and when couples think a little bit outside of the normal wedding attire “box,” so when I showed up to Joe and Colton looking dapper as all hell in rich, jewel-toned, VELVET suits, I had to take a moment to catch my breath. Whewwww did these two look fire🔥
A private Vashon Island elopement ceremony overlooking Puget Sound
The rest of the day panned out absolutely flawlessly, starting with Joe and Colton’s breathtaking ceremony out on the lawn, with views of Puget Sound looking stunning as all hell in the background. We took full advantage of the rainy-day-romance-novel-vibes and snapped plenty of dreamy Vashon Island elopement photos in front of the gorgeous scenery, and they enjoyed the loveliest time with their guests once the official stuff was wrapped up. Absolutely over-the-moon, head-over-heels in love with the garden portraits we took just before I left✨
It was an absolute honor getting to photograph Joe & Colton’s intimate Vashon Island backyard elopement! If you enjoyed this glimpse into their magical day, I def recommend checking out a few more of my recent Seattle-area weddings below for plenty of inspo for your own special day 🥂
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