It was one of those summer days where the air felt warm and thick. I walked up to the east side of the Capitol a little sweaty, but super excited to be documenting Jim and Nicole’s elopement in DC.

They had planned to do a larger event but felt that pivoting to an elopement style wedding would be a better option because of COVID. They arrived decked out in their wedding suit and dress, complete with a bouquet, boutonniere, and face masks.

We spent the time leading up to their ceremony exploring two iconic DC locations, the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. The two of them live and work in DC and wanted to commemorate their time here by using these locations as backdrops for their wedding day. I loved seeing how they enjoyed the time with each other, laughing, joking, and embracing the start of their life together.

As a couple who loves hiking and camping, they stayed true to themselves and went ahead with an outdoor wedding at the DC WWI Memorial. Surrounded by lush green trees, it was the ideal size to accommodate twenty family and friends who attended their intimate ceremony.

It can be tempting to think of an elopement as something less than a true wedding. Many see it as something to be rushed, unplanned, and therefore, not as special. But for Jim and Nicole, this was far from the truth. I loved seeing the ways they included meaningful and small details throughout their elopement.

Nicole wore her mom’s wedding veil from forty years ago. Their officiant, a close friend, used their favorite Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, to hold their vows during the ceremony. And Nicole’s wedding ring is one they hope can be a new cherished family heirloom. In Nicole’s words, “the ring is a half moon diamond surrounded by green garnets and emeralds. When deciding on this ring, I learned that emeralds are the state stone of NC (where I am from) and garnets are the state stone of NY (where Jim is from) in addition to my birthstone. We felt that it was meant to be!” It’s these details that help make an elopement just as special as any big wedding day.

I’m blessed to have been able to document this powerful day for Jim and Nicole, a day they will look back on as one that solidified their life and started them on a new path together. Enjoy their photo story below!