We would like to take a moment to talk about something important to us: Leave No Trace ethics!

The Foxes continue to be a great source of inspiration for us and encourage all to share the eco love!

What is Leave No Trace?

Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help educate others on how to protect the lands we all play in. The organization has created a set of guiding principles for everyone to follow while in the outdoors. You can read more about LNT and the mission at lnt.org.

What are the LNT principles?

As taken directly from the LNT website “The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace provide an easily understood framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors.”

Plan Ahead & Prepare

Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces

Dispose of Waste Properly

Leave What You Find

Minimize Campfire Basics

Respect Wildlife

Be Considerate of Other Visitors

How do these principles relate to elopements?

Let’s all be prepared!

• Plan for the right attire. Okay, maybe a wedding dress isn’t considered outdoor gear lol, but we can be prepared with proper footwear, rain gear, hats, gloves, and extra layers. Your location and time of year will have an impact on what kind of gear we'll need to bring. But as a general guideline, you'll want shoes with good rubber tread and some layers for warmth. We'll be out through sunset, so the evenings can get chilly even in the middle of summer.

Stay on trail and don’t step on the wildflowers.

Always stay on the trail, avoid trampling vegetation, and don’t step on wildflowers. If there is no trail or if we’re hopping up on rocks for photos, we must always be mindful of the terrain and make sure not to damage the area. A lot of the terrain in these places is incredibly fragile and flowers can take decades to grow back after they’ve been stepped on!

• For elopements with guests, this is extra important. As a larger group, we have a higher potential of leaving an impact on the environment. So if you are inviting guests to your elopement, please make sure to mention this to everyone so we can leave as little impact on the environment as possible :)

Pack everything out.

Everything we bring outside with us must return back to the car with us. This includes human waste - so make sure to use the bathrooms before we start the trail.

• Please leave the confetti for the after party back home. Even biodegradable confetti leaves a mess that other hikers will find. Bubbles are a great alternative!

Leave what you find.

Your wedding dress will pick up some of the earth of the landscape for you to take home, but let's leave it at that! Everything else like wildflowers, rocks, bark, and driftwood has to remain there for future travellers to enjoy.

Campfires on the PNW coasts.

If we’re hitting the beach (or if you plan to go before/after the elopement) we/you can make a beach bonfire! As long as there isn't a burn ban in place (which occasionally happens in peak summer). But most of the year it's totally fine, just be sure to follow a couple important guidelines:

• Don't burn plastic or other trash. Nobody likes a fire pit with trash in it.

• Make sure the fire is completely put out before leaving. No lingering embers!

Respect the wildlife, we’re in their home.

We just might see some wildlife while out on your elopement! If we do, we’ll maintain a safe distance and respect their space. And of course, don’t feed the wildlife.

Be considerate of others, especially if they’re eloping too.

Eloping is becoming more and more popular every year. While we always try to find epic spots that also offer privacy, some areas are exceptionally popular and we’ll have to share the space with other hikers. Sometimes we even run into other couples on their own elopement! Fortunately, everyone is usually very kind and considerate about sharing the space so we can all get our photos and have a good time. No matter who we run into out there, we’ll make sure to share the views and be respectful of their experience too :)