Christina & Erik’s Bellingham Elopement: A Day of Local Adventure

Written By Michael Graw

While a lot of the elopements I photograph involve heading into the mountains, Christina and Erik had a different idea of adventure. They wanted to spend their big day adventuring in and around Bellingham — and as a Bellingham elopement photographer, I could get behind that! 

Christina and Erik currently live in Tacoma, but they had both spent tons of time in Bellingham and felt a special connection to this area. Christina was a Western Washington University student years ago, while she and Erik had made countless trips to Bellingham and the San Juan Islands in the years since. So it felt natural to them to tie the knot here while revisiting some of their favorite places and exploring a few new ones.  

Our day took us all over Whatcom County, from the Mount Baker Highway to Larrabee State Park to historic downtown Fairhaven. It was the ultimate Pacific Northwest town-and-trail elopement, and it showcased just how versatile and beautiful a Bellingham elopement can be.

Building a Bouquet from Scratch on the Mount Baker Highway

One of the most unique aspects of Christina and Erik’s day was that they wanted to mirror the activities of a traditional wedding, but on their own terms. That meant instead of buying a bouquet and boutonnière, they wanted to build their own from scratch. Christina and Erik both share a love for gardening and arranging flowers, and their elopement was the perfect opportunity to put their creative skills to use.

We started the day at Shumway’s Berries, a local U-Pick farm located just off the Mount Baker Highway. They had a stunning field of vibrant wildflowers growing right alongside the berry patches. It was a classic, drizzly PNW morning, but nobody minded getting a little wet and muddy since Christina and Erik were saving their wedding attire for later in the day.

A couple holding hands and walking through a field of flowers during a Bellingham elopement photography session.
Photo of a couple standing together and the woman kissing the man during a Bellingham elopement photography session. They are standing in a field of flowers.
A photo of a bride in a white dress walking through a field of flowers, holding a bouquet in her hands, during a Bellingham elopement.
A couple holding hands and walking through a field of yellow flowers during a Bellingham elopement photography session. There are raspberry bushes and trees in the background.

Christina and Erik took their time moving through the field, intentionally selecting one flower at a time. It was incredibly special to watch them work together as a team: passing stems back and forth, laughing, and deciding exactly where each flower fit best in their growing arrangements. 

A bride in a white sundress standing in a field of flowers and holding a bouquet she has picked during a Bellingham elopement photography session.
A man holding a small selection of flowers for a boutonniere and looking at a field of flowers to pick. He has a set of gardening tools on his belt and is wearing a blue button-down shirt.
A bride and groom during an elopement photography session in Bellingham, Washington. They are standing in a field with raspberry bushes behind them, and the groom is putting flowers in the bride's hair.
A bride and groom standing together in a field of yellow flowers during a Bellingham elopement photography session. The bride's head is pressed against the groom's chest and he is leaning down to kiss her.

After capturing some fun portraits among the wildflowers, we popped over to an adjacent field where U-pick strawberry season had just kicked off to grab a sweet morning snack.

A playful engagement-style photo of a bride holding a bouquet and hiding beneath a tall raspberry bush, while her groom peers over the top of the bush looking for her.
A woman in a white sundress holding a handful of strawberries up to her fiance, who is smiling back at her. They are in a U-pick strawberry field in Whatcom County, near Bellingham, Washington.
A man and woman cup hands and hold a pile of freshly picked strawberries with their wedding rings on top during a Bellingham engagement photo session.

First Look and Intimate Elopement at Larrabee State Park

Before long, it was time to head south through Bellingham to meet up with Christina and Erik’s close friend Nick, who would be working double-duty as both their hair stylist and wedding officiant. Nick is a professional hairdresser, so he immediately got to work styling Christina’s hair right there in the Larrabee State Park parking lot—the ultimate testament to the flexible, go-with-the-flow nature of an adventure wedding!

Meanwhile, Erik changed into his suit and got into position in the forest for their first look. This was one traditional wedding element both Erik and Christina were incredibly excited about keeping intact.

A bride is smiling and looking down while a hairdresser in a suit pins flowers into her hair. Taken during an elopement photography session in Larrabee State Park.
A bride in a wedding dress smiles at the camera as she comes up behind her groom and puts a hand on his shoulder during a first look ceremony in Larrabee State Park. The groom is wearing a blue suit and looking straight ahead.
A bride and groom embrace after their first look on a wooden bride surrounded by lush ferns in Larrabee State Park, just before their elopement ceremony. The bride's back is to the camera and the groom is holding her bouquet.
A bride and groom kiss after their first look during a Larrabee State Park elopement. The bride is standing on a log and leaning down to kiss the groom.
A photo of a bride's hair showing her tiara and flowers knotted into her hair. Her hairdresser's hands are visible in the photo as she prepares for a first look in Larrabee State Park outside Bellingham.
A bride wraps her arms around her groom's neck as he looks down at her after their first look ceremony during a Larrabee State Park elopement. The bride's bouquet is out of focus in the foreground.
A bride reaches up to adjust her groom's tie after a first look in Larrabee State Park. The groom is looking down at the bride and holding her shoulders, and they're surrounded by lush forest.

After their first look, we hiked a short way up the Fragrance Lake Trail. This trail is one of my absolute favorite spots for a Larrabee State Park elopement because it offers an incredibly lush, deep-woods PNW vibe just a few minutes from the trailhead. The towering evergreens, massive ferns, and light filtered through old growth trees offer something like a private cathedral for a wedding.

With Nick officiating, Christina and Erik exchanged their vows and rings, cracking jokes and laughing through the entire ceremony. It was perfectly intimate, deeply personal, and everything a small elopement should be.

