Shalynn + Yvonne's Intimate PNW Elopement - Packwood, WA | Olympia Wedding Photographer

Step 1: Move to the PNW

Step 2: Meet the love of your life

Step 3: Plan an Intimate PNW elopement at Mt. Rainier with only your closest friends and family, an awesome wedding planner (Erica from @thegreatestadventurewed of course) and an awesome photographer (hey that’s me! I’m fun and not nerdy at all, I swear hahah!)

That’s exactly what Shalynn + Yvonne did! Wellllll, minus the Mt. Rainier part. The October weather in Washington State is a little hard to predict and we happened to get one of those super rainy and foggy days where we couldn’t see the mountain. Don’t panic though guys, these lovely ladies will still get their dream photos. We’ll be heading up to Mt. Rainier for some beautiful follow up portraits next summer.

That all being said, I can’t even put in words what an amazing experience Shalynn + Yvonne’s magical little elopement was. They were surrounded by their closest friends and family and I was blown away at how kind, compassionate, funny and supportive they all were.

Intimate elopements have very quickly become some of my favorite events to capture. If you are considering an elopement give me a call and let’s make it happen!

Venue: Harder’s Cabin - Packwood, WA

Wedding Planner/Florist/Decor - Erica from The Greatest Adventure, Weddings + Elopements

Hair/Makeup Artist: Crystal from Opal Artistry Seattle

^^^Check these ladies out, they did such a great job and they were fun to work with!

Do you want memorable images of you and your love? What’s holding you back? Call me, let’s sit down for chips and salsa and chat about your ideal session.

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful.

See More Love Stories

Naya + Betka's Downtown Seattle Couple's Session | Olympia Wedding Photographer

Naya + Betka’s downtown Seattle couples session was one of the funnest of 2018! Lighthearted and madly in love, these two are free spirits and wild at heart. We had a blast exploring the streets of Seattle; from daydreaming what the inside of the (below) cool house looks like to handstands and dancing in the street. Plus that sunflare, #amiright! I just love how these women’s personalities really show through in the images!

In a few months time (Yay, June! I can’t wait for summer) I’ll be shooting these lovely ladies again, this time for a wedding shoot! I’m super stoked to see the outcome of that and can’t wait to spend the day laughing and having a good time with them again. Stay tuned for more amazing images featuring these two lovebirds! Counting down the days!

Special appearance by Percy the cat. I have no idea what his or her name actually is, that’s the name I gave it.

---

P.S. I really want a pair of yellow pants now!

P.P.S This is one of my new all time favorite couples photos! Just look at their smiles!! They bring each other so much happiness.

P.P.P.S That’s a lot of post-scripting going on.

“What we find in a soulmate is not something wild to tame, but something wild to run with”. - Robert Brault

"When the evening shadows and the stars appear. And there is no one there to dry your tears. Oh, I hold you for a million years. To make you feel my love." — Adele

"And when you smile. The whole world stops and stares for a while. 'Cause girl you're amazing. Just the way you are." — Bruno Mars

Do you want memorable images of you and your love? What’s holding you back? Call me, let’s sit down for chips and salsa and chat about your ideal session.

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful.

Kate + Taylor's Discovery Park Engagement | Seattle Wedding Photographer

Kate + Taylor are getting married! 

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

See More Love Stories

Kirsten + Jonathon's Tacoma Engagement Session | Tacoma Engagement Photographer

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

Alicia + Brock's Rattlesnake Lake Couples Session | Olympia Wedding Photographer

Adventure! One of my favorite type of sessions to capture is an adventure session. An adventure session is where we pick a location that is amazing, epic, gorgeous, breathe taking, memorable or all of the above and put you in it. This type of session is great to capture a location that has fond memories or just to capture the PNW in general. Most types of session can be done as an adventure session, which is a great alternative to session at a local park or urban setting.

We chose to do Alicia + Brock's adventurous couples session at Rattlesnake Lake in North Bend. It had been a while since I had shot there so I was pretty excited. We got a beautiful day that was warm and sunny so we shot in the evening and utilized the beautiful soft light of golden hour.

Alicia is such a sweet person, so positive and happy. She was constantly laughing and smiling, which is contagious! Brock is the strong and silent type, his serious face is pensive and you can just tell he is taking everything in. Both Alicia + Brock are artists and are so expressive in their own ways. Their personalities compliment each other and aren't unlike the Chinese Yin + Yang principles that represent the universe. 

