Redwoods Elopement Tips for a Magical Forest Wedding

Redwoods Elopement Tips for a Magical Forest Wedding

Our guide to having the most romantic redwoods elopement!

This Redwoods Elopement started out in the magic of Northern California’s old growth forests. Walking into these groves of ancient giants is an all at once peaceful and overwhelmingly beautiful experience. The day ended with the rush of the Pacific Ocean crashing against coastal cliffs for their sunset elopement adventure.

↓ Keep reading to for the full story + pics + planning advice ↓

Redwoods Elopement in Northern California

Our guide to planning your redwoods elopement

Where to elope in the redwoods

Redwoods National and State Parks are home to some of the worlds oldest, tallest, and most beautiful redwoods in the world. Walking amongst these giants is awe inspiring as you gaze up into the canopy that seems to stretch on forever and ever. It really is like entering a cathedral, especially when the morning and afternoon sun sends rays of light spilling through the high canopy like light through stained glass windows. And what better place for a Redwoods elopement ceremony than smack dab in the middle of an old growth grove? Here’s a list of the best parks in California for your redwoods elopement: 

For this Redwoods elopement, we explored the groves of Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. This area is our personal favorite because it’s so close to some amazing coastal spots for sunset!

 

Makayla and Tanner were joined by their parents and siblings for their Redwoods elopement in Northern California. Their families stayed at a nearby campground in the forest and gathered under the trees for the ceremony. This particular grove was just outside the main area of the park and close to the road, which was perfect for easy access and privacy. There wasn’t another soul out there and it truly felt like Makayla and Tanner had the entire Redwood forest to themselves – it was absolutely perfect!

Wedding couple walking down trail during Redwoods Elopement in Northern California

A redwoods elopement hike

After the ceremony, Makayla and Tanner went on a little Redwoods elopement adventure with us while their families went back to the campground. There are a handful of trails all in this area that are sprinkled with some of the most beautiful ferns and moss covered trees. We were all in disbelief of the beauty as we wandered around the forest. Jurassic Park vibes were going strong for their epic Redwoods elopement.

Fun Fact: Jurassic Park, Star Wars, ET, The Lost World, and The Tree of Life are just a handful of the films that had filming locations in the Redwoods. If you want to check out all the film locations for yourself, you can see all of the spots on this map!

When is the best time to elope in the redwoods?

The best time to get married in the Redwoods is spring and fall because the weather is perfect and you can avoid peak tourist time. We have planned many elopements in the Redwoods and feel that April, May, June, and October in particular are the best months for a redwoods elopement. In spring, the coastal wildflowers and rhododendron are blooming in the forest, giving a romantic and whimsical feel to the groves. In fall, the days are getting shorter and the hazy cathedral light peaking through the canopy is getting softer. We don’t recommend eloping here late June through early September because it’s peak tourist season and trails tend to be incredibly busy. Also, this area tends to get hit the worst by summer wildfire smoke. The redwoods are remote areas, so finding lodging during peak visiting season can be difficult too.

We’ve planned and photographed 300+ elopements all over the world and 30+ elopements were the Northern California Redwoods alone – we are redwoods elopement photography and planning experts.

Your redwoods elopement photographer is the most important decision

You’re likely traveling from halfway across the country for your redwood elopement. Working with a photographer you can trust to do justice in capturing you in this wildly beautiful landscape is so important! We know all the nooks and crannies of this entire area, so you’ll be able to lean on us for our expertise to plan the best possible day.

 

Exploring ocean cliffs after the redwoods elopement

The nearby coastal beaches are worthy of an elopement in and of themselves, which is why this particular area is incredible – you get 2 for 1! After their Redwoods elopement, we drove as far west as possible to catch the sun setting over the pacific ocean. Our favorite thing about this particular stretch of ocean is you can climb up above the water for an airy cliff overlook. You can also walk down onto the sandy beaches should you want to dip your toes into the ocean. Either way, it’s a perfect way to end a fairytale evening and cap off an epic Redwoods elopement.

What does a redwoods elopement look like?

