Apollo Bay Elopement
Nestled in the South West corner of Victoria is the stunning Otway National Park. it is where the ocean meets the forest and offers such a diverse range in locations for the perfect intimate ceremony or elopement. No matter what it is that you, as a couple, desire for your perfect small wedding, you will be able to find it in the Otway’s! It may be that you desire a beach wedding on the shores of Apollo Bay or Marengo, or an epic elopement in the hills above Apollo Bay. It may be that you wish to be surrounded by tall eucalyptus forests in Gellibrand or in the Stunning Redwoods in Beech Forrest. The choices are limitless but I do have a few favourites that I will share with you in this post.
Rhett and Carly decided that they wanted to elope with their two children present on a family trip along The Great Ocean Road. They traded the shores of mostly sunny Byron Bay for the shores of the unpredictable Apollo Bay. The elopement was a beautiful surprise for their children, as they were always asking when Mum and Dad were going to get married.
Their intimate ceremony took place at Pirates Cove on a sunny morning. Sally Hayes was their celebrant and she led with such warmth. I also had my cousin from Camille Hulm Photography present on the day to act as a witness and to capture some photographs herself. it was small, it was intimate, it was beautiful.
So, with their two children present, Carly and Rhett were married in front of the two most important people in their lives, their kids. Afterwards we captured some portraits of the happy couple and the entire family on the rocks at Pirate’S Cove.
Carly and Rhett surrounded by the towering Redwood Forrest in the Otway’s
When then travelled through the Otway’s to the Californian Redwoods and Hopteoun Falls. These two locations are my favourites for some epic landscape portraits. The towering trees and rushing water add an amazing element to your photos. The landscape in this area is absolutely stunning.
The Californian Redwood’s are located in South West Victoria in the Otway National Park. Did you know that Redwoods can live to be 2,000 years old and grow to be over 300 feet tall? Crazy! This remarkable stand of the world’s tallest tree species have thrived in Otway soil, far from their native California. Towering on the sheltered river flat at the Aire Valley Plantation, these Sequoia Sempervirens Trees were originally planted in 1936 by Victorian foresters for experimental purposes. While still in their youthful growth phase, the Otway Redwoods may one day claim the title of tallest trees in the world.
A walk for the first time between the massive trunks flanking the river creates a special feeling of awe and reverence – not to be missed. While Redwood National Park is known for its giant trees, it’s also known for its numerous hiking trails, beaches, and off-the-beaten-path locations only accessible through forest roads or by foot. Not to mention its remoteness, which makes the Otway’s a perfect honeymoon destination for couples looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Located just minutes from The Redwoods are two spectacular waterfalls. There is also another about 10 minutes away, if you’re up for the extra few minutes in the car. Beauchamp Falls and Hopetoun Falls are literally seconds away and both make a beautiful space for portrait images. Beauchamp Falls is a bit of a longer hike, however probably more suited to photos, whilst Hopetoun Falls is much quicker albeit rather steep. Or you could choose to drive a little further to Triplet Falls, which has a loop walk and many spectacular spots for photographs.
In the case of Carly and Rhett’s elopement, we chose to Hopetoun Falls. The sun was directly overhead as we were there around noon - which added a special glow to their images.
The black rock contrasts amazingly against the lush greens and rushing water. Hopetoun Falls is the perfect place to travel to for an Apollo Bay elopment.
Pirate’s Cove in Apollo Bay was a very heavily considered option for a morning ceremony. We knew that we may have been dealing with lots of sun or lots of rain so wanted a beach option in Apollo Bay that was both quite and had the option of some cover from the sun or rain!