A bride and groom stand together in a dark forest filled with ferns and old growth trees. They are getting married on the Fragrance Lake Trail during a Larrabee State Park elopement near Bellingham, Washington.
A groom in a blue suit putting a ring on his bride's finger during their adventure wedding ceremony in Larrabee State Park.
A bride and groom in wedding clothes embrace while surrounded by lush ferns and large trees on the Fragrance Lake Trail in Larrabee State Park, just before their wedding ceremony.
A bride and groom smile at each other as the groom reads his vows and their officiant looks on during an elopement wedding ceremony. They are surrounded by large cedars and ferns in the lush forest of the Fragrance Lake Trail in Larrabee State Park.
A bride and groom kiss after being married during a Larrabee State Park elopement ceremony. They are on the Fragrance Lake Trail, surrounded by old growth trees and bright green ferns.
A bride and groom hold hands and walk down the Fragrance Lake Trail after their Larrabee State Park elopement. They are smiling at one another and walking towards a grove of old growth trees and ferns.
A bride and groom hold hands and walk towards the camera on the Fragrance Lake Trail in Larrabee State Park shortly after eloping. They have their hands raised in celebration and they are surrounded by lush ferns and old growth trees.
A bride and groom sit on a log in Larrabee State Park and hold hands with their wedding rings clearly visible.

A Fairhaven First Dance & Marine Park Cake Cutting

Following the ceremony, we took a structured midday break so everyone could rest and reset. Christina and Erik took this time to walk around downtown Bellingham, grab an early dinner, and pick up their custom wedding cake from Pure Bliss Desserts— a local staple and an absolute must if you're looking for the best Bellingham wedding cakes.

We met back up in the evening at the historic Village Green in Fairhaven for Erik and Christina’s first dance. On a typical summer evening, the brick-lined square is buzzing, but it was surprisingly quiet when we arrived. The portable speaker they brought refused to connect, but rather than let it spoil the moment, Erik simply pulled up their favorite song on his phone and the two shared an incredibly sweet, quiet first dance in the middle of the empty square with no one else watching.

A bride and groom hold their first dance on the Village Green in historic downtown Fairhaven to celebrate their Bellingham elopement. They are slow dancing together and smiling at one another, with a brick-lined plaza and old stone buildings behind.
A bride and groom hold their first dance on the Village Green in historic downtown Fairhaven during their Bellingham elopement. They smile at one another and the brick-lined plaza and old stone buildings are visible behind them.
A bride and groom sitting together and holding hands with their wedding rings visible during a Fairhaven elopement in Bellingham, Washington.
A bride and groom walk away from the camera down a brick-lined plaza in the Village Green in historic downtown Fairhaven after their Bellingham elopement ceremony and first dance.
A bride puts her arms around her groom's shoulders and presses her face into his chest after their Bellingham elopement. They are in the Village Green in downtown Fairhaven and the brick-lined plaza is visible behind them.

From the village, we took a walk down to Marine Park. The newlyweds unboxed their Pure Bliss cake right on the beach, cutting a slice and enjoying the sweeping views across Bellingham Bay.

A bride and groom smile and laugh as they dig into a Pure Bliss wedding cake during a post-elopement picnic on the beach at Marine Park in Bellingham.
A photo of a bride and groom after their elopement standing on railroad tracks and holding hands, pulling on each other for balance as they lean backwards. The tracks run into the distance behind them with the city of Bellingham in the background.
A close-up photo of a Pure Bliss wedding cake with two bites taken out of it. The couple's wedding rings are lying on top of the cake and they have a handmade cake topper that depicts the bride and groom.
A photo of a bride and groom sitting on a picnic blanket on the beach at Marine Park in Bellingham with a Pure Bliss wedding cake between them. They are each feeding the other a piece of cake with their arms intertwined.
A photo of a bride and groom sitting together on a blanket on the rocky beach at Marine Park after their Bellingham elopement. They are smiling at each other and watching the sunset over the San Juan Islands.

Catching the Sunset at Teddy Bear Cove in Bellingham

Our final stop for the evening was Teddy Bear Cove. Neither Erik nor Christina had been here before, and as a Bellingham elopement photographer, I’m always thrilled to introduce couples to our area's hidden gems.

We made the trek down the steep, forested trail to reach the shoreline, then climbed up onto the rocky bluffs to watch the sun set over the bay. 

A bride and groom walking together on a pebbly beach at Teddy Bear Cove at sunset after their Bellingham, Washington elopement. The water is visible behind them as they walk towards the camera.
A bride and groom sit together on a rocky bluff overlooking the water during sunset at Teddy Bear Cove in Bellingham, Washington.
A bride and groom sit together on a rocky bluff at Teddy Bear Cove after their Bellingham, Washington elopement. They are smiling at each other and looking out over the water at sunset. The photo is framed by an evergreen tree in the foreground.
A bride and groom sit together on a rocky bluff at Teddy Bear Cove, in Bellingham, Washington, at sunset. They are relaxing and looking out over the water after eloping in Larrabee State Park earlier in the day.

As we watched the last light disappear, it was the perfect chance to reflect on how perfectly Christina and Erik had tailored their day to fit their relationship. They turned the traditional wedding on its head and found adventure in a place they know and love.

Bellingham offers an incredible playground of forest, coast, and local spots that make the perfect backdrop for an intentional, relaxed wedding day. If you’re ready to start planning your own Pacific Northwest adventure wedding, I’d love to help you plan an itinerary that reflects your story. Get in touch today to chat about locations, timelines, and how we can capture your big day!

Michael Graw
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