I remember being so mystified by the sheer size of these trees. The lushness of the undergrowth, and the remoteness of this area that added to the sense of stepping back in time. With heads tilted up to the canopy high above, we explored these ancient woods with these two, capturing the feeling of being dwarfed by these giants in our photos. Towards the evening, we emerged from the dense forest to a beautiful Pacific sunset over the most scenic stretch of coastline. Since then we’ve traveled back here nearly every year, but no matter how many times we visit, that overwhelming feeling of awe never goes away. And yes, the Jurassic Park theme song will always be blasting from our truck as we enter this other world. 🦕

redwood forest wedding and redwoods elopement in california

Coastal cliff sunset elopement portraits

This entire area is sprinkled with little pockets of epic views, it’s hard to pick just one spot to watch the sun set. After splashing around on the beach for a bit, we headed on up to another spot that gave us some elevation. We had scouted this area earlier in the year and knew this little gem of a spot would be the perfect place for Makayla and Tanner to end their day. We had the entire spot to ourselves as we watched the sun dip below the horizon.

Redwood elopement package FAQ's

Can I elope in the redwood forest?

You can elope in the redwood forest if you have a valid permit from the state or national park.

How much does it cost to get married in Redwood National Park?

It costs $100 – $150 to have a wedding ceremony in the redwoods. This is the park permit fee and is dependent on the park you choose.

Where can I get married in the redwoods?

Depending on your total group size, you are able to get married in certain locations in the redwoods. The maximum group size for redwoods elopements is 20, see the full list of approved locations here.

How to elope in the redwoods?

The first step to elope in the redwoods is hire a photographer that is an expert on the area and constantly changing rules and regulations of the redwood national park. Your photographer will be your guide to planning your elopement in the redwoods.

When is the best time to elope in the redwoods?

Late spring and early fall are the best times to elope in the redwoods. This is because the weather is ideal and you can avoid the summer crowds and wildfire smoke.

See more Redwood elopements

Here are inside peaks at some of the days we’ve created and photographed with our couples for their redwoods elopements. This is a great way to get a feel for our redwood elopement photography, best places to elope in the redwoods, and what full day adventure elopements look like!

Want us to photograph your redwoods elopement?

Hope you found our tips on eloping in the Redwoods helpful! As you can see, we LOVE talking about elopements and the magical mystical redwood forests. If you’re considering a redwood forest wedding, don’t hesitate to reach out for a free planing call with us!

-Brandon, Gabi, Hannah, and Zoe

The Foxes are Brandon and Gabi Fox, an adventurous husband and wife elopement photography team living and traveling in their DIY renovated 1972 Airstream. They are loosely based in the Pacific Northwest, but travel for work and play throughout the western states and beyond. Their elopement photography is award winning and is described as candid photography that captures couples as they are, where they are, blending images of love and natural beauty in the great outdoors. 

CUSTOM PHOTO ALBUM AGREEMENT

THE FOXES PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC

These Terms and Conditions are a legally binding agreement is between you (“Client”) The Foxes Photography, LLC (“Photographer”) (collectively the “Parties”, or in the singular “Party”), for the purpose of Client purchasing a custom photography album from Photographer. This Agreement shall become effective upon the date you complete the checkout process.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  1. Fees & Retainer

Client shall commit to a custom album package by signing and returning this Agreement along with the initial payment for album service. Photographer will not begin its custom album services until the Agreement is signed and the album design fee is received. No final album will be printed until the full payment is made. In the event Client fails to remit payment as specified, Photographer shall have the right to immediately terminate this Agreement with no further obligation and retain any monies already paid as liquidated damages. Full payment must be completed by Client within 60 days of this Agreement’s date.

The fees in this Agreement are based on Photographer’s current album pricing at the time of booking. The price list is adjusted periodically, and any changes to custom albums will be charged at the prices in effect at the time.

  1. Album Design Procedure

The following outline indicates the general procedure of a custom album design. Client understands and agrees to this procedure.

  1. Photographer will use photos and album specifications to create their first custom album design.
  2. Photographer will send Client first draft of album design.
  3. Client will approve or send in revisions to album design.
  4. Photographer will make edits to album design. Only two rounds of edits are allowed.
  5. Client will approve final album design.
  6. Photographer will send in album for printing.
  7. Album is printed and shipped.
  8. Client receives final printed album.
  1. Album Spreads

Albums will include 35 spreads and no less. The definition of a “page” is one side of a spread in an album (for example, a 70-page album contains 35 spreads). If Client requests more than 35 spreads, additional spreads are $50.00 each. 

