Real Couple Elopement: Jo + Aki at Cape Kiwanda
Jo and Aki’s elopement story speaks to us because of the variety of ways the couple adapted during COVID-19. Though the couple originally wanted to have a wedding, they decided to elope and choose their location by going on a series of road trips to find the perfect, ceremonial spot. By incorporating Aki’s Hungarian culture into their celebration and involving their love for travel into the planning process, Tapestry created a planning process and elopement day that was tailored perfectly to them. Jo and Aki truly invested their all into making this iteration of their marriage celebration as special as it could be.
OUR REAL TAPESTRY COUPLE.
During COVID-19, Jo and Aki have been coping with quarantine by hitting the open road and working from a variety of places. Traveling is a defining characteristic of their relationship and is part of what brought them together when they started dating. The two of them met in between Jo’s many work trips at a coffee shop one morning. They clicked. They knew that the other brought something interesting and new to their lives and loved their shared passion for new places and new adventures.
As part of their Tapestry planning process, the couple decided to visit all of the locations they were considering to elope in. Not only did they get to go to so many beautiful places along the Pacific Coast, they were also able to find their ceremony location in the gorgeous cliff top and crashing waves of Cape Kiwanda. The views of this special place are more breathtaking in person than they are in photos. Jo and Aki loved that there were lots of options for different motifs to crawl around in. At the end of the day, they loved the grandeur, which you can only get a sense of in person.
HOW THE ELOPEMENT CAME TOGETHER.
The couple brought on their photographer, Alixann of Alixann Loosle Photography, and Kate of Tapestry Event Co. at the same time. Jo and Aki understood the vibe they were going for and wanted the creatives to bring in all of the specific elements that they wanted to capture. They prioritized the personalities and aesthetics of their vendors to make sure all the moving parts fit well together. Kate was enthusiastic about the depth that they brought to the process and how intentional they were about the details from the specificity of the picnic tablescape to the florals.
Jo and Aki hired Angelene of Villanelle Floral Co. to put together a dried bouquet made of real and fake flowers and a matching hair piece so that they could travel well from Seattle to Oregon and be preserved. Their cake from Sarasota Bakery was phenomenal and delicious, bringing in the flowers left over from the bouquet creation to decorate it.
Together, Kate, Jo, and Aki collaborated on the tablescape elements, choosing some from Tapestry’s inventory and new elements that they purchased themselves. This was a great exercise in deciding what could be rented to reduce the impact on our planet, purchased to become a permanent part of their home and daily reminder of their elopement day, and thoughtfully curated to leave no trace in an outdoor setting.
THE ELOPEMENT DAY COMMENCES.
Alyssa Underwood did Jo’s hair and makeup day-of and even helped Aki to get nice and glamorous with hair styling for their special day. Jo and Aki each brought a witness with them to help celebrate their marriage. Jo brought her best friend and Aki brought his former employer and mentor. They stayed with them and went on their trips before and after their elopement. During a time of increased isolation, the four of them had a fantastic time bonding during their whole weekend and generally hanging out. When Kate arrived, Aki and his friend were by the water chatting over beers in adirondack chairs. That morning, Jo and her bestie had a quiet and lovely time together, being present in the day. The couple shared a first look and exchanged gifts at the small lake behind their cabin before departing for the beach.
When sunset neared, the group made their way to Cape Kiwanda from the cabin they were staying in. They hiked up to their designated ceremony spot. Kate officiated Jo and Aki’s Unity Ceremony, which featured Fröccs to honor and incorporate Aki’s Hungarian culture. Fröccs is a Hungarian drink made of wine and soda water that is unifying in the way all people can access the elements to create it. It brings diverse groups of people together in a joyous way and is considered a celebratory drink in Hungarian culture. Kate loved being able to usher in their marriage through their cultural heritage, windy beach sunset and all.
The couple then took portraits in the dunes and the top of the Cape, while Kate set up the picnic for the party to reflect and share in the ceremony together. The couple's refined and focused earth tone palette played with shades of berry, orange, and light blue to offset the tan neutrals of their outdoor, cavernous setting. They included details like their original wedding invitations mixed in with handmade elopement mementos to document the whole journey to get to this day. Because their elopement ceremony was planned for peak golden hour vibes, they even brought mood lighting to add ambiance to their sunset picnic by the shore.
The group gathered at the candlelit picnic on the beach, which featured a charcuterie selection from Grate Boards. The best man offered a heartfelt toast. After they finished their grazing board, they signed their marriage certificate by headlight and headed back to their cabin wind-flushed and happy.
Kate remarked after the day was over that Jo and Aki’s elopement was “the windiest thing ever!” Even though the whole wedding party felt like they were going to get blown over multiple times throughout the day, they were great troopers in staying present. Overall though, Kate saw this elopement as a representation of how the limited opportunity of getting married during COVID-19 made a couple focus in on their celebration values: travel, intentional details, culture, and their love.
Jo and Aki are also cooking up plans to go mobile with their work for the next six months after experiencing success working from the road during their scouting trip. They plan to use some of the items purchased for their picnic in their new van setup. We are cheering them on!
— Kelleen, Tapestry Content Manager
THE VENDOR TEAM.
Designer + Planner: Kate // Tapestry Event Co. // @tapestryeventco // Seattle, WA + Beyond
Photographer: Alixann // Alixann Loosle Photography // @alixann_loosle_photography // Portland, OR + Beyond
Florist: Angelene // Villanelle Floral // @villanellefloral // Seattle, WA
Caterer: Dimitria // Grate Boards // @grateboards // Seattle, WA
Baker: Sara // SaraSotas Bakery // @sarasotas // Tillamook, OR
Hair + Makeup Artist: Alyssa // Alyssa Underwood Makeup + Artistry // @underwoodmakeup // Seaside, OR