Alicia + Brock even got SUPER brave at the end of our session and climbed into the chilly lake for some super sexy couples photos. I guess I can't say much since I shot from a dry and warm rock a few steps from shore but in my opinion it was totally worth braving the cold water for these fun and playful photos! HAHA!

This blog really makes me realize how much I love doing adventure sessions! So, stay tuned for a blog on Adventure Portrait Sessions coming soon...!!

Also, check out the amazing necklace Alicia is wearing. It has the prettiest little moonstone hanging from the moon. It was the perfect accessory for her low-v cut dresses.

Moon + Moonstone Necklace: Ethereal Earth Gifts

Dresses: Forever 21

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

Samantha + Nate's Couples Session | Olympia Wedding Photographer

Such a fun and sweet couple! These two are some of the nicest people I've met and they have a passion for life, their family, helping others.... and each other of course!

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

McKinley + James' Downtown Tacoma Anniversary Session | Olympia Wedding Photographer

Such a fun engagement shoot with McKinley + James!

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

Trina + Jonathon's Romantic Spring Session....At My Neighbors House | Olympia Engagement Photographer

If you've been following me at all you know that I am a sucker for beautiful locations! Rattlesnake Lake, Franklin Falls, beaches, mountains, the ocean......! I have a list 10 pages long of all the locations I want to photograph a couple or elopement at (Some I will be checking off the bucket list this summer so if you are recently engaged message me!!! #shamelessadvertising but it's my blog so I can do that haha)

As a Pacific Northwest Wedding Photographer I consider myself quite lucky because there is no shortages of beautiful locations to shoot at. So, I spend so much time dreaming of and planning shoots in many of these breathtaking locations that sometimes I forget that some of the most beautiful locations can be right in front of you! Sometimes it's the side of the road (been there, done that) and sometimes you can't help but ask your neighbor if you can shoot in there driveway -  after years of ogling over it!!!

Meet Trina + Jonathan - they are fellow photographers from PS Photography by Trina + Jonathan. They met me in Lacey along with my good friend Leslie of One Thousand Words to make my vision of shooting in blossoms (at least once a year) happen! Wow, did it ever happen! Trina + Jonathan have years of marriage and four kids under their belts and still are MADLY in love with each other!!! Of course with that type of connection they could make any location look good but my NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY lined with gorgeous pink blossoms was just PERFECT! Overgrown field across from their house was a bonus :)

So, when you are thinking about planning a portrait session, an adventurous location like Franklin Falls or Rattlesnake Ledge would be amazing and would surely yield some amazing images. BUT don't forget that there is beauty all around us and we don't have to travel far to create some epic portraits. For those of you who can't swing an adventure portrait session this year, this may be the perfect option for you! I've got endless ideas so message me if you want your own beautiful little session.

Trina's makeup was ON POINT for this session! Amanda at A Second Look - Makeup by Amanda nailed it!!

Oh, and for those of you drooling over Trina's gorgeous floral dress (like me) find one in your size HERE.

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

Alli + Reese's Ft. Steilacoom Couples Session | Tacoma Engagement Photographer

Alli + Reese's couples session at Ft. Steilacoom Park was loaded full of favorites! One of my favorite photographer friends, her favorite boy, one of my favorite locations, my favorite type of session (love stories!!), my favorite type of weather (no rain!), one of my favorite colors to photograph (those PURPLE pants!!!) and my favorite atmosphere - relaxed, lots of laughs and LOVE! I'm also very drawn to the dark greens that winter in the PNW provides!

Although winter photos do lack the warm beautiful sun of summer portraits, there is just something so nice and calming about the grey of Pacific Northwest during rainy season. A big difference being that the greens are very muted compared to when it's summer so there are nice dark greens in the background rather than bright green of summer. Visually this can be an excellent thing!

It is already April and we are starting to get more and more nice days where the clouds and rain take a break and the bright warm sun illuminates the earth, and our moods. Soon every day will be sunny and a variety of plants and flowers will be in full bloom. Summer portraits full of flowers, blue sky and a warm glow will soon be possible.

Every season has it's perks - summer has flowers and warm, golden sun, fall has beautiful orange foliage and falling leaves, winter has neutral and calming tones - and snow! - and spring has flowers and a mix of winter and summer tones. This is important to consider when planning portraits as you want the scenery and light to match the mood of the images. So if you are thinking about getting portraits done, plan ahead and if you aren't sure what season is best then message me and we will find the perfect time to get the look you are aiming for.