  1. Revision Rounds

The first draft will include photos selected by the photographer and will be sent to Client for approval. Client may request modifications to be made. Photographer shall complete modifications and send the second draft of album design to Client. Client may then accept the design or request one more round of modifications. Photographer will complete this second modification request and send the final draft of album to Client. After these two rounds of revisions to the album design, no further revisions are allowed. Any additional revisions are invoiced at a rate of $75.00 per round. All additional revision rounds must be paid before the revision is made by the Photographer. Photographer requires up to 10 days to complete a revision request. Client has 50 days to send Photographer any and all revision requests. Any revisions requested by Client more than 50 days after this Agreement’s date will not be accepted by Photographer.

  1. Final Approval

Photographer will not place an album order with the album Manufacturer until Client approves the design draft, and the balance is paid on any upgrades or additional spreads. Client agrees to check the final album design very carefully before giving final approval. Once final approval is given, Photographer is not responsible for typos, image defects, duplicate images, or other errors that may have been missed. 

  1. Parent/Duplicate Albums

Parent/duplicate albums cannot be altered from the original designs. All parent/duplicate albums shall be ordered at the time of final approval of the original album design and will be invoiced and must be paid prior to Photographer sending in album for printing. No parent/duplicate albums are available after the original album ordering phase is complete.

  1. Album Delivery

Client understands and agrees that Photographer’s album manufacturer (“Manufacturer”) generally takes 6-8 weeks to print and manufacture the album. While every possible precaution is taken and Manufacturer has been selected by Photographer for its superb quality, Photographer assumes no liability for the loss or damage of album while in possession of Manufacturer. 

  1. Ordering Date

Client shall agree to final album design within 60 days of this Agreement’s date. Any delay by Client in approving final album design will result in termination of this Agreement and no further obligation by Photographer.

  1. Retouching and Edits

Photographer will use the final edited images delivered to Client to make the album design. Photographer will not re-edit or retouch any images.

  1. Returns

Client understands and agrees that once final approval of album design has been given to Photographer, no returns or refunds are allowed whatsoever. In the event Client receives the printed album and sees any manufacturer defects or dislikes the album quality, Photographer will work with Manufacturer to the best of their ability to remedy the situation. Client is responsible for any additional fees associated with returning or reprinting the album.

  1. Album Archiving

Photographer shall keep a copy of final approved album design for 90 days but does not permanently archive the final album design. Client understands that after 90 days the album design will not be available to order additional copies and a new agreement must be signed to start the process over.

  1. Photographer Copyright

The final album design by The Foxes Photography, LLC is their property, will remain their property, and are protected by United States Copyright Laws (USC Title 17). Client hereby waives any claims for ownership, income, editorial control, and use of the images and album design. Violations of this federal law will be subject to its civil and criminal penalties.

  1. Reproduction

Client and Client’s agents agree to acquire the album design and product directly from Photographer through their professional album company. Client and Client’s agents agree not to scan, copy or reproduce the album design in any manner without written permission, including using the custom album design to create other albums. Photographer may seek damages for any illegal reproduction. Client and Client’s agents further agree not to supply the album to any third-parties.

  1. Communication

Photographer’s office hours are 9:00am – 5:00pm PST Monday through Friday. Photographer’s primary source of communication is through their email [email protected]. Photographer will respond to Client’s emails within those office hours.

  1. Indemnification

Client shall indemnify, release, discharge and hold harmless Photographer, its heirs, legal representatives, assigns, employees, contractors, or any persons or corporations acting under permission or authority of the Photographer from and against any and all losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses and costs, including reasonable legal expenses and attorneys’ fees, to which Photographer may become subject as a result of any claim, demand, action or other legal proceeding by any third-party to the extent such losses arise directly or indirectly out of activities performed by Photographer pursuant to this Agreement, except to the extent such losses result from the gross negligence, willful misconduct, or intentional acts of Photographer.

  1. Maximum Damages

The sole remedy for any actions or claims by Client shall be limited to a refund, the maximum amount not to exceed the total monies paid by Client under this Agreement.

  1. Limitation of Liability

If, during the production and/or before the album(s) are delivered to Client, the media has been lost, stolen, or is unusable because of defect, damage, equipment/platform malfunction, processing, or other technical error caused by Photographer or by forces outside the control of Photographer, Client agrees to relieve and hold Photographer harmless and will not impose any additional liability.

