Adventurous & Carefree Fern Acres Forks Wedding

Autumn and Christian are joining us for their stunning Fern Acres wedding in Washington and what a treat you have in store. Their vision for their day was to hold their day in a forest and national park, which is where Ferm Acres came in

Firstly, they had a really intimate ceremony set in a forest clearing, before celebrating with their nearest and dearest in a marquee tent. I really love the timeless yet rustic styling of their reception, it all looked so beautiful. The following day, Autumn and Christian in their wedding finery, explored the park and all the striking scenery. Wow!

Thanks ever so much to Brianna Parks Photography for sharing with us these sensational images.

Fern Acres Forks Wedding

The Proposal

We’ve always loved the outdoors, so it felt natural when Christian proposed to me during a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park.

One of our goals is to visit all the national parks, and this was our first time at Rocky and our third park together. We visited in winter, so the area was covered in snow, and not much was accessible. But Christian suggested we take a little walk, and to my surprise, he got down on one knee and proposed!

The proposal was perfect, exactly how I had envisioned it.

The Vision

We knew we wanted two things for our wedding: a national park and a forest. Olympic National Park felt like the perfect choice to check off another national park from our list while also offering the lush, green landscape we envisioned.

Although we had already visited Seattle and Oregon, we wanted to experience somewhere new and special for our big day. Initially, we couldn’t decide between a traditional wedding or an elopement, so we decided to do both.

I fell in love with Fern Acres, so we agreed to have a more traditional wedding there, complete with a ceremony, cake cutting, first dance — the whole nine yards. It was a beautiful day surrounded by loved ones.

The next day was all about us. We set out with our photographer to explore the park, driving to as many breathtaking spots as possible to capture the beauty of the landscape and the joy of our union. It was an intimate and adventurous way to celebrate, combining the best of both worlds.

The Ceremony & Music

Our ceremony was short and sweet, just the way we wanted it. There were definitely a lot of tears — happy ones, of course!

We exchanged our vows, making promises that meant the world to us, and then it was time to celebrate. After we said ‘I do’ and shared a kiss, we jumped right into the party, filled with laughter, dancing, and some of the best moments we’ll always remember.

Budget

We didn’t really have a budget. I think in total we spent around ~$40,000 for everything.

The Venue

We envisioned all kinds of scenery for our elopement day, knowing we wanted nature to play a central role. Our love for the outdoors made it important for us to integrate as much natural beauty into our day as possible.

Fern Acres was the perfect choice for our traditional venue because of its lush, forested surroundings. It truly captured everything I had dreamed of for my wedding day, bringing our vision to life in the most magical way.

The Styling & Decor

We owe all the beautiful styling and decor to our amazing planner, Kim! She really brought our vision to life. We wanted to emphasize our love for nature throughout the wedding, but we also wanted to incorporate a few trendy elements that felt very ‘us.’

We chose simple, timeless table setups that kept the focus on the natural beauty around us, and added a fun, modern seating area for photos that added a bit of flair. If I had to describe our decor, I’d say it was a perfect blend of traditional and rustic with a touch of contemporary style.

Your Outfits

We wanted our outfits to be timeless, while also reflecting our personalities and the significance of the day.

Christian chose a green suit as a nod to our love for nature, and I echoed that theme by weaving florals into my hair. Since we were getting married in the Pacific Northwest in October, I anticipated cooler weather, so I opted for a dress with sleeves to stay cozy while still looking elegant.

Christian added a personal touch with a pair of funny socks, which perfectly captured his playful spirit!

Your Photographer

Our photographer was amazing! Brianna was so helpful throughout the entire process and we just adore our images. It was super important to me to hire a good photographer for our day. We couldn’t have been happier with the results.

The Honeymoon

We didn’t have a honeymoon.

Memorable Moments

My brother passed away a few years back. The song “You Should Be Here” by Cole Swindall played and all the girls in my side of the family gave me a hug and danced with me. It was a very emotional moment but so beautiful.

Seeing the beauty of Olympic was something we’ll never forget. Every aspect of the park was breathtaking. Too many moments to list!

Advice For Other Couples

For other couples planning their wedding, my advice is to focus on what you love and make sure your day feels like you. We wanted our wedding to reflect our love for nature, so we picked a venue that was surrounded by the natural beauty we adore.

Don’t be afraid to mix styles and add personal touches — like a fun seating area for photos! Our planner, Kim, really understood our vision and made it all happen, and our photographer was amazing at capturing every detail.

At the end of the day, it’s all about making your wedding feel like an authentic reflection of your relationship, so let your personalities shine through in every detail.