Peony Boat Elopement

Every year in Oregon I look forward to the best season of the year in my book: peony season. The season is far too short so I try to take advantage of the beautiful blooms every chance I get. A couple of years ago I happened upon the amazing place known as Peonies at Glencoe Farms in Hillsboro and fell in love with the rows and rows of gorgeous peonies and the sweetest family who own and run it.

I also love almost any session or activity that involves water. When I was taking family and senior photos at some friends’ property last year, I saw their little pond and boat, and the wheels started spinning.

I immediately started dreaming of putting these two things together for a peony boat elopement. When everyone was on board, it came together very quickly. I picked dozens of peonies at the farm in the morning with my friend Kimberly, then we made multiple trips to the property to set everything up. We acted as florists as we covered the boat in peonies and greenery. Monica and Scott were gracious and lovely modeling for us for this beautiful elopement.

Since the peony season is so short and many things had to come together for this to work, we couldn’t think too much about weather or rescheduling. While the weather was great, the wind was there in force. Kimberly and I ended up having to also get in the water in an inflatable kayak while the wind pushed our boats around the pond as we paddled and took photos. My only regret is that we didn’t get any behind-the-scenes photos. Many, many laughs were had between the two boats. Wind or not, it was a dream come true for this to happen. I realized how much I loved the planning process of putting this styled shoot together and plan to do more of it in the future. I would love to help you plan your special day too!

Heidi Heaphy Photography is currently booking 2023 and 2024 intimate weddings, elopements, family sessions, and other portraits. I am happy to help you plan your own elopement, whether you want to fill a boat with florals, you want a secluded and special location on the Oregon Coast, or you already have a plan in place for your day. Contact me to discuss the details of your special event.