In no event shall Photographer be liable under this Agreement to Client or any other third-party for consequential, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive, or enhanced damages, arising out of, relating to, or in connection with any breach of this Agreement, regardless of (a) whether such damages were foreseeable, (b) whether or not Client was advised of such damages, and (c) the legal or equitable theory (contract, tort, or otherwise) upon which the claim is based.

  1. Force Majeure 

No Party shall be liable or responsible to the other Party, nor be deemed to have defaulted under or breached this Agreement, for any failure or delay in fulfilling or performing any term of this Agreement (except for any obligations to make payments to the other Party hereunder), when and to the extent such failure or delay is caused by or results from acts beyond the impacted party’s (“Impacted Party”) control that are unforeseen and unpredictable at the time of contracting, including, but not limited to, the following force majeure 

events (“Force Majeure Events”): (a) acts of God; (b) a natural disaster (fires, explosions, earthquakes, hurricane, flooding, storms, explosions, infestations), epidemic, or pandemic; (c) war, invasion, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), terrorist threats or acts, riot or other civil unrest; (d) government order or law; (e) actions, embargoes or blockades in effect on or after the date of this Agreement; (f) action by any governmental authority; (g) national or regional emergency; (h) strikes, labor stoppages or slowdowns or other industrial disturbances; and (i) shortage of adequate power or transportation facilities. The Impacted Party shall give Notice (as defined in Section 27) within 10 days of the Force Majeure Event to the other Party, stating the period of time the occurrence is expected to continue. The Impacted Party shall use diligent efforts to end the failure or delay and ensure the effects of such Force Majeure Event are minimized. The Impacted Party shall resume the performance of its obligations as soon as reasonably practicable after the removal of the cause. In the event that the Impacted Party’s failure or delay remains uncured for a period of 15 days following Notice given by it, the other Party may thereafter terminate this Agreement upon Notice. The Retainer and all other payments made by Client up to the date of Notice of a Force Majeure Event are non-refundable.

  1. Cancellation of Album Services by Photographer

In the event Photographer determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot or will not perform its obligations under this Agreement due to circumstances including, but not limited to, injury, illness, death of family member, pregnancy, military orders, religious obligations, other personal emergencies, or total breakdown of communication with Client, it will:

  1. Immediately give notice to Client;
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  3. Excuse Client of any further performance and/or payment obligations under this Agreement.
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Should any sale and/or use tax be imposed on any part of this Agreement, such tax shall be collected from Client and remitted by Photographer. All sales tax will be included on invoices.

  1. Entire Agreement

This is a binding Agreement that incorporates the entire understanding of the Parties, supersedes any other written or oral agreements between the Parties, and any modifications must be in writing, signed by all Parties, and physically attached to the original agreement.


22. Venue and Jurisdiction

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington including all matters of construction, validity, performance, and enforcement and without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws. The Parties agree that any dispute or lawsuit arising out of, or concerning, this Agreement that is not first resolved by arbitration shall be resolved exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction located in Whatcom County, Washington. The Parties assume responsibility for their own collection costs and legal fees incurred should enforcement of this Agreement become necessary.

  1. Arbitration

Any and all disputes or disagreements rising between the Parties out of this Agreement upon which an amicable understanding cannot be reached, shall be decided by arbitration in accordance with the procedural rules of the American Arbitration Association. The Parties agree to be bound by the decision of the arbitrator(s). The arbitration proceeding shall take place in Whatcom County, Washington, unless another location is mutually agreed to by the Parties. The cost and expenses of the arbitrators shall be shared equally by the Parties. Each Party shall be responsible for its own costs and expenses in presenting the dispute for arbitration.

  1. Severability & No Waiver

In the event that any part of this Agreement is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement shall remain valid and enforceable. Any failure by one or both Parties to enforce a provision of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any other portion or provision of this Agreement.

  1. Transfer

This Agreement cannot be transferred or assigned to any third-party by either the Photographer or Client without written consent of all Parties. 

  1. Headings

Headings and titles are provided in this Agreement for convenience only and will not be construed as part of this Agreement.

  1. Notice

Parties shall provide effective notice (“Notice”) to each other via email at the date and time which the Notice is sent: Photographer’s Email: [email protected]

  1. Counterparts; Facsimile Signatures 

The Parties agree that a facsimile copy (electronic copy) of this Agreement, which contains the Parties’ signatures, may be used as the original.

Signatures

By checking the box on this order form and upon completion of purchase, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.