No matter what time of year you step in front of my camera we will have some fun and create some relaxed, memorable and fun images.

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

Sarah + Deven's Ft. Steilacoom Couples Session | Tacoma Engagement Photographer

Passion, lust, love, adventure, fun and amorous. Just some of the words that come to mind when I think about this magnetic couple's Tacoma portrait session. Sarah + Deven were so relaxed in front of my camera and there is nothing shy about their love, not to mention how adorable they are together.

I love when my couples trust me to take creative control and are up to get some fun moments. For the past 6 months I've been moving away from posed images and moving towards more candid images. I just love ones with movement, may it be hair blowing in the wind, a romantic twirl or a fun little wrestling match. The images that capture the feelings between a couple without a single word or a playful moment are by far the most memorable. I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic and a dreamer so when I see love that meets those rather high expectations it always makes me so happy. The power of love is so amazing because it has such a positive effect not only on those experiencing it but to all those who witness it too. Love like this helps overcome some of the over-abundance of hate that exists in this world.

We even pulled off an epic dance move from the movie Dirty Dancing that would have made Patrick Swayze proud and it gave us some good giggles too!

Couples sessions (and weddings) are my fave!! So fun to capture the dynamic spark between two people! Sarah + Deven, you two are so stinkin' adorable together - I can't stand it!! Come and see me again!!!

I'll leave you with a romantic passage from the book 'God of Small Things.' Soul-searing, raw and poetic, a bit like love.

“The way her body existed only where he touched her. The rest of her was smoke.” -Arundhati Roy

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

Armin + Tailor's ROMANTIC Seattle Surprise Proposal | Seattle Wedding Photographer

Swooooooooooooooooooooooon! In December, Armin went full out to surprise his then girlfriend, Tailor, with this fairy tale worthy proposal.

Tailor had been out with her best friend for a fun girls day but when they arrived back at her friends house, Tailor had a romantic surprise waiting for her. A tantalizing trail of red rose petals, lined with the warm glow of candles lead Tailor up a set of stairs to a glowing arbor where her boyfriend, Armin, anxiously waited. The next moments were a medley of tears and heart felt words that were passionately followed by kisses - SHE SAID YES!

As a wedding photographer it was so neat to see the moments that lead to couples contacting me to photograph their weddings! All the preparation, planning, organizing, setting up - the waiting, the anxious laughter and thoughtful gazes. Friends and family coming together to pull off an epic surprise. Proposals, being where a new chapter begins, are such an intimate and special part of a couples story. Each engagement is unique, personalized to the couples love story and worth documenting no matter the circumstances! I love story telling and if I could follow each couple from proposal to wedding, and beyond... my heart, and my camera, would be pretty darn happy.

So back to my story, Tailor + Armin are engaged!! Surrounded by their closest friends and family they celebrated their big news. Lots of wedding and life planning are in their future but together they will build a life and become a family. This is how their story begins...

If you are planning to propose to your Cuddly Wumpkins, you may have a ring and a general plan in mind but don't forget one HUGE factor. Me! Having a photographer present to capture your proposal is a great way to document the start of "the rest of your life" together. The expression on her face, the tears that fall -smeared makeup and all- the love you have for each other in that moment will all become solidified in time. A true candid and heartfelt moment that is worthy to remember over and over and pass on to generations to come.

Tailor + Armin's story starts here, but where does yours start?

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

Check out the below wedding blogs and resources!

Rachel + Jordan's Boho Ft. Steilacoom Couples Maternity | Tacoma Maternity Photography

Today on the blog is one of my favorite sessions of 2016! This couple was so much fun and just look how adorable they are! Rachel had an idea to take some pictures in a white canopy so she brought some fabric with her and we made a cute little retreat for them to cuddle for photos. It went perfect with her GORGEOUS floral dress and Jordan's blue shirt. Rachel and Jordan are so amazing together, their love for each other just radiates around them and the look they get when they are with each other is just the sweetest. I can't wait to meet their baby girl - with so much love for each other their little girl will be loved beyond measure.

Did I mention how fun and hilarious this couple was??? My favorite is the one with Jordan's little kick while he goes in for a kiss haha! There were so many hilarious outtakes I had to add them in! Hope you get as big of a "kick" out of them as I did. :)

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful