Intimate Elopement in Squamish, BC

How they met

Em and Eoin met whilst doing a rafting season in the small town of Lytton, British Columbia. Eoin, hailing from Ireland, and Em, from Australia, ended up spending a second season rafting, and their relationship solidified into something meaningful and planned for the future.

Now living in Australia, they decided to travel across the Pacific to elope back in the province where it all began.

Going back to Canada to elope just made sense to us as it is where our story started, it’s a very special place to us and we’re so excited to return for the first time since we left in 2017. Eloping has always been the way we have wanted to get married and we’re so excited to be doing things our way in a beautiful place. – Eoin

Starting the day slowly in Squamish

The day started quietly inside a Squamish Airbnb, the weather sitting low and grey outside, the kind of classic coastal mountain conditions that immediately ruled out the helicopter and set the tone for everything that followed. Instead of forcing a plan that wasn’t going to work, we adjusted early and let the day unfold naturally, which often ends up being the best approach for elopements in Squamish and the Sea to Sky corridor.

Legal vows at the Airbnb

Em and Eoin got ready in the Airbnb, moving between rooms with fruits, drinks and snacks on the kitchen counter and music playing softly in the background. Their friend was set to lead their ceremony later on, but Natasha, being the wonderful HMUA she is, is also a certified officiant. They took care of the legal side of their marriage in a way that felt relaxed and deeply personal. They exchanged their official vows in the living room, still in their pyjamas and before getting dressed, moving through the nerves, a small and fun moment that set the tone for the rest of the day.

A first look at home

Once they were dressed, we stepped outside for a first look in the front yard of the Airbnb, keeping things simple and unforced, letting them see each other properly before heading off for the vow location.

A private Squamish ceremony

From there, we drove to their ceremony location, a quiet spot in Squamish that they had completely to themselves. The rain held off just long enough for them to share their vows surrounded by the landscape they had chosen, with no one else around and no distractions. Not long after, the weather shifted again and the rain set in properly, but by then the important part had already happened, and we simply worked with the conditions rather than against them, which is often part of planning an outdoor elopement in British Columbia.

Lunch at Backcountry Brewing and forest portraits

Lunch was pizza at Backcountry Brewing, a perfect mid-day stop that gave everyone a chance to warm up and slow things down before heading back out. After lunch, we moved into the forest for more photos, with the rain having turned everything lush and deep green, the ground soft underfoot and the light filtering through the trees. It was one of those moments where the weather actually enhances the experience, and the forest felt especially alive.

Malamute Summit and a first dance

To finish the day, we hiked up to Malamute Summit, carrying champagne and taking our time as the weather continued to shift around us. At the top, Em and Eoin shared a first dance and popped champagne with sweeping views over Squamish, ending the day in a way that felt intentional, quiet, and completely earned. It was the kind of ending that makes hiking elopements in Squamish so memorable.

Em and Eoin brought so much energy with them throughout the entire day, laughing constantly and never taking themselves too seriously, that easy Australian–Irish sense of humour weaving through every moment. Being around them felt effortless, and by the end of the day, it felt less like wrapping up an elopement shoot and more like saying goodbye to friends, already talking about the next catch-up back in Melbourne.