A Stormy Nanoose Bay Elopement in July
Brooklyn and Travis set the date, July 24th, 2023 for their Nanoose Bay elopement. Typically, late July is sunny and hot on central Vancouver Island. Not this day! This particular day would turn out to be incredibly windy, sprinkled with showers and sunshine, with a chill in the air. The air was moist and smelled incredible, with the earth saturated in rain after a long dry period. The rain was welcomed, and these two didn’t mind it either! Brooklyn and Travis chose Nanoose Bay after travelling through the Island previously for a holiday, and set their sights on the pristine Beachcomber Park set along the ocean.
Residing in interior BC, these two were hoping for an adventurous wedding memory, and they sure did get it! The wedding crew included Brooklyn’s parents, brother, and the family dog. We walked to the far Point where they intended to have both their blessings and ceremony, but the wind would shift these plans. Sitting on the bench overlooking the ocean, Brooklyn and Travis cuddled up as their three guests each read them personal well-wishes. The wind whipped their hair all around and white caps dotted the ocean- an unusual sight for the east side of the Island. After blessings were read, they decided to seek the shelter of the forest for their wedding vows. Not knowing exactly where, we meandered through the trails, settling upon a quiet nook under a healthy Arbutus tree. With a small clearing large enough for the family to gather, we settled in and the rain slowed.
A Wedding Ceremony Their Way
Brooklyn and Travis chose to exchange personal vows and commit to one another as husband and wife- without the legal binding of a marriage commissioner or government documents. A promise to each other just as strong as any other. They exchanged rings and vowed their love to each other, their way. It was so beautiful! After the ceremony finished, we meandered to yet another spot within the park for the newlyweds to test out a new scotch whiskey. While Brooklyn’s dad struggled to keep the umbrella in one piece, the couple cheered and raised their glasses as husband and wife. Everybody else joined in, and the umbrella succumbed to its crumpled demise.
For the rest of my 1.5 hours with this couple, we took family photos in the forest and finished at the beach with the two of them. The sun started to shine through, giving the most beautiful and dramatic lighting! A photographers dream! Huge congratulations to this happy couple, with a most adventurous elopement at Moorecroft Park and enjoying a feast afterwards at Cuckoos in Coombs.
