A couple eloping in Golden Ears BC — *Photography by* *Unspoken Photography*.

If you’re dreaming of a quiet, nature-filled elopement in British Columbia with mountains, forest, and water all around you, K & C’s Golden Ears elopement is one you have to see.Their day was quiet, intentional, and full of those in-between moments—the kind that make you forget anyone else exists.… including the part where we all literally lost each other in the forest right before their first look.

Cue me ordering walkie-talkies on Amazon! And it was all so wonderful.

From Colombia & Vancouver to a BC Forest “I Do”

K and C reached out to me on September 22nd for their late November elopement, already completely sure that this was how they wanted to get married; just the two of them, somewhere quiet, surrounded by nature. K was living in Colombia and studying to become a doctor, and C was based in Vancouver working as a software engineer. Their long-distance love story already said so much about who they are: intentional, patient, and deeply committed.

Once we locked in the date, K booked her flights to BC — and just like that, everything started falling into place. She arrived in BC two days before their elopement, and during that time, I helped guide them through getting their marriage licence and some last-minute details, including winter coats (K from Aritzia, C from Simons).

One of my absolute favourite things about working with out-of-town and out-of-country couples is helping them build an experience! I love recommending where to eat, what to do, and how to make their time here feel effortless and special. It really transforms the experience into something wholesome and intentional.

A romantic elopement by the river in Golden Ears BC, Canada — *Photography by* *Unspoken Photography*.

Spanish Vows & A Thoughtfully Planned Morning

K and C wrote their own personal vows in Spanish, so it was important to me to find an officiant who could truly honour that. I paired them with Spanish-speaking officiant Shalom Wiebe, and she was such a beautiful fit for their day.

On the morning of their elopement, I sent K and C for breakfast at Bellagio, which was just a one-minute walk from their apartment downtown. I made sure the restaurant knew it was their wedding day, and C later texted me saying it was the perfect way to begin everything.

At 8:30 a.m., Hanna arrived at their apartment to do K’s hair and makeup, and once they were ready, the two of them prepared hot tea in a thermos bringing along special mugs K had brought all the way from Colombia.

Since they were doing a first look, K didn’t get into her dress until she arrived on site with us.

And because neither of them owned a car, C signed up for Modo and — miracle of miracles — a vehicle was already parked right in their building. It made getting to Golden Ears easy and stress-free. (A little pro tip here: Evo isn’t great if you’re heading into low or no cell service areas. Modo is the way to go!)

A Missing Groom, A Calm Bride & A Woodland First Look

While K and C were making their way to Golden Ears, I picked up their bouquet from Florista (absolutely stunning as always, with dried preserved bits imported from Italy) and met our photographer, Sarah, and Shalom at the park. K and C arrived right on time, ready and incredibly calm.

I pinned C’s boutonnière, gathered the marriage licence, rings, and vows, made sure everyone had jackets, tea, and good shoes and then sent C off with Sarah and Shalom to the river for the first look. I stayed back with K to help her into her dress, using special tape to secure the one-shoulder strap. I had also brought clear umbrellas just in case, but thankfully, the rain stayed away.

Once K was dressed, we headed down to the river…

And no one was there.

No groom. No photographer. No officiant.

With no cell service in most of the area, things could’ve felt stressful, but K was the calmest, most grounded bride. As we wandered through the trail trying to find them, she kept saying how beautiful everything was and how the walk was actually helping calm her nerves.

Later, K told me something that stuck:
“Cristian’s vows talked about how even when we go different paths, we’ll always come back together—so that little mix-up before our first look was the perfect metaphor. It made the moment even more special.”

And she was right. The timing, the stillness, the finding each other—it all felt meant to be.

After a bit of forest wandering (and a mental note to buy walkie-talkies for this location, LOL), we finally found them halfway down the trail. We ducked into a quiet spot right along the river, and that’s where K and C had their first look.

And it was definitely worth the adventure!

A newly wed couple kissing, with misty mountains in the background. — *Photography by* *Unspoken Photography*.

A Private Ceremony by the River

We flowed straight into their ceremony after the first look, and their private Spanish vows were incredibly emotional. Even without understanding every word, the depth of feeling between them was unmistakable and brought tears to my eyes!

After they were pronounced husband and wife, we signed the marriage certificate and captured some beautiful detail shots of their vow books, rings, florals, and their custom wooden ring box engraved with their names.

Because the day was so beautiful, Shalom decided to walk with us rather than heading back right away, and we continued down the path together.

C kept laughing about how grateful he was that I had stressed the importance of proper footwear, a detail that truly matters at this location. They even remembered a story I once shared about an officiant slipping at another elopement (love you, Cody 😅), which just made my heart melt knowing how long they’d been following along.

A Rare Low-Water Golden Ears Adventure

I’ve been to this location hundreds of times and had never seen the water so low. It revealed rock formations that are usually completely underwater, giving us a totally new photo spot!

K and C were all in! They climbed rocks, scrambled up slippery cliffs, and trusted every bit of guidance we gave. They had mentioned they were shy, but you’d never know it from the photos. When love is this real, it always shines through.

They chose this exact spot because they had seen T and J’s elopement here, which made it even more special to come full circle.

Because it was cloudy, the light faded faster than usual. Of course, we came prepared with our trusty Home Depot light, which I happily held so Sarah could keep capturing magic.

A happy couple eloping at the foot of the mountains in Golden Ears, BC. — *Photography by* *Unspoken Photography*.

Tea from Colombia & A Final Lakeside Moment

We made our way to the end of the lake for the last set of photos, where I suggested they write their initials in the sand with sticks. It was a little nod to childhood and something lighthearted to end the adventure.

Their custom playlist played throughout the entire day; full of Spanish songs, Coldplay, and “Patient Love” by Passenger, which could not have been a more perfect summary of their story.

When we finished, K pulled out the four mugs she had brought from Colombia, one for each of us. They were made with sand from Colombian beaches. It was so kind of K to include us! The four of us stood at the lake drinking tea together, laughing, soaking in the moment. It was one of those quiet, unforgettable endings that stay with you forever. I will think of K every single morning now when I use mine for my morning matcha.

A Perfect Ending (and the Best Dinner Reservation)

After loading everything up and saying our goodbyes, I sent K and C off to their dinner reservation at Nightingale in Vancouver. One of my top recommendations.

I told them to go all out. Wedding-day rules.

And just like that, our elopement season wrapped with the sweetest forest love story.

Even though the season’s technically over, I always save space for winter stories like this. If a forest, a thermos, and a quiet kind of magic sounds like your dream day—I’m here. Let’s make it happen.